When Ducati came out with the Multistrada, the company seemed to know that not only did it not compete with the likes of the BMW GS in the dirt, but more importantly, it didn't have to.
Today, Ducati offers the Multistrada in a couple different flavors.
It's a hell of a machine, but it's a little much for most people most of the time.
The true cognoscenti know that it's the newer, smaller Multistrada 950 S that hits the sweet spot of performance, utility and practicality.
It's arguably the rowdiest engine in the middleweight adventure category, and thanks to its plentiful torque and excellent fueling, it's a treat to use in this more practical application.
Making rowdy and rideable L-twin engines is Ducati's bread and butter and it's no surprise that the one in the Multi 950 is great.
It's one of the few touchpoints on the bike that doesn't feel great thanks to its heavy pull and dislike of being slipped.
The rear brake provides adequate power, and the high-zoot lean-sensitive ABS that's standard on the bike makes sure that your overzealous right foot doesn't get you into trouble.
The Multi's wheels are another win in our book -- specifically, the fact that Ducati chose to go with spoked wheels (always cool-looking on an adventure bike) but shelled out the extra coin to make them tubeless.
Being an adventure bike, it's essential to talk about luggage.
So, now we know that the Multistrada 950 S is technically brilliant, but how is it to ride.
The bike makes loads of torque at low-ish RPM levels, which means you're never struggling to get it off the line.
It's a hell of a lot more competent than it needs to be.
My test bike also looked brilliant with its almost primer-like gray paint and red steel trellis frame, though the bike is also available with red paint (because duh, it's Italian) though it's fair to say that the Multistrada isn't a classically attractive bike.
Is the Ducati Multistrada 950 S worth the extra cash
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