Introduction
The Bangalore highway can be a challenging route, especially around the Satara region if you don’t plan your ride well. Get late, and you’ll be welcomed by a sea of vehicles that would bring you down to crawling speeds for kilometres at the end. So, the Bikewale team decided to start the Pune-Goa road trip in the early hours of Friday morning, somewhere around 6 am. With the alarm clocks set exactly at 5:00 am, we did start the next day, exactly at 7:00 am. Needless to say, we were caught in the heavy traffic on the way, and this revealed a particular character trait of the Ducati Multistrada 950S that I did not like. Let’s get to that later. But there’s a bigger question that we must answer first.
“A Goa plan that actually panned out?” To which I would reply, “Accidentally”. The initial plan was to ride to Mangalore to Pratheek’s second home for the long weekend. We had seen it in pictures only and were awestruck by the scenic view from the terrace. But Pratheek was already in Goa, and possibly overwhelmed by the weather, which is probably why we got a WhatsApp message from him saying, “Why are we going to Mangalore when we have Goa!” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Goa plans successfully transpire.
Highway Run
Getting back to the Multistrada 950S. Now, this particular model is at the end of its lifecycle and will soon be replaced by the Multistrada V2. The new model, however, is mostly a nomenclature upgrade, to match the Multistrada V4 name, and essentially will be the same motorcycle underneath. This baby-Multistrada may not pack as many cylinders or displacement as my current favourite adventure tourer, the Multistrada V4 S, but it’s no slouch. With 113bhp and 94Nm on the tap, this mini-Multi is adequately fast. We have already done a detailed road-test review of the motorcycle, and you can read all about it here.
To say that the Multistrada 950S is a comfortable motorcycle to tour would be an understatement. With its meaty power delivery, comprehensive windblast protection, and friendly ergonomics, the Multistrada 950S is designed to munch miles. So, the run between Satara and Belgaum was like a hot knife slicing through butter. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s address the character trait that I spoke about in the introduction.
The Multistrada 950S, albeit the smallest in the family, is still a large motorcycle. The tall seat height and the heavy weight did not suit my average Indian physique, and I was sweating buckets, trying to filter through the aforementioned traffic. I could not wait to get out from the sea of vehicles, and took every possible opportunity to make my way between the trucks and tempos. Things got hot, too, as it doesn’t get the same cylinder deactivation technology as its bigger sibling. But that’s where the complaints end and it was easy going soon after.
Once out on the open road, the Multistrada 950S felt remarkably easy to ride. It feels quick on feet and is easy to flick from one side to another and overtake vehicles ahead. Eventually, traffic nearly faded and the Multistrada 950S had open roads in front of it, and I made the most of the opportunity. Sticking to highway speeds is easy and venturing into the triple digits is effortless. Going through the gearbox is easy-peasy too, thanks to the quickshifter.
But eventually, my right hand got tired by the constant revving and braking. Luckily for me, the motorcycle packs a cruise control system. Sure, it doesn’t have the radar-based cruise control like the Multistrada V4S, but the basic tech works sufficiently well for a good chunk of the highway, giving some relief to my wrist. Soon, we switched from the highway and took the Belgaum exit to Goa.
Goa via Chorla Ghat
After having a hearty lunch, the Bikewale team, led by our colleague from Carwale and the navigation system in his 1.6-litre Suzuki S-Cross, decided to take a diversion from Belgaum and took the Chorla Ghar route to Goa. This diversion landed us on some punishing road surface, and I had to be more careful due to my healing lower back injury. After all, I didn’t want to spend another six months off motorcycles. But the electronic suspension setup and friendly ergonomics made life easier, and I managed to tackle the bad roads on this diversion with utmost ease. An even worse scenario greeted us on the way back, and the Multistrada 950S ensured maximum comfort with the least fatigue.
With the diversion over, we took the snaking roads of Chorla, and the Multistrada 950S displayed its sporty nature. You see, the near litre-class engine packs loads of power in the mid and the higher revs, and the Multistrada 950S tackles corners with a sporty attitude. Sure, it isn’t as sharp as a sporty Ducati, but it’s the versatility that takes you by surprise. It dips into a corner well and exits it with equal enthusiasm.
All of this riding got the glute muscles tired, and I spent the last few kilometres standing on the footpegs to find some solace. Surprisingly though, once we reached our destination, I had enough energy to head out for an early dinner. We kept the Multistrada 950S in the hostel parking as we didn’t know about the parking arrangements at the burger joint we planned to visit – that’s one drawback of owning a premium motorcycle in India, you’re always concerned about its safety.
Luckily, we had two other motorcycles at our disposal. At times when we did leave the Ducati parked alone, we made sure that the Bajaj Dominar 400 and the Royal Enfield Classic 350 worked as roadblocks to stop people from hopping on to the motorcycle. Not that we don’t like it, but it’s a heavy motorcycle and it can seriously injure someone who is not used to handling that kind of weight.
Fuel Efficiency
Despite wringing the throttle for a spirited ride, going through all the riding modes, and occasionally tackling dense traffic, the Ducati Multistrada 950S returned a fuel economy of 19kmpl.
Verdict
The new Ducati Multistrada V4S felt smooth and relaxing, like most modern-day motorcycles. The Multistrada 950S, on the other hand, reminded me of the characterful nature of the Multistrada 1200S that made me fall in love with the Multistrada brand in the first place. Ducati didn’t throw a kitchen sink full of electronic aids to the Multistrada 950S, and that makes you feel more connected to the motorcycle than the tech-savvy Multistrada V4S.
Do I only have praises? As much as I enjoyed riding the Multistrada 950S, it felt taxing in traffic, or while doing tight manoeuvres in parking spots. It also gets hot, like any other Ducati (except the Multistrada V4), which is okay for a cool winter evening. But eventually, the mercury rises and so does the discomfort level when riding at a slow pace.
Overlook these two issues, and the Multistrada 950S is packed with a fun character that will put a wide grin on your face. As mentioned, this model will be replaced by the Multistrada V2 very soon, but the upcoming version will carry the same motor as the outgoing motorcycle. So, what you would get is a slightly improved motorcycle that is full of character, with the potential to keep you happy for many, many miles.
The ride was made easier and more relaxing thanks to the Rynox Magnapod tank/tail bag, and you can read all about it here.
Gallery
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Ducati Multistrada 950 Left Side View
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