So, the spy shots of a dimensionally smaller, lesser powerful and with it, a more manageable Ducati Multistrada have surfaced. And the good news is, this new, more accessible Multistrada is headed to India as well. This is fantastic for both Ducati and the Indian bike enthusiast. But, before we go there, here’s a crash course on the current bike big / adventure bike scene.
If you really love the adventure biking life, chances are you already have the BMW R1200GS in your driveway. It is what truly defines adventure motorcycles in the minds of most modern-day motorcyclists. Credit Ewan McGregor and his Long Way Round series, the endless flow of fantastically shot and edited YouTube videos, the relentless PR push by BMW Motorrad itself, or whatever else it might be, the end result is – the GS is the most sought-after and hero-worshiped adventure bike out there.
And then when you get past its towering stance, get aboard and get rolling, you realise, it isn’t as hard to ride, as it seems. It has all the electronics, a lovely balance and enough ruggedness to it, for it to feel indestructible. Add to it an aging biking population with enough of handy change to go around and it is no surprise that adventure bikes, as a genre, is the fastest growing motorcycle category in developing markets.
Not so in India though. And the main reason for that is that unlike Europeans and Americans, we aren’t built big. We are also pretty cost sensitive, no matter how much dough we might have laying around in our bank accounts. So, if I buy an adventure bike for over Rs 15 lakh, I’d still be careful with it, for fixing its damages might cost me a fortune.
And this very conveniently brings me to the Ducati Multistrada. In India, the bike has found takers but not many. The Diavel is Ducati’s highest selling bike here followed by the Panigale 959. And it is easy to see why. The Diavel is a power cruiser. It has low seat height, a suite of electronics, it looks great, and you don’t need to be a fitness freak to be able to ride one. As for the Panigale, sure, you need some amount of fitness, but it sells because for many a Ducati must still be a sportsbike. And the Panigale 959 is well priced too. And it looks great, even standing still.
The Multistrada can do more numbers especially when you consider its biggest competitor, the BMW R1200GS, isn’t even on sale officially. But, for reasons mentioned above – the size, the height, and the constant fear of damaging the bike if one were to indulge in any sort of adventure – it hasn’t been able to realise its potential. And as we see it, it won’t either. As Indians we aren’t going to get taller or beefier. And as Indians, we will always hold money dear.
But, if I had the same nameplate, the same styling cues and similar electronics that make the Multistrada desirable, but with a lower seat height, less weight and a lot more affordable price tag, I’d certainly consider buying one. I might still not go to the end of the earth and beyond on one, but I’d ride it more often for it will be easier to park, easier to turn around and possibly easier to tour with on our roads as well.
So yes, a smaller Ducati Multistrada is good news. It is good news for Ducati India for it will bring in more buyers into its fold. Especially those who should or would have bought the Hypermotard or HyperStrada if it didn’t look so ordinary and less ‘big bike’ like compared to the rest in a Ducati India showroom. No, the Hypermotard just doesn’t sell in India.
And it is good news for bike buyers too, because if like me, you always wanted a rugged, do-it-all bike that could tour, go off-road and was still manageable on a daily commute and didn’t cost a bomb to buy or fix, you’d fall for the smaller Multistrada. Better news? It should be headed to our shores sometime next year.
