Ducati Multistrada 1260: What to expect

The Ducati Multistrada 1260 will be launched in India on 19 June. It is the third bike in Ducati’s four-bike launch plan for 2018 in the country. With the launch just a few days away, we tell you what to expect from the new Multistrada 1260.

Design

The overall design of the Multistrada 1260 remains the same as the model it replaces. It gets a tall windscreen, wide fairing and the glaring look of the twin headlamp setup. However, the fairing now gets a few revisions to make it slightly more aerodynamic and the headlamp is now a full-LED unit with cornering function. 

The trellis frame is now finished in a brushed silver colour for the standard and S models. On the other hand, the Pikes Peak variant continues with the red frame. Ducati has revised this trellis frame with a 25 degree steering angle as compared to the 24 degrees from the current model. It also gets a 48mm longer swingarm.

Engine

The biggest change on the Multistrada 1260 is the new motor that has been borrowed from the XDiavel. This unit is a 1262cc, L-Twin Testastretta engine that produces 156bhp and 96Nm of torque via a six-speed gearbox. The Multistrada 1260 is also equipped with the Ducati Quick Shifter (DQS) for seamless upshifts and downshifts.

Technology

The Multistrada 1260 sports a five-inch full-colour TFT instrument display. The unit also explains what changes the chosen setting would make to the behaviour of the motorcycle. For example, select TC1 and the bike tells you that it is best for dry roads while TC7 is best for slippery, wet conditions.

The Multistrada 1260 offers four riding modes- Sport, Urban, Touring and Enduro, eight level traction control, eight-level wheelie control, cruise control, cornering ABS and Vehicle Hold Control that ensures easy and safe uphill starts.

Cycle Parts

The Multistrada 1260 rides on 17-inch wheels shod with Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres. It uses 330mm twin discs up front and a 265mm disc brake at the rear; both Brembo units. Suspension duties are taken care of by 48mm inverted front forks and a fully-adjustable Sachs monoshock at the rear. This unit gets an electronic spring pre-load adjustment with the Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS).

Pricing

We can expect the bike to be priced around Rs 15 lakhs to Rs 16 lakhs. However, Ducati might launch the Multistrada 1260 S first which is likely to be priced between Rs 17 lakhs to Rs 18 lakhs.