Seeing as how I’m now a fully paid up member of the MultiStrada Society I thought I’d start a thread to a) keep a journel of my new bike and b) try and liven up this desolate corner of the Forum.
Having eventually got the bike on Wednesday last, after a 12 week wait, the first opportunity to ride it was today
.
The weather forecast was good, no rain, just a bit overcast as the day progressed so I headed out on a familiar route so I could concentrate on the bike and not where I’m going; also so I could compare and contrast as the route goes over a particularly shitty section which has been in dire need of resurfacing for tue past few years
.
Wow
, what a bike. Best bike I’ve ever ridden .
There are mirrors that actually do what they are supposed to and give a great view of what’s behind.
The DQS is a thing of technological beauty. It was a little bit clunky the first few changes but after about 30km it had either ‘learned’ or something had smoothed out. iirc the manual did say it takes a while for the quick shifter to learn from what you’re telling it to do. Upshifts are seamless. Downshifts select with the slightest of ‘snick’ noises. I found it easier, well less clunky, to use the clutch to go from 1st to 2nd but after that, just open the throttle and click up with your toe at the desired revs. The only way you note you’ve changed gear is because the revs fall then immediately build again. This bike is effortlessly fast.
As I’m running it in, I’m trying not to go above 5.5k rpm, which is kinda difficult so often it was 6 or 7k. Open the throttles in 2nd, rev to 6k then bang bang bang bang making each gear change at 6k it’s like a, I don’t know what, a very very fast thing, there’s just oodles of power propelling it forwards, in a few short seconds it’s in 6th st 6k doing 150 (Kmh). I’m going to try and time it. It’s 100% addictive and I had the biggest grin on my face from riding a bike I’ve ever had. I’d just drop down through the gears, snick, snick, snick, snick, back into 2nd, and do it all again, it’s brilliant
. I can’t wait until it’s fully run in and I can repeat the exercise in Sport mode with full engine power and at 10k rpm rather than 6k (I was in Touring mode and I’ve only got medium power for a while ).
Anyway, I spent 3hrs and 45 mins in the saddle with just a 3min stop at a prepay fuel pump to put €20 worth in; it’s so comfortable I could easily have done another 3hrs 45 mins. I have never, ever, spent that long in the saddle before. I’ve always had to stop after 90-120 mins, relishing every fuel stop, to stretch my legs or relieve my wrists. Not anymore .
Sadly however, the clouds came down as I was up in the mountains and Shithampton descended upon me. Bollox, it’s brand new and note it’s getting wet and mucky
. I almost headed back but then I thought ‘sod it’ who cares if it gets wet & mucky, I can just clean it, besides I’m having too much fun, so I just continued in the rain for the next 90 mins. Weather protection is actually very good and whilst I may have been experiencing Shithampton weather it still didn’t stop the scenery being stunning.
Finally I got back home and wheeled it into the shed, dripping wet, it’s still chucking it down so a rinse off will have to wait until tomorrow.
This bike is so good that if I didn’t already have one I’d have to go and buy one.
Having eventually got the bike on Wednesday last, after a 12 week wait, the first opportunity to ride it was today
.The weather forecast was good, no rain, just a bit overcast as the day progressed so I headed out on a familiar route so I could concentrate on the bike and not where I’m going; also so I could compare and contrast as the route goes over a particularly shitty section which has been in dire need of resurfacing for tue past few years
.Wow
, what a bike. Best bike I’ve ever ridden .There are mirrors that actually do what they are supposed to and give a great view of what’s behind
.The DQS is a thing of technological beauty. It was a little bit clunky the first few changes but after about 30km it had either ‘learned’ or something had smoothed out. iirc the manual did say it takes a while for the quick shifter to learn from what you’re telling it to do. Upshifts are seamless. Downshifts select with the slightest of ‘snick’ noises. I found it easier, well less clunky, to use the clutch to go from 1st to 2nd but after that, just open the throttle and click up with your toe at the desired revs. The only way you note you’ve changed gear is because the revs fall then immediately build again. This bike is effortlessly fast.
As I’m running it in, I’m trying not to go above 5.5k rpm, which is kinda difficult so often it was 6 or 7k. Open the throttles in 2nd, rev to 6k then bang bang bang bang making each gear change at 6k it’s like a, I don’t know what, a very very fast thing, there’s just oodles of power propelling it forwards, in a few short seconds it’s in 6th st 6k doing 150 (Kmh). I’m going to try and time it. It’s 100% addictive and I had the biggest grin on my face from riding a bike I’ve ever had. I’d just drop down through the gears, snick, snick, snick, snick, back into 2nd, and do it all again, it’s brilliant
. I can’t wait until it’s fully run in and I can repeat the exercise in Sport mode with full engine power and at 10k rpm rather than 6k (I was in Touring mode and I’ve only got medium power for a while ).Anyway, I spent 3hrs and 45 mins in the saddle with just a 3min stop at a prepay fuel pump to put €20 worth in; it’s so comfortable I could easily have done another 3hrs 45 mins
. I have never, ever, spent that long in the saddle before. I’ve always had to stop after 90-120 mins, relishing every fuel stop, to stretch my legs or relieve my wrists. Not anymore .Sadly however, the clouds came down as I was up in the mountains and Shithampton descended upon me. Bollox
, it’s brand new and note it’s getting wet and mucky. I almost headed back but then I thought ‘sod it’ who cares if it gets wet & mucky, I can just clean it, besides I’m having too much fun, so I just continued in the rain for the next 90 mins. Weather protection is actually very good and whilst I may have been experiencing Shithampton weather it still didn’t stop the scenery being stunning.Finally I got back home and wheeled it into the shed, dripping wet, it’s still chucking it down so a rinse off will have to wait until tomorrow.
This bike is so good that if I didn’t already have one I’d have to go and buy one
.
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you're just kidding right 
