RUST magazine: RUST#37

adventure
A recent Ducati run out at the
Touratech UK Travel Event 2018 gave
me an opportunity for a quick spin on
the model. This follows JB’s experience
of briefly riding a pre-production
example in the wilds of Madagascar
during the Touratech UPoA ride in
2016. JB, and the Ducati’s rider on
that occasion, Benjamin Myers, were
super-impressed by the Ducati’s
capabilities, it being robust enough to
shrug off all the challenges a week-long
saturated jungle ride threw at it, but
as well being a surprisingly amenable
performer, with narrow mid-section
and decent off-road riding position.
JB missed out on a further ride of
that bike when it returned to Europe,
reporting that Herbert Schwarz (then
CEO at Touratech) hogged it, having
fallen in love with it while riding the
ACT Portugal later that year. So it comes
highly recommended…
NOT SO BIG – BUT BIG ALL THE SAME…
Getting on the big Multistrada Enduro
the ergonomics are surprisingly spot
on for an average height guy. With a
standard seat height of 870mm (there
is also a low seat factory option), at
5’11” my feet were comfortably on the
ground and moving off the Enduro
immediately feels beautifully balanced
for a big bike. Standing up, despite the
super-sized 30-litre fuel tank, the bike
feels narrow through the middle and
the full-sized, grippy enduro foot pegs
only add to the feeling of security and
stability. No bar risers are required here
either as these bars are already 50mm
higher than on the base Multistrada
model – yep, someone definitely put
some thought into spending extended
periods of time stood up on this beast
(Beppe, no doubt).
Spending 40 minutes on the bike
doing the DRE off-road academy
50
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