DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950 (2017 - 2021) Review

Oil and filter

Excellent brakes

Engine not enough power to pull such a heavy bike.

Top heavy with dangerous gearbox false neutral issues. It takes a while to start and fully fuelled is a challenge. Especially around the Isle of Man TT circuit. I am a veteran rider with 20 plus years on all bikes. This is the only bike that on a fast overtake M6 rush hour would not engage into gear. It literally nearly had me in an Ambulance.

No cruise, no quickshifter, no heated grips, cmon Ducati

Brilliant handling and brakes. You need to play about with the suspension to get a good setting for a pillion. Solo it’s great out of the box

Very smooth for a V twin. It gets better with mileage More than adequate performance.

It has been totally reliable I don’t ride through winter. The only corrosion is on the front down pipe. You have to keep in top of cleaning

Normal annual services has been around £250. The 18k service will be around £1000 Fuel economy is excellent. I regularly get 60 mpg

Clear lcd display

Ergonomics are very good but slight room for improvement ( been rectified in recent updates). I can ride up to 2-1/2 hours without a break but usually stop at around 1hour ish. Braking is very good. Bike is at its best when I out riding Twisties, back roads, country lanes and when it induces 🎶On Days like These🎶 to come to mind 😊

Power delivery is very enjoyable ☺️☺️ A bit vibey but then it's an inline Twin !

Have had a couple of warranty claims, front brake reservoir ( now updated), the bit a flaking near oil inspection window - but absolutely no quibble rectification by Ducati who are a pleasure to deal with. Eg. The swingarm should damage to the underside coating where possible damaged by stones. The bike was out of 4 year warranty but Ducati still replaced it. As said, great marque to deal with and be associated with.

Ducati 950 has turned out to be far less financially demanding than anecdotal comments suggested and appears cheaper to service than comparable bikes from other marques.

The OEM Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2s tyres are excellent though as I'm not going off road at the moment and using it for my IAM Observer sessions am currently using Mezeler Roadtec 01s, also excellent. Came with touring pack so partial accessory ? Accessories I've fitted and recommend - MRA screen with foil, Centrestand was part of touring pack (should come as standard on the type of bike from all manufactures),engine bars, top box fixtures, heated grips, radiator(s) guards, RnG bungs.

Marvellous touring, fun and commuter bike. Great weather protection and a 7 hour ride was no problem even in lousy weather. Brakes are excellent but not quite as good as on the big bike which has slightly better feel and initial bite. Within the segment they are superb.

It hasn’t got the low down grunt of the 1200 that allowed hopping over speed bumps with a flick of the wrist and isn’t as smooth under 2000 rpm as the DVT unit but it has so much character, a great soundtrack and plenty of power. Gearchanges are smooth but more frequent than on the bigger bike. I’ve had Quickshifters but don’t miss it on this bike.

Zero corrosion. A pain keeping the exhaust box clean in the winter but Harpic Max 10 and fine wire wool do a great job.

Had to add a centre stand and heated grips. The level of equipment is great. It should have LED headlights and that is the only thing I’d fault the bike for. They are good lights but the LED system was amazing and provided the best illumination on any vehicle I’ve owned. Impossible to discover if you can swap to the Ducati LED assembly but there are aftermarket kits available. They aren’t that bad that I’d bother though. Osram Nightbreakers are a good solution.

Brakes are spot on. Plenty of bite and nice progressive feel. Ride can be a little bouncy, but it can be dialled out of the fully adjustable front and rear suspension.

The reason i had to buy a Ducati. That sound track is beautiful. Plenty of grunt when you want it. Happy in town as well. Feeling is smooth and manageable. Get to 130mph and you can feel that is it. Doesn't half get there fast either. Great Engine.

The exhaust headers are already showing corrosion. This is common with most of the Ducati's. It does taint the otherwise pristine look of the bike. There is a rattle from the exhaust when you've just started it up from warm and give it a little rev. Had Blade Ducati look into it, and they have said it's normal. It's otherwise perfect and hasn't consumed any oil yet.

Seems rather pricey for a bike service, which is essentially just changing the oil, adjusting chain tension (if required) and checking the bolts are done up. But being a Ducati, i suppose that's just the cost of it. I get around 180 miles to tank if riding sensibly. I managed to munch through 3/4 tank of fuel the other day on a spirited hours ride. But it's totally worth it.

Subjective, I'm sure, but having the touring pack just makes sense. The centre stand is a must for maintenance and storage. It's a lot of weight on the rear wheel if it's stored on it for a long time. Panniers are massively useful as i'm always stuffing it full of work gear, clothes for when i'm not riding and shopping. Heated grips.....i think it's just nice to have them. Maybe not necessary, but as i have only summer gloves at the moment, it's a welcome accessory. One thing i may look into is a spoiler for the screen, to aid cleaner air over my head. I have had to buy race earplugs to kill the wind noise.

So far excelent but still running in.

low down torque, good economy for touring. Ample "Real Road" usable power

Quality seems good, too soon for reliability

9000 miles between services and 18000 miles for valves and belts. Not mega powerfull so tyres should last OK.

Tank range

Brakes great. Front springs a little soft initialy when largeing it up but very comfortable. Good weather protection. 200 miles yesterday around the Lakes -Honister pass and Hartside included in Fog,rain, floods and sunshine. Good in side winds. Very secure feeling ride, TC not intrusive but works fine. I can only keep one bike on the road these days and I think this one is a keeper. Had my LeMans for 32 years and tried dozens of bikes as well. I think this one is a "Goldilocks" bike. - Just right

Not run in but can feel it's going to be fine. Not a "sports" engine but plenty of torque for everyday roads.

Only done 200 miles so can only rate on quality of build.

9000 miles between services. Belts and valve clerances at 18000. 47 MPGand only 113BHP so tyres should last OK Considering it's 25% cheaper than a basic 1200 pretty good value I would say.(For a Ducati)

Only missing cruise as far as I'm concerned. Extras are"Furking" expensive. I thought Triumph were bad. The "Urban" pack is basicly a givi 41 litre monokey top box and st602 tank bag with usb connectors nearly £800 quid - strewth!!! Not available yet but heated grips are around £250-00