New Pirelli Scorpion Trail II track test

In this week’s MCN (on sale June 3-9, 2015) and you’ll see us testing the new Aprilia RSV4 RF, Ducati Panigale R and Yamaha R1M at the Alcarras circuit in northern Spain, with former WSB champ Neil Hodgson.

But when we’d finished all the serious testing (it’s a hard job and all that…) our hosts, Pirelli, let Neil and me have a play on a new Ducati Multistrada shod with their latest Scorpion Trail II adventure tyres, which have a new tread pattern, compounds and construction.

After riding superbikes on slicks all day you’d think this would be a bit of a step down, but we had a blast, shedding the last of our knee sliders and shaving metal from the Ducati’s footpegs and sidestand.

My fellow MCN tester Michael Guy has already carried out a test of this new rubber on road at the Scorpion II’s recent launch, which appeared in our recent tyre supplement (MCN, May 6), so this was just a bit of fun. But it showed us just how far dual-purpose tyres have come on and it’s amazing to think you could do a trackday on these, then some gentle off-roading on the way home.

The Pirellis are standard equipment in the new Multistrada, but are available in a range of 17-21in fronts and various size 17in rears for around £190/set.

Pictures by Alberto Cervetti