Nye Davis

What better way is there to celebrate Multistrada’s touring credentials than with a luxurious continental tour down World Ducati Week in Misano, Italy? So, when the call came to put me in my own 2,560 km, there was only going to be one answer.
It’s a drizzly Saturay morning, 7.30am, and already I regretted the decision to omit water-proof over-trousers from my packing list.
Still, there’s no turning back now.
The plan for the first couple of days is simply to cover ground at a reasonable rate, giving me ample time to explore the mountanious goodness of Switzerland and tackle the Trans Euro Trail (TET) in the North of Italy. While this was my intention, I’m an off-roader at heart and with the V4 Granturismo being so a dept at melting the miles, I already find myself with spare time and so go hunting the TET. As tarmac gives way to gravel on the first section of unmetalled road, I’m struck by how convincingly the big Multi transformation luxury grand tourer to pseudo rally bike.
It’s only when the gravel becomes overgrown that the heft becomes apparent. The continued over extra junk in the Ducati’s trunk soon becomes disconcerting when road-bissed tyres meet slick mud or grass-buried ruts. Keep it on graved twin track, however, and she’s an absolute ripper.
Day two kicks off a similar fashion to the first, with plenty of rain and decent chunk of mileage to cover. After ticking off a shift on the motorway, I’m treated to fabulous, intricately twisting ribbons of tarmac – with the rain still falling, I’m the only bike on the roads too.
The topography surrounding me is quintessential Swiss foothills – lush green mouds roll together into a never-ending horizon, only relenting occasionally to give way almost ancient forests. The third day, with little to no legal unpaved roads to ride in Switzerland, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I won’t be hittung the dirt again untill I reach Italy. However, with an abundance of perfect roads and “eys on stalles” views ahead of me, I’m happy to accept this fate for a few days.
The early morning weather continues to not play ball and as I gain elevation, I’m glad for the furnace-like rear bank of cylinders which relent lessly funnel heat towards my lap. Even the heated seat is called upon occasion.
It’s in these less favorable conditions that the Multistrada truly shines. When the roads are slick, the big Ducati’s electronics perform faultlessy, providing a highly effective safety.
The highlight of today should be the Grimsel Pass. Today proves a little different however: I’m cocooned by a sea fog so opaque that visobility is reduced to just a few metres.
Any sense of bearing has by now deserted me. So, I reduce my pace and aim simply to make it over the 2,164 m peak and back to lower ground.
As I summit, it’s as though I’m thrust into the perfectelarity of the nature, with a panoramic view of the valley below.
With the conditions having gone from miserable to marvellous, I up the pace. The Multistrada transforms yet again from comfortable tourer to switch back hungry supermoto.
Each twistand turn rapidly gives way to another and the Multistrada laps up my over exuberance without the slightest protest, dancing from tyre edge despite weighing close to 300 kg with full luggage onboard.If the previous two days on Multistrada had been about covering miles and navigating technical mountain passes, today is an altogether milder affair, with my only goal being to reach Italy. After a morning attending to uncle duties with my Swiss nephew, I find myself left with limited time for any high-mileage heroics. It’s fine though, as there’s only three to four hours of riding to cover.
A brief stint heading back east sees me off the highway and climbing the Simplon Pass. Scenery remains otherworldly and before long I’m being waved through the border post into the final country of my European mini-tour.
Arriving shortly after at my resting point for the night, I find myself with a spare evening and opt to forget about motorcycles for a while and simply stuff myself way beyond with some excelent food in a local restaurant. The day after, I load up the Multistrada and depart early, determined to make some progress before the midday heat emerges to drain my energy.
While there’s plenty of elevation to overcome, the trails are seldom technical and what few obstacles throw themselves my way are perfectly surmountable. Here the Multistrada is totally in its element.
The only person I’ve shared my paradise with all day is a single other motocyclist. We stop together atop some mountain to eat lunch, and return to our respective ways and go our separate roads.It would be hard to describe myself as excited at the prospect of 250 miles of motorway monotony ahead, but the Multistrada has immediately morphed from dirt bike to highway cruiser.
Midway through, I make my route through Bologna to visit the birthplace of my trusty steed: Borgo Panigale, which is the home of the brand. Finally, I come back on my way to the World Ducati Week. I reach Riccione – just a stone’s throw from the Misano World Circuit where WDW is held – and everywhere are Ducatis and Ducatisti blending into a sea of red and just from speaking to a few riders, it’s immediately clear just how deep-seated their passion for the brand is.
With that, my ride is done and my leg of this particular Multistrada’s 60,000 km epic is complete, although with four days of Ducati-ased festivities ahead, the fun isn’t quite over yet.