My new red two-up touring bike

[Tricky]

Great write up, looks lovely. Any news on your 890?

Unfortunately nothing concrete- last spoke to Premier yesterday, and still no confirmed date yet- they are hoping for more news and possibly a date by end of next week, but that's been the story of the last couple of weeks TBH...

[Tricky]

I’ve now put getting on for 1k miles on the Multi since I bought it, and feel I’ve got to know it pretty well now so time for a little update I think.

As I mentioned in my first post, I had a couple of mods planned - the first I did was a minor detail, not an important one but it got done first as it was easy and that was to mount my satnav in a more aesthetically pleasing way.
Not a “ must-do” , but Ducati has thoughtfully provided a couple of screw holes on the central clamp for the handlebars, at least on mine they have, so it was a simple job to knock up a bracket to enable me to get rid of the slightly in-your-face and ugly IMO universal ball and clamp set-up I’d put on it.

Before:



My template:


And after..



Means I have to glance down slightly to see it, but I can still see it out of the corner of my eye, and it's neater , which for me is important- I'll see how I go, and if the glancing down bothers me then there may be a MkII, but for the moment I'm happy

Anyway, I was just fiddling really with that, the most pressing change I wanted to make was to make it quieter.
As previously mentioned, the noise the thing makes has been troubling me a bit- it has definitely been useful with the amount of MAMILs I seem to be coming across on a lot of the roads I’m riding, but I don’t like attracting that much attention to myself so after a bit of searching, I managed to pick up a decent condition s/h cat box at a sensible-ish price to replace the Leo mid-pipe/silencer (that doesn’t).






And yesterday, after a little bit of grunting, and one sheared stud, we now have a completely standard exhaust system, albeit I’ve got the (noise reducing) butterfly flap de-activated and permanently open.
Noise now at a perfectly acceptable level- sounds a bit washing- machine-y through earplugs compared to how it did previously, but that’s just the earplug effect- sounds lovely without , it still has a nice big V-twin boom, but isn’t going to set car alarms off or get me arrested anymore.
It's added 5 or 6 kg to the weight, but it's low down, and hey, on this type of bike that's not a real biggie, and it's not really any uglier looking than it was before, so I'm happy from that perspective.



I was slightly concerned that putting the cat and more silencing back on might negatively affect the (previously perfect) throttle response or reduce power, but I’m very pleased to report that my arse-dyno can’t detect any loss in shove anywhere, and throttle response still feels perfect everywhere;- before I bought this one, I read up a fair bit to try and decide whether the later DVT engine was a must-have, lots of people were saying it was a lot better (less lumpy) low down, but I have no complaints about how mine runs- even in Sport mode, it’s spot on IMO, it’s two whopping great pistons in a sporty engine so never going to be as soft low down as a CBRxxx , but it’s smooth as silk compared to my old 1199 or Corsaro, and even better than my 790 was (even post-Hilltop tune )
And it isn’t short of go either- quiet-ing it down undoubtedly had an effect on my riding style on it , as I unconsciously rode it the hardest I ever have, had an absoloute ball, so much so that I was really missing a quick shifter for the first time on it, and in fact, sitting down getting my breath back after my ( one up fully everything sporty mode with no luggage etc down some brilliant and empty roads) post-cat fitting test ride, it had me questioning whether I really need an 890R at all.
I love the riding position, and am how well this handles and copes with bumps and undulations on what are not the best road surfaces is really making me smile a lot – yup, I’m sure if I got it on a track I’d get smoked on the straights by the big boys on R1s/S1ks , ground clearance permitting I don’t reckon it would be too far behind round the corners – IMO it’s a sportsbike for old blokes with bad backs / big guts, and people who need to take pillions in comfort

[hilldweller]

One big job left now, but you'll enjoy it -- take it home.

[Rockburner]

IMO it’s a sportsbike for old blokes with bad backs / big guts, and people who need to take pillions in comfort

I'd agree that that's exactly what it is - the BMW S1000XR is the same.

[Tricky]

One big job left now, but you'll enjoy it -- take it home.

As soon as travel restrictions get a bit easier it will indeed be going home, at least briefly, en-route to the Adriatic coast and back

[hilldweller]

As soon as travel restrictions get a bit easier it will indeed be going home, at least briefly, en-route to the Adriatic coast and back

When we turned 60 the question was asked "can 60 year olds get to Rome on a VFR750 ?". The answer was of course "yes" and after Rome we crossed the mountains and ended up in Riccioni and fell in love with the area. We went round and round San Marino looking for the race track, didn't find it of course. Did find it later. Been back a few times.

The only killer on that first trip was the heat, we ended up in shirt sleeves, like the Italian cops, just to survive.

[Bigyin]

Means I have to glance down slightly to see it, but I can still see it out of the corner of my eye, and it's neater , which for me is important- I'll see how I go, and if the glancing down bothers me then there may be a MkII, but for the moment I'm happy

Here is my set up which lets me have it above the instrument panel .... the navihalter mount came with the bike when i bought it but i reckon a man of your talents could knock up a copy of it if you had pics

Anyway, I was just fiddling really with that, the most pressing change I wanted to make was to make it quieter.

You are one of the few as most seem to have aftermarket pipes and decats on them. Mine is standard and quite loud enough for me and have managed to resist many a late night looking at pipes on ebay

I love the riding position, and am how well this handles and copes with bumps and undulations on what are not the best road surfaces is really making me smile a lot – yup, I’m sure if I got it on a track I’d get smoked on the straights by the big boys on R1s/S1ks , ground clearance permitting I don’t reckon it would be too far behind round the corners – IMO it’s a sportsbike for old blokes with bad backs / big guts, and people who need to take pillions in comfort

The skyhook suspension is quite different isnt it

Yup its a big upright sports bike. Lots of power and fast enough for the road but doesnt draw the attention of traffic plod as it looks like a tourer. Mine is currently without all luggage, rear crud guard off, small rear hugger (yours has the full winter one fitted)and small Pikes Peak carbon screen on the front so looks more like a big motard

[hilldweller]

Here is my set up which lets me have it above the instrument panel .

Better for reflections and petrol splashes. See, we can agree on some things.

I made a GPS mount to sit on the bar mount, it looked good but in use it was too low and the reflections made it hard to read. So now just where yours is. I also sometimes use a tank bag which screws up a low mount.

I could start a museum of "nearly right" bike brackets.

[Tricky]

Am still knocking the miles up slowly on the (now only slightly shouty) big red armchair, and loving it, as is 'er indoors, so to help her sleep easier and to show her just how much I love her I got her a present



Along with a template (as you have to drill two holes in the topbox) it also comes with a quite superfluous and I guess not particularly saving the planet carry bag, feck knows why as the thing is permanently screwed on to the top box, but I suppose it makes a handy wine or fizz bottle carrier



One thing that is slightly upsetting me, and needs addressing since I re-fitted the standard exhaust midsection is what this M6 threaded bracket on the LHS of the cat is for- doesn't look like there should be any form of other securing brackets that side, so am assuming that I have a piece of trim or something missing- one for [mention]Bigyin[/mention] hopefully?

[KungFooBob]

Looks like it should attach to the back of the foot rest?

[KungFooBob]

Sorry, wrong pic, that was a 2015, yours is a 12/13?



https://shop.oemducati.com/en/products/ ... system-203

[Tricky]

Ah, excellent, cheers Bob- seems I have a very small (only 20mm or so long) bracket missing- on further investigation, there is a threaded hole in the inside of the frame casting immediately behind the footrest

[Bigyin]

Not sure if there is a trim piece but should be a bolt and plate at least

I will have a look tomorrow and take a pic as mine is standard set up

[Bigyin]

What’s missing is a small plate and 2 bolts. I did take a photo to show but post image is playing up on my phone and won’t let me show it. Will try at home later

Edit: sorted

[Taipan]

Jeez Mate, would it kill you to clean your bike every now and again!

[Bigyin]

Jeez Mate, would it kill you to clean your bike every now and again!

Wondered who would be first

It got covered in shit yesterday after a cloudburst and didn’t clean before it went away. The top of it looks fine, just underneath is filthy from road crap and puddles

[KungFooBob]

Don't let Weeksy see it, we're all out of smelling salts.

[MingtheMerciless]

Jeez Mate, would it kill you to clean your bike every now and again!

That looks spotless compared to my KTM !

[Tricky]

What’s missing is a small plate and 2 bolts. I did take a photo to show but post image is playing up on my phone and won’t let me show it. Will try at home later

Edit: sorted

Cheers Yin, and eek!! - I thought mine was grubby

In fairness though, a, guessing yours gets more use than mine (and , there is no doubt- definitely less cleaning )

Anyway, now sorted thanks , or will be in a couple of days when the bits arrive- I did think about just knocking up a little ally bracket myself, but decided to do it properly so these are now winging their way to me

[Bigyin]

Cheers Yin, and eek!! - I thought mine was grubby

In fairness though, a, guessing yours gets more use than mine (and , there is no doubt- definitely less cleaning )

Anyway, now sorted thanks , or will be in a couple of days when the bits arrive- I did think about just knocking up a little ally bracket myself, but decided to do it properly so these are now winging their way to me

FFS its underneath the bike ....... you lot have spent too much time under Weeksy influence

But yes it does get used and when the weather is shit as well as mostly country roads covered in crap. Chain is due a clean as well as the rest of the bottom half due to the shit weather

Glad you got sorted and its all coming together. I have a spare Ducati back pad somewhere but dont know if it would fit that Givi top box