Ducati India has launched the company’s latest flagship adventure tourer, the Ducati Multistrada 1260 in the country at ₹ 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom), and Multistrada 1260 S at ₹ 18.06 lakh (ex-showroom). The Ducati Multistrada 1260 will be available in Red colour while the Multistrada 1260 S comes in three colours – Grey, Red, and White. The bookings for the Multistrada 1260 are open at all Ducati dealerships, and deliveries will begin by end of June 2018. Originally, the Ducati Multistrada 1260 has made in debut at the Ducati World Premiere, just before EICMA 2017 in Milan, Italy. The Multistrada 1260 and 1260S will replace the ongoing Multistrada 1200. At such a price tag, the Ducati Multistrada 1260 will compete with 2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 XCx and the BMW R 1200 GS Dynamic Plus.
The Multistrada 1260 looks pretty much same as its predecessor apart from a redesigned front fairing which improves airflow around the pillion and top box. The Multistrada 1260 gets new DVT (Ducati Testastretta) engine, a new chassis, longer swingarm, and new electronic wizardry. The Multistrada 1260 also uses newly integrated luggage mounts and a new aluminum subframe. The Ducati 1260 gets a larger grab rail and LED turn indicators at the rear.
The Multistrada 1260 is powered by 1,262cc L-twin Ducati Testastretta DVT engine that churns out a maximum power of 160 PS at 9,750 rpm and produces a peak torque of 129.5Nm at 7,500 rpm. The DVT on the Ducati Multistrada is said to deliver low-and mid-range torque, delivering 85 percent of its peak torque as low as 3,500 rpm. The Multistrada 1260 comes with a host of electronic rider features like ride-by-wire throttle, a Bosch inertial measurement unit (IMU) which controls the eight-level Ducati Wheelie Control, cornering ABS and traction control. The Multistrada S variant also features 6-speed gearbox along with the Ducati Quickshifter and cornering headlights.
The S variant gets high-definition full-colour TFT instrument panel which is now app-compatible, electronically managed navigation, semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS), top-spec brakes with Brembo M50 monoblock four-piston calipers, as well as barrage of rider assist options that include vehicle hold control (VHC), and four riding modes (sport, touring, urban and enduro), 8 levels of traction control, cruise control, Ducati Safety Pack (which uses a Bosch inertial measuring unit (IMU)), wheelie control and traction control.
The new Multistrada 1260 offers four riding modes in all – with Sports mode offering the full 159 bhp from the engine, Touring mode offers 158 bh but a gentle throttle response, Urban mode with power limited to 100 bhp with traction control dialled up high. Enduro mode will also have 100 bhp and each mode has pre-determined settings for traction control, wheelie control and ABS.
The wheelbase on Multistrada 1260 has been extended by 56mm while the newly designed wheels are 300 grams lighther when compared to the predecessor. The Multistrada 1260 comes equipped with a trellis frame and uses Kayaba 48mm upside-down forks that are fully adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound damping, while the rear gets a Sachs monoshock with full adjustability. The Multistrada 1260 also has a revised steering angle of 25-degrees for a more relaxed riding posture.
The Multistrada 1260 gets twin 320mm discs with radially mounted 4-piston Brembo calipers up front, while the rear gets a single disc with a 2-piston caliper whereas the 1260S, gets 10mm larger discs up front with top-of-the-line Brembo Monobloc M50 calipers, while the rear remains the same as the standard variant. Both models get dual-channel ABS as standard.
Press Release Quote
Commenting on the launch, Sergio Canovas, Managing Director, Ducati India, said:
“Eight years of Multistrada innovation has led to the production of this masterpiece, directed to expand every adventure enthusiast’s comfort zone with its versatility. The new Multistrada 1260 range is a consummate sport-touring adventure bike, designed for those who hope to ride greater distances and enjoy a good rev around twisty roads. The Multistrada 1260 and 1260 S is a testament to our commitment to bring the best of Italian design, engineering, and performance to Indian roads.”