2015–2017 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Italian Muscle, Digital Brains
The 2015 Multistrada 1200 is built around a 1198 cc L-twin with Desmodromic Variable Timing, and that engine is the reason the bike works as a highway machine and a back-road weapon in the same afternoon. It makes 160 hp and 100 lb-ft, with a broad, usable bottom end rather than a peaky one. Around it sits a sharp chassis on 17-inch wheels with a USD fork, plus an IMU-based rider-aid package: cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, ride-by-wire power modes, and cruise control, all standard. It sits at the sporting end of the sport-touring class.
On the road it carries its 511 lb better than the number suggests, and the commanding 32.5 in seat is adjustable, so most riders find a setting that works. With 5.3 gal on board, long days between fuel stops are ordinary. This is for the rider who wants distance capability without giving up the reason they ride, not for someone shopping quiet, sensible transport. The honest caveat is ownership. This generation has a real electronics record you need to check on any used bike, and the standard suspension is adjustable but manual. The Skyhook electronic setup is an option, and it is worth having.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 160 hp (118 kW) @ 9,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 100 lb-ft (136 Nm) @ 7,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1198 cc |
| Engine | L-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.2 in (1530 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.5 in (825 mm) |
| Wet weight | 511 lb (232 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.3 gal (20 L) |
| Top speed | 145 mph (233 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Rider aids
Hit the starter and the L-twin clears its throat with a hard, uneven bark that stays part of the day. At cruising revs there is a deep mechanical pulse through the pegs and the tank that never goes numb or turns into buzz. The bars are wide and close, the knee bend is generous, and you sit up and over the front wheel rather than behind it, which is why a bike this size reads narrow when you filter through a parking lot. At highway speed it settles into that long wheelbase and simply tracks. What surprises most riders is how much the grips tell you about the road surface as the fork works underneath them. Then you park it, walk away, and turn around to look at it. That part matters more than people admit.
Sidestand breakage risk (recall)
The sidestand can fracture due to a manufacturing defect, causing the bike to fall over. Ducati issued a safety recall (NHTSA 15V637000) for 2015-2016 models to inspect and replace the sidestand assembly.
Electronic gremlins causing limp mode
Some owners have experienced sudden power loss, warning lights, and limp mode, often triggered by heavy acceleration from a stop. A CPU reflash usually resolves the issue, but it can recur intermittently.
Throttle assembly failure in heavy rain
Water ingress into the throttle-by-wire assembly can cause a loss of throttle control, limiting the bike to low speed. Replacing the throttle assembly resolves it, but the part may need to be backordered.
Fuel level sender failure
The fuel gauge sender is prone to failure, causing inaccurate or no fuel level reading. The issue can recur even after replacement, with some owners experiencing multiple failures.
Premature steering head bearing wear
The OEM caged ball bearings in the steering head can develop a notchiness, particularly around the straight-ahead position, after moderate to high mileage. Replacing them with tapered roller bearings is a common upgrade.
Where this Ducati Multistrada 1200 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Multistrada 1200 is actually built for.
This is your bike. It handles 200 to 400 mile days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge without wearing you out, and it still makes the twisty stretches the reason you left the house.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
160 hp and a sharp 17-inch chassis cover Angeles Crest without complaint, and you get comfort back on the ride home. It is the fast, civilized choice rather than the sharpest one.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
It works on Cherohala and the Dragon, and the low-end drive suits tight repeats. Just know you are working a tall 511 lb bike, so precision comes from your inputs, not from light weight.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Multistrada 1200. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
