The original 1000cc Multistrada opened to rave reviews from riders, even though its funky, Pierre-Terblanche-meets-Robots-the-movie styling gave pause to some observers. It quickly became one of Ducati's best-selling models, hitting the sweet spot of casual comfort, performance, Italian cachet, tourability and usability.
There were a few medflies in the mechanical marinara, however. The original Multi's dry clutch made it noisy and quirky to ride in-town, and the high Rockwell hardness of its thin seat often made draining the 5.3-gallon fuel tank an exercise in pain tolerance.
For 2007, the fine folks at Ducati seem to have done an amazing thing: They listened, if not to us then to their legions of dedicated owners. The lovely 992cc Desmodue Dual Spark engine has been punched out to 1078cc via a 4mm bore increase, raising peak output by a claimed 3 horsepower. The real story, though, is the torque curve, where there are now an additional 8 lb.-ft. arriving 250 rpm earlier. That's a pretty substantial improvement, making an engine that was already a torquer into a real, um, monster.
The seat is pumped up in similar fashion. It's the previously optional Comfort seat, though comfort in the Ducati world is a relative thing. The conventional tubular handlebar is now rubber-mounted, helping to keep your hands and mirrors stationary when the engine is not. Speaking of hands, your left one will get less of a workout thanks to the new wet clutch, which offers a lighter pull and more consistent engagement. It's quieter, too.
Meanwhile in the other corner, the Tiger 1050 is absolutely new, from its lightweight, cast-aluminum frame and swingarm to its bodywork and 17-inch front wheel stopped by radial-mount Nissin front brake calipers. The styling is a huge improvement over its bulbous, droop-jowled predecessor, the silly tiger-stripe motif that used to make a goofy-looking motorcycle look even goofier fading into a bad memory.
The new design is crisp, contemporary and functional, with nicely faired cheek pods and a well-defined, frame-mounted fairing putting a much more attractive face on what is essentially the same upright, highly tourable riding position. The blacked-out engine's 6.4mm stroke increase puts the Tiger on par, displacement-wise, with the current 1050 Sprint and Speed Triple.A single exhaust can drops 11 bhp from Sprint spec, but Triumph offers an accessory muffler that allegedly gives back those 11 horses. The penalty in extra noise will, however, make most sensible Tiger riders keep the stock muffler-and their eardrums.
The new frame is designed for asphalt use only, and its 23.2-degree rake is much more in line with conventional sportbike practice than the previous Tiger's chopperesque 25.8-degree caster.