Off The Record
Jim Soldera
Age: 40+
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 140 lb.
Inseam: 33 in.
I've got short legs, and while the Triumph Tiger has nice ergos and a cushy seat, it's a stretch to the ground. The brakes, engine and transmission feel quite refined, but I never found a suspension setting that gave me confidence in the tires.
The Ducati Multistrada fit me better. It isn't a 1098, but I had more fun on this bike in the canyons. It has easy controls, but it's also got the thinly padded seat typical of Ducatis and a windscreen that made my helmet jostle around. That wouldn't be much fun on a long ride.
Sorry to say, but as the owner of a BMW GS, I still feel I made the right choice. It's the one bike to have if you can only have one bike.
Brian Catterson
Age: 45
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 215 lb.
Inseam : 34 in
No contest here, I'll take the Ducati. Not because the Triumph isn't a great motorcycle, because it is, with a soul-stirring (if subdued) growling/howling exhaust note. It just feels a little too refined (read: bland) for my tastes. That's been the knock against Hondas for a while, so at least the British firm is in good company.
You certainly can't say that about the Ducati. The Multistrada 1100 may feel refined when judged against its 1000cc predecessor, with a much better-acting wet clutch, but it's a hairy-chested beast compared to the Tiger. Maybe the two should swap names-they could call it the Darmah like back in the '70s.