Ducati needs another great Sport Tourer. Multi-strada is nice, but not quite the same caliber. The ST had poop enough for two up and luggage and 100 mph cruising. Improve on that with maybe a built in GPS/Nav and less heat under the seat and soon others will be singing the praises of the new ST as well.

Good point. I wonder how many can't deal with the 'sit-up and beg' position of GS-style bikes though? Whilst I can't blame Ducati for producing a genre that made up just 3% of their production (seen on the poster at the factory) maybe an anniversary special or something? Don't know what anniversary but I would definately buy one, or maybe two! Why? Cos I love wolves in sheeps clothing. One golden moment out of many I'll share: hottest ever day in the summer of 2003 on the A352 eastbound towards Wareham. There's a mile or so of dual carriageway just past Broadmayne. An Aprilia RSV made a cheeky move at the roundabout and gave it the berries. The road was totally empty. He must have thought, "sports tourer with big luggage on, including tank bag, I'll have im". Err ... no. Let's just say at the end of the mile or so he nearly jumped off his bike seeing me right there at twice what we should have been doing+20 (on the clock of course). Last March I put her (bog standard) on the proper dyno at Carbon Can in Fleetwood. 117.5bhp at the rear wheel. Ducati claim 117 for my model. Top product.

Like it - nice to see ducati being used for what it was designed for ie ridden!!

That's why I have the new 'Multistrada' thingy on order. I need a less 'wristy' riding position as even my ST4S kills my left wrist these days-serves me right for smashing it up 9 years ago I suppose-the wrist not the bike................
The new bike has the more upright riding position I need, panniers and topbox, and enough engine to sustain high speed cruising 2 up-well at least with an 1198 lump it should have enough engine-even for me.........:devil:
Latest picture I have seen shows the bike with luggage-I am going to the Milan show in November to see it in the metal-can't wait.

John

Far to sophisticated for you :p

Monty, that looks pretty good with the luggage. I was expecting them to do a ktm/bmw alloy box setup, which just doesn't do it for us.

The only concern with that is the height of the pillion seat and pegs. The step in the seat is so big it would put my missus way up in the breeze. I guess until we actually see and ride one we'll never know.

Not many weeks to wait now though :)

Saw the test mules at the factory doing the rounds.. seat height didn't look much taller, if at all, than the streetfighter. Pillion doesn't look much higher than riders seat. Looks less pronounced than the Multi.

I should be careful what you say Neil me old mate-you may wake up with a horses head in your bed saying things like that..............:lol:

John

Got to agree with you John-although our American cousins would pretty much all disagree-they actually WANT the big alloy boxes..............perhaps because they have lots more offroad than us.

John

yeah Monty, but you don't count as you are one of the walking wounded....LOL. The photo looks like ST luggage, but the final product may be something else. They sure made that sucker butt ugly! Wow.
Still, I have never had a sore wrist from my ST except from a lot of clutch use in heavy traffic. Otherwise, touring is pretty comfortable. Would be nice to see a refined sports tourer again though.