Monday, May 13, 2013
2012 Ducati Multistrada 1200
A desire to make the World Superbike engine accessible to everyone resulted in the design and creation of the brand new Testastretta 11°, a motor thats a racer at heart and yet ready for long-distance touring or everyday urban use.
So named because of its minimised 11° of ‘valve overlap’ - the interval of crankshaft rotation during which both intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time - the new Desmodromic power plant not only transforms the Testastretta Evoluzione’s world championship-winning 41° configuration into a super-smooth motor for sport touring, but also improves fuel efficiency, emissions and cost of scheduled maintenance.
The Testastretta 11° is an engine for all environments and the perfect ‘game-changer’ for the four-bikes-in-one concept. The gearbox and final drive ratios have also been optimised to enable reduced fuel consumption and achieve increased riding comfort by reducing vibration. If the 1198 Superbike reaches its top speed in 6th gear, the Multistrada 1200 is able to reach it in 5th gear and maintain it effortlessly in 6th.
Even the Multistrada 1200’s exhaust tail pipes are a feature that perfectly demonstrates this concept. The internal structure of the silencer is designed to achieve the characteristic Ducati sound without compromising compliance with sound and hydrocarbon emission standards (Euro3).
The fuel tank has been developed using a new moulding technology which enables a favourable balance between capacity and weight. Subject to riding style, the 20 litre (5.3 gallon US) capacity can provide up to 400km (250 mile) of motorcycle pleasure between fuel stops by returning approximately 47mpg (US) (56mpg UK) at a constant 75mph (120km/h).
