Hyper vs. Multi

killjoy, I've thought about this comparison for many years. After getting a lot of Hyper highway miles under my belt, I knew I NEEDED a Multi (or similar class), but wouldn't switch because:
- Multi is ugly (subjective)
- Much larger (prefer smaller vehicles in general)
- Expensive (fact)
- Better alternatives in class: BMW 1000XR, KTM 1290, Aprilia Capo Nord, BMW GS (subjective)

**And I throw all that in the toilet with the introduction of the Multi V4S. I'm getting one. Not so impressed with fuel consumption but it is about the only negative I've found. Will probably keep my Hyper though.

Hi Killjoy,

I made this decision only a few months ago myself. I could have afforded a higher mileage/older, harder to own Multi, or spring for a nice hyper. So for me I was comparing an 821 hyper vs a 1100 multi due to cost.

For the Hyper:
>Looks
>Maintenance costs
>Age
>Standard Equipment (because of age)

For the Multi:
>Comfort

I might yet end up in Gat's shoes, and do enough miles to warrant the comfort upgrade. For now though, I'm happy with my choice.

Both are great bikes, Multi is a sporty SUV whereas the hyper is a sports car with a little luggage capacity I've been out ridden by better riders on a multi so the bike isn't likely to limit you in most cases. It is a heavier bike so tighter / technical roads will be more work whereas those are the roads I seek out on the hyper.

Suspension can be sorted for a few grand with cartridges and a new rear shock both of which can be set for you. The overheating issue is something the dealer should take care of given you warranty, I've never had an issue like that with my hyper, but did have an older honda that would overheat and die on me. Complete flush of the coolant system and a new water pump sorted that bike out.

Killjoy,

By the time I started really mod'ing my 821, she was paid off and not worth enough for the upgrade I would want. And I didn't want to part with it, just wanted a bike for each activity, which I couldn't afford. I really do love this machine. Plus, while I'm pretty good at wrenching on cars, my bike skills were novice, at best. I've gotten into some really tight spots doing deep maintenance and this forum has rescued me every time. You can make it really fast and handle really good, but it is just not designed to travel highway slab for long distances at high speed. I have an assortment of windscreens and still get beat up on longer treks. While it handles urban environments well, she really doesn't like going slow (more of an early gen issue). This is where tuners, airflow, evap delete and gearing can help.

Mine was pretty good with front fork inserts and OEM rear, but I had some adjustment to play with in the rear. I'd list steering damper as must-do if you do a lot of highway miles above the speed limit. The front end gets very light and twitch above 85 mph. In this setting, which is daily on my commute, I dream of a Multi or BMW. But, honestly, if I'm gonna go big touring bike, I'm all in on a Goldwing.

I've got 23K miles and most of my serious issues stem from me trying to fix or mod something myself. Can't speak highly enough of the motor. I have beat the living snot out of it since break-in and she always reports for duty. I would not have purchase one of the older air-cooled modes. Not enough power (for me) and way too-short maintenance interval. The 821 ushered in a revolution for Ducati regarding durability and valve/cam maintenance, and it's only been getting better. Like, when the 1260 came out, I thought 'if that's just a bored out better version of this...sold'. I think they make some of the best motors on the market today and the V4 line is insane. Ditto for electronic rider aides, which thankfully started on the 821. Big fan of their DTS and ABS, even in early form.

For me, the Multi is hideous; first and second generation. Far too tall and bulky , somehow too upright ergos and in no way comparable with the compact 821 'Strada. I have various other bikes, including a delightful-if-low-powered Gran Canyon (904 Ducati engine) which I still rate as the best looking adventure bike, despite it's age. For long distance, I have my much-refined ST4, which is an effortless mile-muncher. As for the V4 Ducatis; they are grossly over-powered in my view, simply for the bragging rights. Besides, twins are my thing.

I would STRONGLY consider a Multi 950 over a Hyper for the added wind protection alone.

kuksul08 said:

I would STRONGLY consider a Multi 950 over a Hyper for the added wind protection alone.

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I was having a hard time deciding between a Multi 950 S or the Hyper... at the end of the day the Hyper just felt so much more compact and lighter and fun. But I still look longingly at the 950 S's adaptive suspension, cruise control, 6-axis IMU, TFT display, and tank range

The multi 950 never really made sense to me, it's still big and pretty damn heavy, but with no more power than the hyper. At that point you may as well treat yourself to the 1200s to get the full multi experience.

N4teTheGreat said:

The multi 950 never really made sense to me, it's still big and pretty damn heavy, but with no more power than the hyper. At that point you may as well treat yourself to the 1200s to get the full multi experience.

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This

N4teTheGreat said:

The multi 950 never really made sense to me, it's still big and pretty damn heavy, but with no more power than the hyper. At that point you may as well treat yourself to the 1200s to get the full multi experience.

Click to expand...

For me the draw was "get most of the techno bells and whistles of the big multi for thousands less," but I get your point

When the first 950 Multi came out, I saw it at a show and hoped it would be significantly smaller all round than the 1200. Not so, so I never had to try to get my head around the ugly looks. At that time, I was convinced that the rider's weight should be shared between seat and bars much as on my ST4, so the very upright riding position didn't appeal either. These days, I don't mind sitting fairly tall, but it won't be on a Multistrada!

Nick

One thing I did find rather strange about the 950 (maybe due to that larger front wheel?) is that I had an easier time moving the 1260 around in the dealer showroom than the 950. But yeah - it became a moot point when I found a good deal on my '16, for about 60% less than what a 950 S would have cost . (I am eyeing a taller screen however!)

N4teTheGreat said:

The multi 950 never really made sense to me, it's still big and pretty damn heavy, but with no more power than the hyper. At that point you may as well treat yourself to the 1200s to get the full multi experience.

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A lot of the reviewers prefer the 950 over the 1260. It does weigh a bit less, but mostly the engine feels more exciting and fun to ride compared to the big 1260 which just has endless power.

I can't imagine being wow'd by less power. I understand useable power, but there's one reason why Dodge Hellcat's sell out - the motor. They can't do anything else in base trim. When I rode a 2013 Diavel on a test ride, ya, the ergo's were OK and it handled pretty well for a big lump, but...the punch of the motor is what I walked away smiling about. Admittedly, I am a member of the "No such thing as too much power" clan. Today, we are experiencing an era of technology being able to modulate power based on more factors than our simple brains can comprehend.

I flew in the military. All aircraft types had excess power that wasn't available under normal conditions: "Contingency Power" for helicopters, "Mil Power" for jets. For jets, it was just firewalling it and only had doctrinal limitations (time, fuel state, environmental conditions, engine health, etc.). But in helo's, flipping the "C-PWR" switch unlocked full-spec engine rating reserved for emergencies or tactical situations. As long as you didn't bust any limits or crash, this was yours to use. Some core limiters were still in place to prevent total ***-hattery.

I want more power than I need and will trust the computer to throttle me back if I'm bordering on dipshit....unless I turn them off, which better be an option.

Agreed, you can be wowed by lots of power, but I totally understand the reviewer's view of the 950 vs the 1200+ Multi. I have two Cagiva Raptors, one is the 1000cc (Suzuki TL engine, de-tuned) and one the 650cc from the Suzuki SV650. The 650 is undoubtedly the more fun engine, despite having much less bhp than the 1000. Both are very satisfying bikes to ride, but the fun-factor is higher on the little one, which is not what I'd expected when I bought it for the Missus! And being old-school, I'd much rather exercise my own riding skills than rely on technology to stop me doing something stupid.

Nick

To be fair I have heard nothing but good things about the 950 motor. Between that and the move to Bosch for the electronics package the 950 Hyper SP is a tempting bike. Luckily Munroe doesn't do test rides so there is no chance I'll ever find out what I am missing :-D

The 950 is the third generation of the 821, with barely any power bump. I rode a friends 2017 SS and was not impressed. My bike felt much faster and alive to 80 mph. He said it woke up a bit after he serviced it but I can't understand how they couldn't find 10 more hp or tq along the way, despite displacement bumps.

Every time some one asks if I buy another bike what I would pick, my answer is : The same, HS 939 2016, but this was the last year they sold it in order to replace it with the MS 950 that I tested 2 years ago , much heavier, the same engine, more expensive.
HS has everything, ligth, very fast, agile, I travel across the country ( luggage space is good,wind protection is minimal, comfort is ok, and with 4.2 gallons for gas that's enouhg)
HS you can do everything in a very good looking bike.