W
HEN THE DUCATI Multistrada
1200 Enduro appeared in 2016,
its wire wheels, bash plate,
long-travel suspension,
off-road styling and 30-litre
tank were a face-palm moment of clarity;
this was what the Multistrada always
should’ve been. The Enduro was Ducati’s
GS Adventure; as fully equipped on paper
as the BM, it came loaded with so much
more performance, it left the GS feeling
breathless in comparison.
Yet the R1200GS Adventure still lorded it
over the 1200 Enduro on the road,
supernatural refinement making it an
efficiently effortless riding experience. The
only way to improve the GS, we felt, would
be to put a bit more lead in its pencil.
And that’s what BMW did. With a 1254cc
capacity hike, power is up by 10bhp to
127bhp at the wheel, and torque by 12lb·ft
to 100lb·ft – alongside ShiftCam variable
valve timing to help meet emissions
targets. The rest of the GS Adventurepackage remains much asbefore;similar
chassis, electronics and ergonomics.
But Ducati hasn’t stood stilleither.For
20 19 the Enduro gets the enlarged1262cc
variable-valve V-twin fromthestandard
Multistrada, up an extra 6bhpto 145bhp
at the wheel, but spreadingits90lb·ftof
torque more smoothly overa widerrange.
It also gets a smattering ofminorchassis,
ergonomic and software tweaks.
So the big question for 2019is: whose
bigger is better?ELECTRONICS
Bothbikesfeature
sophisticatedIMU-based
electronicpackages,with
multipleridermodes,flat
screens,tractioncontrol,
corneringABS, cruise
controlandsemi-active
suspension.TheDucatihas
backlitswitchgearandnew
TFT menus,theBMWnow
comes withHill-Hold
Control asstandard(which
the Ducatialready has).ERGONOMICS The GSA’s riding position is
identical to last year’s R1200GS Adventure, with an
890/910mm seat height, while the Enduro’s seat
drops to a more all-round 860mm with pegs
accordingly lower and bars dropped by 30mm.
Both bikes have adjustable screens, as before.CHASSIS The 1250GS retains the same chassis as the 1200; onlyits calipers come
from a different manufacturer. The Multistrada 1260 Enduro is the samebasicset-upas
the previous 1200 Enduro but with revisions to swingarm, wheels and rideheight.