How does the newly launched Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro fare against the competition?

Ducati has finally launched the Multistrada 1260 Enduro in India with prices starting at Rs 19.99 lakh. How does it stack up against the current crop of big-bore ADVs? Here’s a spec comparison (on paper) with its closest rivals; BMW R1250 GS Adventure Pro and Triumph Tiger 1200 XCx.

Engine:

The three ADVs have three different types of engines to offer but with the cubic capacity in a similar ballpark. The Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro is the most powerful of the lot, its honking 1262cc Testastretta L-Twin putting down 156bhp of power at 9,500rpm and 128Nm of torque at 7,500rpm. The R 1250 GS Adventure uses BMW’s traditional 1,254cc boxer engine and is good for 134bhp at 7,750rpm and 143Nm at 6,250rpm. The boxer allows for a lot of torque throughout the rev range, making it super capable in off-road conditions. The Triumph Tiger 1200 XCx, on the other hand, uses an 1,215cc, in-line three-cylinder that produces 139bhp at 9,350rpm and 122Nm of torque at 7,600rpm. The BMW and the Triumph are both shaft-driven for easy maintenance while the Ducati sticks with chain drive. In terms of outright power then, the Multistrada 1260 Enduro takes the crown while the Beemer is the torquiest of the lot. The Tiger 1200 is the heaviest of them all and the power and torque figures don’t promise much but the triple is surely tractable.

Electronics and Suspension:

Being flagship ADVs, all the three boast of SUV-like gadgetry, but right off the showroom floor the Ducati seems most well-endowed. The Multistrada 1260 Enduro gets four riding modes – Sport, Touring, Urban, Enduro. The R 1250 GS Adventure gets Rain and Road modes in the Standard variant while Dynamic and Enduro modes are available as an option. The Pro variant gets Dynamic Pro and Enduro Pro modes along with Dynamic and Enduro as standard. The Tiger 1200 XCx offers Road, Rain, Off-road, Sport, Off-road Pro and a rider-defined riding mode.

All the three bikes are equipped with electronic suspension as well. The Multistrada 1260 Enduro gets 48mm Sachs USDs with 185mm stroke. Ducati’s Skyhook tech allows for electronic adjustment for preload and rebound. At the rear, the monoshock gets a travel of 185mm and is adjustable for preload and rebound.

The R 1250 GS Adventure’s front suspension setup comprises of BMW’s patented Telelever tech and it gets a travel of 210mm. At the rear, the Paralever which has a travel of 220mm is electronically adjustable.

The WP’s on the Tiger 1200 XCx have electronically adjustable damping with 190 mm travel while the WP monoshock at the rear has electronically adjustable semi-active damping with automatic preload adjustment. The monoshock has 193 mm travel.

Features:

Being flagship ADVs, all the three motorcycles get a TFT-based instrument cluster as standard. The Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro gets a five-inch TFT and allows for Bluetooth connectivity that lets you control music and also receive calls, on the go. The 1260 also gets wheelie control, cruise control, self-cancelling indicators, cornering lights, vehicle hold control, keyless ignition, and hill assist, along with an optional tyre pressure monitoring system.

The R 1250 GS Adventure gets a full-LED headlight, automatic stability control, adjustable windscreen and hill start control. Additional features such as the cruise control, DRLs, LED indicators, tyre pressure monitoring system, heated grips and Pro riding modes are restricted to the Pro variant.

The Tiger 1200 XCx gets a TFT dash, cornering lights, shift assist, keyless ignition, hill hold, electrically adjustable windscreen, cruise control and heated grips.

Additionally, all three ADVs can be had with a bi-directional quickshifter, though the Triumph does not get it as standard, and the R 1250 GS receives it as standard only in the Pro variant.

Brakes:

Braking duties on the Multistrada 1260 Enduro are taken care of by Brembo M4.32 monoblocs clamping down on twin 320mm rotors and a 265mm rotor at the rear. The R 1250 GS Adventure gets a twin 305mm discs up front chomped on by four-pot radial callipers and a 276mm rotor with a two-pot calliper at the rear. The Tiger 1200 XCx uses twin 305mm rotors gripped by radially mounted, four-pot Brembo monoblocs up front and a 282mm rotor with a two-pot Nissin calliper.

All the three ADVs get IMU-controlled ABS as standard, which can be switched off.

Tires:

All the bikes here use a 19-inch front tyre with a 17-incher at the rear. The 1260 Enduro comes with Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres, with Pirelli Scorpion Rally rubber available as an option; the R 1250 GS uses Michelin Anakee III tyres, with optional off-road specced knobbies in the form of Metzeler Karoo 3, whereas the Tiger 1200 XCx gets Metzeler Tourance.

Dimensions:

The Multistrada 1260 Enduro weighs in at 254kg and its seat height ranges from 840mm to 880mm. It has a fuel capacity of 30 litres allowing for a range of about 400-450km. The R 1250 GS weighs 268kg (wet) with a seat height ranging from 890mm to 910mm, and has a fuel capacity of 30 litres, giving the BMW a range of around 400-450km. The Tiger 1200 XCx, on the other hand, has a dry weight of 251kg and the seat height ranging from 835mm to 855mm. As aforementioned, the Tiger is the heaviest here and with a 20-litre fuel tank, probably won’t make it more than 300km on a full tank.

Warranty and service:

All Ducatis come with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty and a service at 15,000km and a valve clearance check at 30,000km. The R 1250 GS gets a three-year unlimited warranty and a service interval of 10,000km. Triumph, on the other hand, offers the Tiger 1200 XCx with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty. However, Triumph recently announced a service package that extends the warranty by two years. The service interval too is the maximum at 16,000km.

Pricing:

The Multistrada 1260 Enduro range starts at Rs 19.99 lakh for the Ducati Red colour with the Sand shade costing an additional 24,000 rupees. The R 1250 GS Adventure range starts at Rs 18.25 lakh for the Standard variant while the fully-loaded Pro costs a hefty 21.95 lakh. The Tiger 1200 is only available in the XCx variant in India and is priced at Rs 17 lakh, making it the most affordable of the lot.