The Vegas Showgirl
Meet Gina
She's purrrrrty...
The only constant is change...and it was time.
Ginger has served me faithfully and well for the last six years. Having identical bikes here and in Europe was also advantageous; you know what to expect. But my self-imposed "sell by" date of 50,000 miles had come and gone, so it was time to move on. It coincided with a friend being interested in an F800GT, possibly to ship to Europe with Stefan, so the stars aligned.
Ginger fully serviced and ready to go:
She turned exactly 53,000 miles as I pulled into my friend's driveway to drop her off. Seems fitting!
I had been shopping "replacements" for a few months. On the list were three Italians: Ducati's Multistrada V4S and V2S, and a Moto Guzzi Mandello S. Test rode them all late last October....
What a spectacular disappointment.
Rode the V4 first, not the S model with the electronic suspension, the standard V4. She's a big girl, wide at the front, tapers nicely between your legs, but still feels big. And tall. Nice throttle response, and mondo, absolutely mondo, motor. 170 hp seems like a low figure, and it revs instantly. Zero vibration, nothing, zero, totally zero.
And zero character. Felt a bit like my old Honda ST1300 with more power, nothing like the V4 in my old Honda VFR 750, that had some character. This just felt big, fast, capable...like you're riding a two wheeled thrust machine. But I'd never buy one, I don't care how fast it is. Which shocked me; I expected to like this bike. I was ready for the cash register to go ka-ching.
On to the V2. Again, not the S, the base model with the standard suspension. Still tall, but soooo much lighter and more "human sized." Plenty roomy. Motor has "some" character, revs almost as quick as the V4 and quicker than any twin I've ever experienced. Not much torque, especially down low, you have to rev it, almost like an inline 4. Very refined, too refined, really.
If you told me the V2 or the V4 were built by Honda or Yamaha, I'd believe you. They were the "least Ducati" Ducati I've ever ridden. Very bland, not what I expect from Ducati. Or why I buy them; this would have been my fourth.
The Mandello was next. The smallest appearing and lowest by far. Standard model, with standard suspension; a classic sport-touring riding position, slightly canted forward. Big, BIG torque, just roll and go, anywhere in the rev range, in any gear. Really liked the motor, lots of character, some vibration but nothing intrusive. Crappy dash compared to the Ducs, which are just a hair below the BMW TFT display. The prettiest bike by far, but only if you can get it in the Tenni Green with the gold wheels.
I walked away liking the Mandello the best, but none of them really made my socks roll up and down. I rode Sophia, my Ducati Monster 1200S Anniversario, to the test rides.
Riding her home made me realize that the Ducati Multistrada 1260S we rented in Tuscany in 2018 fit my tastes waaaay better than any of the "new" bikes. Plus, I really, really like single sided swingarms, the way they float the rear wheel, and Ducati ditched that sexy feature on the new V4 and V2.
Krisanne was taking a little rest.
It was hot... 😂
The DVT (variable valve timing) 158 hp V-twin motor
The 1260S has a similar motor to my Monster, and a similar "character." It is slightly larger and has the variable valve timing system that makes it a bit more tractable at lower RPM. I liked it when we rented it, and I was sure it was a better fit than any of the new Ducati.
The Mandello was intriguing, but the last Guzzi I owned, a 2011 Griso, caught on fire at 1100 miles and I had to invoke the lemon law to get my money back from Piaggio. Not a great legacy. There were deals to be had on leftover models but, of course, not in the green/gold combo, the only one I'd want. And, parts availability here in the US is still a bit like truffle hunting.
I also gave serious thought to a new 2026 BMW R1300RS. Not out quite yet, should be in the US soon.
Played around on the BMW website configurator again and again...equipped with the luggage, it is a $32k bike out the door. Eyewateringingly expensive. To be fair, the V4 Multistrada is only slightly cheaper. But it is very hard for me to justify those $$$ for the limited amount of touring I'm doing in the US. That, and I'm just not wild about the RS.
I started looking for a lightly used Multistrada 1260S...Gina eventually hit the radar screen.
One owner, less than 3000 miles, all three bags, at the original selling dealer in Las Vegas. Brand new Michelin Power 5 tires and "just serviced" according to the dealer. That would become the bargaining chip...
Spoke to a very nice salesman, who assured me the bike was completely serviced. I asked him to email the service records. Oil change. Period. Explained to him that a "fully serviced" 2018 Multistrada needed more than an oil change...cam belts (the big number), coolant, brake fluid, and clutch fluid are all required for the service to be up to date, and sent a copy of the owner's manual service pages. Told him the only reason for me to buy a used bike at a Ducati dealer is so the service is current; if he could include all that, I'd buy the bike.
To make a long story short, they agreed, then balked, then agreed on even better terms, including a 3 year nationwide zero deductible warranty. Which, by the way, is a year longer than the warranty on a new Ducati. All for about a third of what a new BMW RS would have cost and half of a new Ducati V2S.
It's Vegas, baby. 😎
To put a cherry on this deal sundae: I booked my one-way flight on Southwest, got a "sign up for our credit card and we'll give you $300" offer. So my flight there and hotel stay on the ride back are free. Free is good.
It's Vegas, baby. 😎. Some things are meant to be; this is my third "fly and ride" and it's always an exciting way to kick off a new relationship.
Uneventful Southwest flight...and perfect weather for the two day, three state, ride home.
Quick Lyft to Ducati Las Vegas, and I'm in a sea of RED...
Gina's patiently waiting in the service area...hello baby!
Quick run through the purchase paperwork, install the Givi tanklock ring for the tank bag I already have, tutorial on setting up the bike, load up...and I'm off! Smooth as silk...thank you John, Jason and Vince.
I'm headed to Lake Havasu, through the Mojave National Preserve. The route:
First stop is Seven Magic Mountains, a sculpture installation.
Internationally renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains is a large-scale site-specific public art installation located near Jean Dry Lake and Interstate 15, approximately ten miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada. Comprised of seven towers of colorful, stacked boulders standing more than thirty feet high, Seven Magic Mountains is situated within the Ivanpah Valley adjacent to Sheep Mountain and the McCullough, Bird Spring, and Goodsprings ranges of mountains. A creative expression of human presence in the desert, Seven Magic Mountains punctuates the Mojave with a poetic burst of form and color.
Gina's running perfectly...and is exactly how I remembered from 2018. Great power and torque; this is a "roll on and go" bike, any gear, power is available instantly. The SkyHook suspension is supple, controlled and a joy, no matter the road surface. All the controls fall right to hand, screen provides good protection and is one-hand adjustable up and down. Nice. We're going to get along just fine!
Kept watch, didn't see one, but the Mojave Preserve supposedly has lots of dessert tortoise.
Kelso Depot was closed for renovations.
Quick, expensive, gas stop where Route 40 meets old Route 66.
At the Heat Hotel, at the foot of London Bridge, with a very nice river view.
London Bridge, you say? Kinda...
Gina's tucked in for the night...using an old Geza cover from my GS...it'll do for now, and maybe permanently. 😂
Decent dinner at the brew pub across the bridge. A nice "stop over."
The ride home skirts Phoenix, and heads through Gila Bend and Ajo. 385 miles, a good comfort test. 😎
Party boat at dawn
Gina's patiently waiting...
Balloons Over Breakfast
Packed and ready to roll
A water out, water in stop. 😎
Historic Route 80 on the way to Gila Bend
The Gillespie Dam Bridge
Through Ajo and past the mines...
Across the Tohono O'Oham reservation
Made it!
Slides right in...had to add "Former" above the sign... 😎
220 miles the first day, 385 the second. Perfectly comfortable; seat, riding position, everything really. And, I'm very surprised at how useful cruise control is...we have a lot of "straight, flat and boring" here in the West, and it's nice to let your hand rest for a spell. Didn't expect to find it useful, but I was wrong. The SkyHook electronic suspension is a magic carpet ride, and I LOVE the motor...filled with power, torque and, above all, character. The Trifecta. Plus, pretty. Pretty is good.
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