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Thread: Ducati Multistrada S DVT

  1. #61
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    Saturday, time to hit Montenegro. Nothing prepares you for how beautiful the country is. Every time you crest a hill or take a corner you're met by stunning scenery.

    We crawl through the countryside just taking everything in. There was no pace, you simply had to savour the majesty of the place.
    We hit the ski resort in Žabljak. Now summertime, it's a hiking and climbing resort.







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  2. #62
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    Ducati Multistrada S DVT

    Sunday, our destination is Kotor, not before we take a zip line across the Tara River Canyon, 1.3km deep, the zip line is nearly 900m long, great fun.

    We hit the road, this was one of the best days biking I've had, ended up on fresh amazing tarmac that would suddenly end and turn into a gravel track, unbelievable fun.

    Kotor is a gem of a place, we stop for a cup of coffee 25km outside of Kotor, I check the sat nav, hotel is 6km as the crow flies but 25km of road, switchbacks down a mountain side, once again, the Ducati is in its elements, it just carves it's way down the canyon, the pops and bangs of the 1200cc V twin spouting out the termi on the overrun.

    We're Kotor for two days, the second a day off bike.



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    Last edited by Dave; 03-07-18 at 23:31.

  3. #63
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    Went for a spin around the countryside on Monday, didn't get a chance to take any other photos.

    Tuesday, we head for Dubrovnik




    Wednesday I walk into the city and explore the old town.



    Thursday we head for Hvar Island, we got the ferry to Korcula and hit more excellent roads, 50km of mixed roads, from right technical corners to long sweeping bends, I'm scraping the pegs at this stage.

    We hit Vela Luka, really lovely spot


    Friday, this our last day on the bike, we get two ferries so that we don't have to do a border crossing. We stop for lunch and make our way up the coast to Split, it was bitter sweet, brilliant roads and great final days biking but sad that it was coming to an end.

    I loved the trip, had none stop craic, I've already booked the next trip.

    The Ducati is going in for its desmo service, I'll hang onto it for one more trip then I'll likely replace it with another one. The trip was 2200km. That brings the bikes mileage to a bit over 30k km.

    The only thing that lets this bike down is the service, I need to travel 900km to get work done but I would only replace it with another Ducati, such a fantastic machine, it oozes character and is so engaging.



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  4. #64
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    What a fantastic trip and a great write up Dave

  5. #65
    Enjoyed that read and photos, even though I've only ever been on a moped!

  6. #66
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    Thoroughly enjoyed reading that - what a trip! I've only been as far as France on two wheels but this gives me the want to go a bit further.

  7. #67
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    amazing trip!

  8. #68
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    Got a bunch of photos from a photographer that was on the trip, this photo perfectly sums up my trip.





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  9. #69
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    Ducati Multistrada S DVT

    The time is coming again to prepare for the next trip.

    The bike just clipped over 30k km when I got back from the Balkans last year.

    Which means it was time to do the dreaded desmo service.

    I had planned on selling the bike this year so I didn't want the mileage to be too high, I also didn't want to do the desmo service immediately as it would just be due another service again around now.

    So in order to keep the mileage reasonable and make it slightly more appealing come sale time, I put the bike into storage. To be honest, it didn't even come home.

    So it's about a year now since I last rode a bike and on 4 weeks I do another trip, more on that shortly.

    In preparation for this and to sell the bike, I booked it in with Millsport Ducati up north.

    It takes two days to do the Desmo service and the price starts at £1200 if you don't need any valve clearances done.

    I booked the bike in for Thursday the 4th and Friday the 5th of April.

    Thankfully, the Lexus has a factory removable tow hitch and a buddy of mine leant me a bike trailer.

    Wednesday, I drove to Wexford, picked up the trailer, grabbed the bike in Gorey and headed up to Ballymoney.



    I'm always paranoid when I'm towing a bike so I pulled over to check the straps, and I noticed the spare wheel for the trailer, which had a lock put on it for the trip, was hanging low.

    The extra weight of the lock (those chunky yellow bastards) caused one of the bolts to sheer from the movement induced. I gave it a bit of a wobble and the whole thing let go, lucky.

    A few hours later I arrive in Ballymoney on the north, go to unhitch the trailer and I noticed the trailer plug had let go some time ago. Completely disintegrated.

    Thursday morning, I drop the bike off. Grab the bits to fix the trailer electrics. Go sort the electrics and headed back to Belfast.

    Finally settled another dilemma I've had. Didn't purchase, but I know what I want.

    51k Mile Manual


    70k Mile DCT


    I also drove a revo tuned B8 S4 and a Golf R, neither of which were worth talking about.

    So Friday evening comes, I go pick up the bike, it's 5pm, the bike is due to be down, thankfully the valve clearances were all in spec but there were a few other bits done including some recalls. Just waiting for the software update.

    The tech comes out with bad news, while they were flashing the ECU the laptop crapped itself and now my bike is lit up like a Christmas tree.

    Ducati UK are now closed so it has to wait until Tuesday (most bike shops are closed on Monday)

    Annoying, but shit happens. I head home with an empty trailer.

    Millsport, full of apologies, sort it, the bike is done by the following Thursday.

    AMI in Gorey arrange to collect my bike, they're shipping it to Italy for me in two weeks anyway.

    So it's back and ready to roll, total bill including replacing a key I lost - €1700



    This will be the last time I use this bike, when it comes back, I'll sell it and probably replace it with the same again early 2021.
    I'm doing Thailand, Burma, Laos and Vietnam next year and won't need my own bike for that.
    Last edited by Dave; 23-04-19 at 22:17.

  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave View Post
    It takes two days to do the Desmo service and the price starts at £1200 if you don't need any valve clearances done.
    That's outrageous Dave !

    Certainly crossed off the list now if/when come to upgrade - the overall running costs really seem excessive if using it as it should be (and not being a garage queen). Leaning more towards the KTM 990 SMR or the BMW S1000XR instead TBH (different animals I know).

    I remember the panic selling on the VFR800 VTEC's when it came close to the 16k mile valve clearance checks (you couldn't give them away then) as it was originally a horrendously expensive, main dealer only engine out job. The irony was that they never actually neeeded any adjustment, it was just Honda being over-cautious. The Desmo check of course is a necessity in fairness though....
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