Evolution is the name of the game. It is inevitable, it is life. Everything, living and nonliving, evolves with time. As we continuously work, we discover new ways of doing the same thing. Or, should we rather say, better ways of doing the same thing. Sport-touring is a concept born out of the “need” of sportbikes that are fast inclined more towards better handling and braking rather than outright speeds, but at the same time, they do not sacrifice rider and pillion comfort even with luggage. But this isn’t something new, motorcycles like these have long existed. What’s new is that sport-touring motorcycles are continuously evolving and thinning the gap between themselves and Superbikes. For example, the Ducati Multistrada. A lightweight designed to be a multi-tasker – easy handling in city traffic, extremely stable for high-speed highway riding and exceptionally sporty on tracks and canyon-carving. And that engine? Oh well, what a screamer! Taken from the 1198 Superbike, the 1198.4cc L-twin engine is one of the most performance oriented twins in the world today. Capable of dangerously high speeds but thanks to the first-in-production-motorcycle DVT (Ducati’s version of Variable Valve Timing), it is sweet to ride at low speeds as well. It isn’t rough like the old Ducati engines anymore. This new breed is an all-rounder. Evolution. But the history of Multistrada goes back to over a decade. Launched first in 2003 as the Multistrada 1000 DS, it was received with mixed response. While it was praised for its versatility as a sportbike that offers comfort for long rides as well, the styling wasn’t to everyone’s liking. Yet, it was a decent success overall and while it continued to receive engine updates, it went on looking like this till 2010. It was in then when Ducati finally launched the all-new Multistrada complete with new engine, chassis, suspension and design, and changed the dynamics of sport-touring forever. It is the reason that today BMW has the S1000XR in their motorcycle lineup. For our India in 0 to 100 Motorcycles project, we got the chance to ride the Multistrada 1200 S which comes with Ducati Skyhook Suspension which means that the suspension automatically adjusts in real-time depending on the road conditions to provide the best possible ride quality. The S variant also comes with LED headlights that are also equipped with Ducati Cornering Lights technology – this enables the headlights to point towards the direction the motorcycle is turning giving the rider a better view of what’s ahead at night. Then there’s Ducati Multimedia System which allows the rider to answer incoming calls and listen to music from his phone. The phone can be connected via Bluetooth. Lastly, there’s the Inertia Measurement Unit (IMU) which has various sensors to allow traction control, ABS and other electronics work better in various riding conditions. xBhp has a long history with the Multistrada as well. We rode it for the first time in one of the most memorable rides that we undertook – we rode it from Dubai all the way to the World Ducati Week. And then there were many other rides in other countries. This motorcycle is virtually a part of our family. We have always had a fantastic time on Multistrada. It is almost like the torchbearer of its category of motorcycles, someone who shows the way forward. It is indeed one of the best multipurpose motorcycles that anyone can buy today. Great job Ducati! And I case you’re finding it out of your budget as a brand new motorcycle, you can always try to find a second-hand one on OLX.