Ducati SuperSport S vs Multistrada 950: Sibling rivalry

 The Ducati SuperSport S is the Italian marque’s answer to the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 and has been pegged as an everyday sportbike. Now, the SuperSport S and the Multistrada 950 might seem like chalk and cheese at the first glimpse, but they are essentially targeted at riders looking for performance, utility and comfort in one package. They are even priced quite close to each other. Let’s see how they stack up against each other on paper-

 The original Ducati SuperSport from the 1970s might have been a sporty motorcycle based on the 750cc racer, but the modern motorcycle has shed this image to attract a wider audience. The styling draws inspiration from the 959 Panigale, and it gets all the hallmark cues like the split headlamps, single-sided swingarm and the partially exposed trellis frame. The riding position however, is a middle-ground of sporty and comfortable and should appeal to a wide range of audience. 

The Multistrada 950 also looks up to its bigger sibling when it comes to styling. The wide front fairing and twin headlamp setup, muscular styling and the tall stance have all been carried over from the Multistrada 1200. However, it does miss out on the single-sided swingarm and the LED cornering lamps. Both the bikes get adjustable windscreen to offer better windblast protection and mounts for panniers. The bulk and the tall stance of the Multistrada 950 give it an intimidating look, which might not go down very well with inexperienced riders. The SuperSport S on the other hand, is 22 kilograms lighter than the Multistrada 950 and has a 30mm lower seat height, which makes it a lot more accessible. 

 At the heart of the SuperSport S and the Multistrada 950 is the same 937cc L-twin Testastretta engine, although the state of tune is different. The Multistrada 950 gets a slightly higher output of 111bhp and 96Nm of torque, while the SuperSport S delivers 108bhp and 93Nm of torque. Both get a six-speed transmission with a slipper clutch.  The SuperSport S also benefits from a quickshifter which allows clutchless upshifts and downshifts. 

The suspension setup of the Multistrada 950 and the SuperSports S is where all the difference lies. The SuperSport S gets fully adjustable 48mm inverted front forks and rear monoshock, both supplied by Ohlins. This setup should be good enough for the occasional track day. The Multistrada 950, on the other hand, gets fully adjustable long travel suspension, 48mm inverted KYB front forks and a sachs rear monoshock. While the SuperSport S has 130mm travel up front and 144mm at the rear, the Multistrada 950 gets 170mm travel on both ends. It even rides on a larger 19-inch wheel up front and Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres, which make it capable for some mild off-roading as well. 

There are three riding modes on the SuperSport S - sport, touring and urban. The Multistrada 950, on the other hand, gets an additional mode, Enduro, which deactivates the ABS system for the rear wheel. Apart from this, both the bikes get similar riding aids, eight-level traction control and three-level ABS.

The SuperSport S is priced at Rs 13.39 lakhs which makes it more expensive than the Multistrada 950 which retails at Rs 12.6 lakhs. However, in case you don’t need the fancy Ohlins setup, you can also opt for the standard SuperSport variant which retails at Rs 12.08 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom).