Oh, where do I start. For me it was a combination of reasons, both head and heart.
I love the Vee, it's a fantastic bike for the money, everything on it is budget - suspension, brakes etc but as a package it is brilliant & genuinely all day comfortable.
In contrast, the Ducati is a work of art in both design & engineering and unlike the Vee, everything on it is premium - for example, "trick" Ohlins electronic suspension and Brembo brakes that will fire you over the handlebars if used as per a V-Strom.
The Ducati is also almost 40kg lighter and along with an engine that is over 50% more powerful at 150bhp what you end up with is a genuine super-bike with pin-point handling - on stilts, and yet it still retains all of its big V twin characteristics - a bit "lumpy" but manageable low down, exactly the same as the Vee, wonderfully smooth and relaxed at cruising speed, just like the Vee, however, unlike the Vee, snap the throttle open and Ducati will launch you at the horizon and if you are ham fisted about it you will only have one wheel in touch with the road most of the time!
The comparisons that I am making are not exclusively K6 Vee versus 2011 Ducati Multistrada 1200s, I have ridden fellow forum member ProfG's new DL1000 (Veek?) - I liked it, a lot but the same comparisons (against the Ducati) still mostly apply.
So, what exactly does swing it for me? Is it the Ducati's contradiction of bonkers/manic yet well mannered/controllable nature? - Yep!
Is it the F1 type technology, engineering and development that goes into hi-end performance motorcycles? - Yep! Is it the typically quirky Italian design and passion that has gone into "creating" this motorcycle? - Yep! Will the Ducati be as dependable/reliable as the Suzuki? - Who knows, probably not! Do I care? - Nope!
So there you are Flanners, please don't think I am knocking the V-Strom, I'm not, quite the opposite in fact but only in 1000cc form, to be honest I was never a fan of the 650 - too Wee, excellent commuter but hard work for long days/big miles/prolonged brisk road work.
I have clocked up about 1100 miles so far and loving every yard of it, as I said before, this is the most seductive motorcycle I have ever owned - be warned though, having a bit more than "basic" mechanical know how will be a must if you are to avoid expensive dealers - having said that, I suppose that is true for all bikes.
In conclusion - you pays your money, you takes your chance!
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