If you want to see the world on two wheels, there’s hardly a better way to do it than on an adventure-type tourer. These motorcycles can truly do it all: cruise on the highway for hours, handle city traffic on weekdays, and corner hard on weekends. Many of them can even handle a bit of dirt if the road ever ends on your tours.
While you have vast options to pick from today, a good adventure-type tourer is not cheap, especially if you’re looking for some serious highway performance. But the Kawasaki Versys 650 has always struck a good balance here with its performance and practicality. But for the same money, you can get something that’s much better.
UPDATE: 2026/06/24
We have updated this article with more information on the bike’s features, along with additional images.
The Kawasaki Versys 650 Is The Ultimate Do-It-All Bike
Beauty shot of the Kawasaki Versys 650 with riderKawasaki
The Kawasaki Versys 650 may not be the best bike out there, but it is easily one of the most balanced bikes you can buy today. It features a decently powerful parallel-twin engine that’s known for its smooth, linear power delivery and bulletproof reliability. The frame is tuned to be nimble, while the semi-adjustable suspension lets you fine-tune the ride quality. Plus, its tall stance should make for a comfortable riding position for most riders.
A Kawasaki Versys 650 mid cornerKawasaki
But let’s be honest, the Versys 650 is no one’s dream bike. It’s about as ordinary as a bike can get today, and it also has a bit of an identity crisis. While this ordinariness makes it quite an extraordinary motorcycle, those looking for a bit more finesse won’t be impressed by it. It also starts at just over $10,000 brand new, which is affordable but still not cheap for many bikers.
Kawasaki
That begs the question. What if you could get a proper premium touring experience for the same price? And that’s exactly what this Ducati adventure tourer does. It costs around the same as the Versys 650 and offers an experience that’s worth a lot more. You get more performance, better handling, and a head-turning design that is aging quite well even after ten years. So, if you have $10k to spare, you’d be better off with this Ducati motorcycle than the Versys 650.
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The 2017 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Is Now Priced Below A Kawasaki Versys 650
Typical Listing Price: $9,739
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Irrespective of what model you are looking at, each year the used prices will usually go down a little, and the new prices will go up. But, when it comes to high-end bikes, depreciation hits a little harder, and that is why we are now seeing bikes like the Multistrada 1200 S selling for less than budget-friendly tourers like the Versys. It is also worth mentioning that this model Multistrada has just about reached the bottom of its depreciation curve, and you won’t necessarily lose that much if you don’t plan on holding onto the bike forever.
Trade value is currently sitting at around $6,390, or around a third of what the bike would have cost back in 2017, depending on what options the first owner had fitted. Retail value is sitting at just above $9k, a full $1,000 less than a new Versys 650. Admittedly, you do not have the security of a warranty, but it is still pretty hard to overlook how much bang for the buck is on offer here.
The Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Has A Superbike-Derived Engine
Power Output: 160 HP
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The 1198 engine made its first appearance in the 1098 R superbike way back in 2008. A bike that served as the basis for Ducati’s WorldSBK entry and even won titles in 2008 and 2011 (which by then was the 1198 R). Suffice to say, racing DNA is baked into this powertrain. That said, a superbike engine doesn’t always work quite as well in the real world, and by 2015, Ducati needed to make changes.
It Is Not Without Its Quirks
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2015 served to be a big update for the powertrain in particular. Ducati gave the twin variable valve timing, and called it DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing). This only proved to extend its shelf life for another two years before the platform was once again updated. This DVT system added 10 horsepower at the top end, but also gave the engine a strange flat spot at around 5,000 RPM. With 160 horsepower and a selection of ride modes, we feel that this quirk is tolerable, but some might disagree.
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The Multistrada 1200 S Has A High-End Electronic Suspension
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Even by today’s standards, the Multistrada 1200 S is an advanced motorcycle. That 2015 update also saw the bike get lean-sensitive traction control and cornering ABS added. The S model got Ducati’s famed Skyhook suspension, which adds a layer of convenience to an already very comfortable motorcycle. Its impressive steel trellis chassis works in tandem with the semi-active suspension to deliver a thrilling ride when called upon, and will make some modern superbikes look a little slow and lethargic on a decent canyon road.
Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications
Chassis
Steel trellis
Front Suspension
48mm electronically adjustable semi-active inverted Sachs fork (6.7-in travel)
Rear Suspension
Electronically adjustable semi-active Sachs shock (6.7-in travel)
Weight
518 lbs
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With its cutting-edge features and unparalleled performance, the Multistrada V4 Rally is the perfect companion for the adventurous of spirit.
The Multistrada 1200 S Gets The Other Bits Right, Too
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With superbike-levels of performance and compliant suspension aside, there’s a lot more to love about the Multistrada 1200 S. To start with, this is one gorgeous motorcycle and, despite being almost a decade old, it still has a road presence to turn heads. The front-heavy design is dominated by a fairing that holds a tall windscreen, which should offer adequate wind protection. Adding to the bike’s comfort is an upright riding triangle that should be good enough for long hours in the saddle.
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The Multi 1200 S was never intended to be a proper adventure bike, so it runs on 17-inch wheels on both ends. The bike should feel nimble on the road, though we wouldn’t want to take it off-roading. Braking duties are handled by two 330mm semi-floating discs up front, gripped by radially-mounted Brembo monobloc Evo M50 brake calipers, offering enough stopping force even when going fast. If you’re lucky, you might even find an example with one of the optional packages, which adds things like heated grips, luggage, auxiliary lights, and more.
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Despite being an old motorcycle, the Multistrada 1200 S also features plenty of electronics and rider aids that have only now become commonplace in motorcycles. The bike uses an IMU that enables a Bosch-Brembo ABS 9.1ME cornering braking system, along with Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC). Meanwhile, the TFT display runs the Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), letting you choose between 4 riding modes. Rounding out the package is cruise control and LED headlights with Ducati Cornering Lights (DLC).
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The Multistrada 1200 S Faced Some Stiff Competition
In recent times, the crossover, or “sports bike on stilts” segment has really taken off. But, back in 2017, it was still in its infancy, and the Multistrada only had a couple of bikes competing with it in this more elite space. Both of those bikes have been hit equally hard by depreciation and are also pretty affordable today.
2017 BMW S 1000 XR
BMW S 1000 XR on a mountain roadBMW
For around the same money, you could have the S 1000 XR. It was still a fairly new model back in 2017, having just come out a couple of years prior, but it has since exploded in popularity and dominates this space today. If anything, the BMW is a little more sporty.
2017 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S
KTM
The 1290 Super Adventure S can actually be found for less than the Ducati, too. It also boasted a long list of features, including semi-active suspension. It certainly lacks the finesse of the Italian and German bikes, but it makes up for that with a dose of genuine off-road competence.
Neither the KTM nor the much-loved BMW are a bad option and represent great value on the used market. But, even with its quirks, the Ducati just offers something a little extra. It isn’t trying to offer more for less like those bikes were back in the day. It was always an exclusive model and, as such, simply offers a better, more refined all-round package.
Source: Ducati, Kelley Blue Book
