Love that chassis
The fork and rear shock provide a smooth, plush ride on stock settings, with the fork slightly under dampened – nothing that a change to thicker hydraulic fluid could not fix if you like it a little stiffer. Furthermore, both ends can be adjusted for preload to reflect your weight and type of riding.

The almost straight-up seating position, with footpegs right below the seat, is as close to perfect for me (180cm, 115kg) as can be.

Brakes are more than up to the task, with only one or two fingers required on the front brake lever. The overall package makes for an enjoyable and comfortable ride in the city, as well as on the highway or on a nice twisty road.

Perfect ergos for all types of riding
The almost straight-up seating position, with footpegs right below the seat, is as close to perfect for me (180cm, 115kg) as can be. The rear view mirrors are large enough to allow you to spot anyone behind you, and the controls well laid out and easy to operate. The standard wind screen can be placed at two different heights, with an electrically adjustable one on option.

The factory saddle bags are generous, almost cavernous, as is the top case. In fact the side bags exceed the width of the mirrors by a significant amount, enough to force you to be careful when weaving through tight spots.

The combination of analog dials for tach and speedometer, and a rider-programmable LCD display for general information, keep you well informed with easy-to-read graphics day or night.

This is truly a machine that you just get on and feel right at home immediately.

Hitting the road
Presented as something of a dual-purpose machine, the DL1000 remains much more at home on pavement than on loose dirt. Like the Ducati Multistrada or Triumph Tiger, the big DL is at its best on pavement as well as on nice smooth dirt roads, but forgets about tighter trails – that is decidedly not the forte of this larger machine.

The factory saddle bags are generous, almost cavernous, as is the top case.