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Multistrada 1200 is equipped with the brand new
suspension control system called DSS (Ducati
Skyhook System): DSS is a dynamic suspension
damping control system. The suspensions of a
vehicle usually have two main dynamic functions:
allowing the vehicle to absorb the bumps on the road
by filtering their effects on vehicle body (and,
consequently, on rider) and allowing the optimal
contact between wheels and asphalt. The DSS
system purpose is to improve the comfort offered by
a standard passive suspension keeping at the same
time the same performance.
The DSS system makes use of several sensors
present on the motorcycle to define its setup and
vertical and longitudinal movements, and adapt
suspension damping accordingly. The DSS, in
particular, dialogues also with the DTC control unit
and the ABS to define motorcycle status minute by
minute. The result of this process is a more
comfortable bike, able to better absorb asphalt
bumps without affecting vehicle balance or its
rideability. Vertical movements as well as sinking
(pitching) during braking and acceleration are
minimised.
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The DSS system is fully integrated with bike Riding
Modes. By selecting a certain Riding Mode, the rider
can establish the default suspension behaviour,
suspension response and hence the motorcycle
response. In addition, based on bike dynamics, the
DSS will intervene to correct its behaviour regardless
of the Riding Mode that will nevertheless define
suspension basic behaviour (namely, more
comfortable for RM URBAN and more controlled for
RM SPORT).
To better understand this aspect, let's consider the
URBAN and TOURING Riding Modes, for example.
The URBAN riding mode was set for city use:
suspension basic behaviour is thus focused on
maximum damping of asphalt bumps and, to this end,
suspension will generally be more comfortable. The
TOURING Riding Mode, on the contrary, was devised
for a tourist style, more demanding for the bike and
requiring a stricter and more controlled basic
behaviour of the suspension. In both cases, the DSS
system intervenes whenever bike behaviour - its
setup, vertical and longitudinal movements in
particular - result in poor comfort or limited vehicle
performance; both when riding at constant speed and
when braking or accelerating.
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