Review Ducati MIG-S

[Pivot]

So my journey with the eMTB begins.

I have done fair amount of Interwebs research, I test drove two bikes, Merida and Focus. I didn’t want what was in stock and I decided to buy online, while GB is still in the EU market.

Since most of premium eMTB’s are made in Taiwan, I soon realised that there is no point in getting involved in handbag-duels over fonts and colours, but rather select what I like and enjoy it.

For consumer item like eMTB I decided to go with Japanese motor and drive system. While I admire Bosch for their solid engineering, I actually prefer the precision manufacturing and quality of Japanese components.

So, I bought Ducati MIG-S, which I understand stands for Mud, Ice and Gravel. The S on the bike, matches an S on my car
The bike is designed by passionate Italians at THOK and is built by contract manufacturing firm in Taiwan. I personally think that is a fantastic combination!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting my impressions of the bike. Please note, this is my first eMTB, so I will be making some neophyte observations, which might be useful for other riders, thinking of getting one too.

 

[Pivot]

Today, I received a stand, which is well made from stainless steel square tubing. It reminds me of a paddock stand for my motorcycle

The eMTB is still in transit.

 

[CBSTD]

That stand looks real quality

 

[Pivot]

That stand looks real quality

Yip, it is solid and well planted... it will have to support a 20kg bike.

 

[Pivot]

It’s here! Unboxing tonight!

 

[CBSTD]

Lucky bugger, enjoy your bike

 

[Pivot]

Unwrapped and assembled.
Next is charging the battery and thorough testing.

 

[Zimmerframe]

They do look fantastic don't they ! Congratulations !!

The picture gives the impression that you're throttling a small teddy bear whilst taking the photo ?

 

[PUMPDAD]

View attachment 36880
Unwrapped and assembled.
Next is charging the battery and thorough testing.

Mate you’re gonna love this! I have the Mig-RR LE and it swallows the terrain like nobody's business! ?

 

[jerry]

I'm personally not a big fan of the design, with the location of the battery on an impact-sensitve area.

 

[PUMPDAD]

The battery has a protective case around it for this reason

 

[Pivot]

They do look fantastic don't they ! Congratulations !!

The picture gives the impression that you're throttling a small teddy bear whilst taking the photo ?

Tx ZF! I like the design... a lot!

The furry thing is actually a chair behind the glass window well spotted though.
Another friend told me that it looks like I am stroking a white cat...

 

[Pivot]

I'm personally not a big fan of the design, with the location of the battery on an impact-sensitve area.

I read that the battery location is to improve weight distribution and lower the centre of gravity.

Also, full frame with ext-battery is stronger than one with a cut-out to hide battery inside the frame. At least with this specific frame section/profile.

The shape is probably less attractive, but Ducati fonts and colours make it all better

 

[Zimmerframe]

The furry thing is actually a chair behind the glass window

well spotted though.

I thought it might be some weird glass illusion .. Most people with kitchen rolls stored as professionally as yourself don't throttle teddy bears in their spare time ..

Another friend told me that it looks like I am stroking a white cat...

You shall hence forth be known as Blofeld !

I read that the battery location is to improve weight distribution and lower the centre of gravity.

I think this is correct, it gets the COD lower. It's also no less exposed than any of the semi in frame batteries like the original Kenevo/Levo and most of the other bikes which have semi in frame batteries now which insert from below.

 

[CBSTD]

I thought it might be some weird glass illusion .. Most people with kitchen rolls stored as professionally as yourself don't throttle teddy bears in their spare time ..



You shall hence forth be known as Blofeld !

I think this is correct, it gets the COD lower. It's also no less exposed than any of the semi in frame batteries like the original Kenevo/Levo and most of the other bikes which have semi in frame batteries now which insert from below.

He's already done one Teddy it's lying in the doorway, bleeding out it's last he's the new Neilson of the Teddy world?

 

[CBSTD]

View attachment 36880
Unwrapped and assembled.
Next is charging the battery and thorough testing.

Tidy like Yoke, is that one of those old fire pump motors in your avatar

 

[Zimmerframe]

He's already done one Teddy it's lying in the doorway, bleeding out it's last he's the new Neilson of the Teddy world?

I thought that one was just recovering after spending too long getting it's kicks in the tumble dryer.

 

[Pivot]

...
You shall hence forth be known as Blofeld !

I was expecting you, Misterrr Bond!

 

[Pivot]

Tidy like Yoke, is that one of those old fire pump motors in your avatar

It is a classic flat-twin boxer motor, just like in the 2CV, just with 110HP, works exceptionally well on two wheels

 

[maynard]

Tx ZF! I like the design... a lot!

The furry thing is actually a chair behind the glass window well spotted though.
Another friend told me that it looks like I am stroking a white cat...

That teddy bear had to die

 

[duk916]

Nice looking bike.

 

[Pivot]

Finally got some mud on the tyres. The bike is solid, no loose rattling bits! It is well planted on the ground and glides through the woods like a wind.

It is a blaaast to go bundu-bashing at +20 km/h, with full suspension working overtime.

Also, I managed to crank-up 38 km/h on a tar road ... the restrictor will have to go! I ride faster on my analogue Merida hard tail

 

[Pivot]

This is a great piece of hardware!

Equally comfortable hurling downhill...

... and motoring uphill!

 

[Pivot]

First user error/equipment failure!

So I went for my ride to the woods.
The battery indicator showed 2 of 4 bars, which translates to roughly 50%. Well, not entirely, during the ride second bar disappeared and after a while on 1-bar, the battery died!?

So I have done 17km today on electric bike and 5km on a heavy as s#!t analogue mountain bike.

Anyway, now I know, the way I ride, full battery charge is good for two rides into my part of the woods, or 67km, if I would bother to check the odo-meter.

Also, 4-bars on the display is full, 3-bars is half, 2-bars is near empty, 1-bar is empty, just keeping the computer alive. I guess that is a standard across the Shimano range. Now that I know, I cannot un-know

 

[Zimmerframe]

The Shimano battery indicator is a bit like an upside down pyramid.

If it makes you feel any better, 67k was way more than I ever got out of mine. ?

 

[Pivot]

The Shimano battery indicator is a bit like an upside down pyramid.

If it makes you feel any better, 67k was way more than I ever got out of mine.

Thanks ZF for a reference point. It is what it is... diff terrain, diff rider, and of course diff planetary alignment.

One of these days we will get higher density batteries so the range will improve. In the meantime, we have to live with the current tech limitations.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I think just over 50k was the most I ever managed on DHR/DHF and that was an e8000 hardtail, so those steamy Italian looks help towards range !

If you want to go further, look at using something like stunlocker to drop the assistance in eco a bit - you can do it in 5% increments from what I recall - where as e-tube just has (or had) three settings. I always found Eco by default a bit high. There's lots of threads about it, but trail is dynamic and will adjust anyway on the fly.

 

[Mabman]

Thok should strike a deal with Yamaha and make Yamacati's. The new Yamaha motors, of course Japanese, are looking really good and their motors seem to be having way less issues than some (most). Time will tell on the as yet to be announced Shimano. Yamaha has made mid drive eBike motors for years for the local market Mamachiri type bikes.

Nice bike and I don't get why people think that the battery is too exposed? The skid plate under the motor will take the brunt of any roll over hits and you'd be hurting more than the bike if you got it into a situation it hit higher up perhaps.

 

[kombos]

Awesome looking bike....

 

[urastus]

I read that the battery location is to improve weight distribution and lower the centre of gravity.

Also, full frame with ext-battery is stronger than one with a cut-out to hide battery inside the frame. At least with this specific frame section/profile.

The shape is probably less attractive, but Ducati fonts and colours make it all better

yes, I'd prefer that too. I prefer function over form - but that still looks good as well. I wouldn't be surprised if that adds to the strength of the frame, which is opposite to internal.