After riding a heap of adventure bikes at a recent Metzeler tyre launch, Pommie lets us know how the big Ducati Multistrada V4 S compared to the rest... Photos: Metzeler & Ducati.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 S is the pinnacle of technology that has been squeezed into an adventure bike and I was lucky enough to have a quick spin on one at the Metzeler KAROO 4 and TN2 launch. I finally got a chance to see if it was all it was cracked up to be…
Recently, Pommie attended the Metzeler KAROO 4 and TOURANCE NEXT 2 tyre launch. He got a chance to experience the Ducati Multistrada V4 S on and off road!
My first ride of the big Ducati was off-road. If you’ve never ridden one of the big off-road/adventure style bikes in a dirt type situation, then I can tell you it’s quite an experience manhandling a 250kg bike around in the slippery mud. That being said, once you get comfortable with the bike’s mass and the way it reacts to your rider input, then it becomes way less intimidating and you can really start to have some fun and even get the back end drifting out.
I didn’t have the bike long enough to play with all the modes and settings, which there are loads of, with various settings and adjustments. I basically just jumped aboard and started riding, then managed to put the bike in enduro mode, which unleashed the Multistrada’s off-road capabilities and reduced the power down to a slightly less intimidating 115hp, this also put the traction control and ABS into off-road and firmed up the electronic suspension to take the extra bumps.
“I basically just jumped aboard and started riding, then managed to put the bike in enduro mode, which unleashed the Multistrada’s off-road capabilities.”
The bikes TFT display is beautiful and crystal clear, yes there is a lot going on and there are also a few buttons to play with on the bars, but it seems pretty intuitive and I don’t think it would take too long to learn how to navigate around and set the bike up how you’d like it.
“Do you need 170hp on an adventure bike? Not at all. Is it nice to have 170hp in a fire breathing V4? Hell yes…”
Riding the state forest dirt roads on the Ducati, after just jumping off a BMW 1250 GSA, I can say that although the Multistrada V4 S is very capable off-road, it just doesn’t feel to me as off-road focused as the BMW, which is not really a bad thing as I’m guessing most of the owners will spend their time on the black stuff.
A tyre launch testing multiple bikes over the course of a few days will reveal strengths and weaknesses of each model. Pommie said that the Multistrada felt a little bit more road focused compared to the other machines.
Having said that, the Ducati will take you pretty much anywhere you wish to go and through some deep, muddy and rutted water crossings, which I’m not sure I’d take the Multistrada if I’d have paid around 35k of my own money for one.
Best of both worlds. The spectacular V4 that powers the Multistrada has enough grunt to be fun on the road and an absolute maniac on the dirt.
Like I said, the Multistrada still very capable off-road and the electronics on the bike make it feel safe to have some fun on, including the quickshifter, which is one of the best I’ve used. The brakes in enduro mode also adapted really well to the loose conditions and I never felt they were going to lock up and wash out the front-end, so the off-road component of the ABS worked extremely well.
Heading onto the road, the Multistrada V4 S felt in its element and I could easily imagine taking off around Australia, on what feels like one of the most comfortable bikes I’ve ever ridden. The Ducati is not all about long distance cruising either, the big Multistrada is extremely capable of corner scratching when sports mode is selected, this makes the suspension firmer and unleashes all 170 horses from that beautiful V4 power plant.
“Heading onto the road, the Multistrada felt in its element and I could easily imagine taking off around Australia.”
My bike was fitted with the optional Akrapovic exhaust, which did a great job of enhancing the sound without being overpowering. Flicking the Multistrada from corner to corner you’d be fooled into thinking that this was a much lighter bike, because it hides its weight really well and handles superb in just about any road surface you can throw at it.
The speed through the bends is surprising and a good rider would keep with sportsbikes no problem, the Multistrada is so planted and rarely gets even slightly unsettled when encountering bumps or potholes even on silly lean angles. The electronic suspension works flawlessly and when combined with the excellent Brembo Stylema brakes it really does inspire confidence when riding.
“The speed through the bends is surprising and a good rider would keep with sportsbikes no problem.”
So, is this the best all round bike you can buy? It has to be surely, or at least top three. If I was a lot more into off-road riding, I’d be heading to the big KTM 1290 or the BMW, but if I was more for riding on road and touring big distances and only wanted to do the occasional off-road sections, then I’d be buying the Multistrada V4 S if I could afford it.
Tech Talk
The V4 Granturismo has a displacement of 1,158 cc and delivers 170hp (125kW) at 10,500rpm with a maximum torque of 125 Nm (12.7kgm) at 8,750rpm. In addition, adopting this engine allows for a significant lengthening of maintenance intervals: on the Multistrada V4 the oil change is scheduled every 15,000km, while valve clearance check and eventual adjustment is required every 60,000 km.
With a weight of 66.7kg, the V4 Granturismo can boast a record lightness, being 1.2kg lighter than the Testastretta twin-cylinder used on the previous Multistrada 1260. The 1158cc displacement came out as being the perfect point of connection in terms of performance, lightness and dimension of a V4 engine, capable of being incredibly light and compact.
Compared to the previous generation engine, the V4 Granturismo is 85mm shorter, 95mm lower and only 20mm wider. This compact layout allowed Ducati engineers to house the engine in the frame more effectively and centrally in order to positively influence the position of the C of G, with the benefits.
The V4 Granturismo inherits some elements derived from the experience gained by Ducati in the racing world, such as the decision to adopt a counter-rotating crankshaft, which improves the handling and agility of the bike, and to exploit the ‘Twin Pulse’ technology, Ducati say, capable of offering a full-bodied but perfectly manageable power delivery at every speed.
To avoid being cooked by the rear cylinders, due to the heat transmitted by them, the V4 Granturismo adopts the strategy of deactivating the rear bank at idle. In this way, when the bike is stationary, the combustion process in the cylinders is halted and this improves the thermal comfort of the rider and passenger thanks to the lowering of temperatures while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption.
The electronic package of the Multistrada V4 is the state of the art in the motorcycle sector for safety, comfort, performance, and connectivity. The inertial platform (IMU) manages the operation of ABS Cornering, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Traction Control (DTC), here in “cornering” version and, on the Multistrada V4 S, the Cornering Lights (DCL).
Also standard on the Multistrada V4 S is Vehicle Hold Control (VHC), which makes it easy to restart on sloping roads. On the Multistrada V4 S, the inertial platform also communicates continuously with the semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) control system with Autoleveling function.
With the Multistrada V4, Ducati also introduces an absolute first in the world of motorcycles: the revolutionary front and rear radar system, which allows the use of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD). Radars are advanced auxiliary systems that Ducati has developed together with a top-level technological partner such as Bosch and are able to support and make riding more comfortable thanks to the ability to reconstruct the reality surrounding the bike.
The Multistrada V4 is equipped with an aluminium monocoque frame, 19-inch front wheel and double-sided swingarm, capable of accommodating spoked wheels. It has a limited wheelbase (1,567 mm), a sporty front end, suspension with large travel (170 mm front wheel and 180 mm rear wheel), ground clearance of 220 mm and a dry weight of 215kg. All this allows the Multistrada V4 to be intuitive and effective around the corners like a real Ducati and at the same time easy to ride and versatile for both on-road and off-road use.
With the aim of making long motorway journeys more comfortable, Ducati engineers paid great attention during the design and development phase to what in the automotive world is called Noise, Vibration, Harshness (NVH), or rather the measure of the general level of comfort of the vehicle.
A careful aerodynamic study – also in the wind tunnel – was carried out to obtain the best possible protection for the rider and passenger from the air, reduce hissing noises and divert the heat coming from the engine away from the rider’s legs. The result is a Plexiglas screen with a new shape, adjustable in height with a single finger, associated with two side deflectors. The shapes of the handguards and the parts most exposed to the air have been studied in detail, as well as the “sound” of the engine, which is refined but always present and with the Ducati tone.
The V4 Granturismo engine also adopts the strategy of deactivating the rear bank at idle. In this way, when the bike is stopped at the traffic lights, the rear bank is deactivated (there is no combustion in the cylinders), thus improving the thermal comfort of the rider and passenger thanks to a lowering of the temperature and reducing the fuel consumption.
The central model of the range, the V4 S, is available in “Aviator Grey” colour as well as in red. The Ducati Multistrada V4 S can be ordered with both alloy wheels and spoked wheels. For this motorcycle, Ducati has thought of a new package of configurations that can be ordered directly from the factory (Essential, Travel, Radar, Performance, Full).
2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 S Specifications
Ducati.com.au
Price: From $33,490 R/A
Warranty: Two-year, unlimited kilometre
Colours: Ducati Red
Claimed power: 125kW[170hp]@10,500rpm
Claimed torque: 125Nm[92ft-lbs]@8,750rpm
Weight: 217kg Dry
Fuel capacity: 22L
Engine: V4 Granturismo, V4 90°, four-valves per cylinder, counter-rotating crankshaft, liquid-cooled, 1158cc, 83 x 53.5mm bore x stroke, 14.0:1 comp, EFI with 46mm elliptical throttle-bodies and RbW system, six-speed gearbox, wet multiplate clutch, stainless-steel exhaust, chain drive.
Chassis: Aluminium monocoque
Rake: 24.5º Trail: 102.5mm
Suspension: 50mm fully adjustable USD fork, electronic compression and rebound damping with Skyhook suspension (f), Fully adjustable monoshock, electronic adjustment, Skyhook suspension (r).
Brakes: ABS, Front: Brembo Stylema radial mount monoblock calipers, 330mm rotors, ABS, Rear: Two-piston floating caliper, 265mm rotor, ABS.
Wheels & Tyres: Spoked tubeless 3.00 x 19in (f) and 4.50 x 17in (r), Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 120/70 – 19, 170/60 – 17.
Dimensions:
Seat height: 840mm – 860mm
Wheelbase: 1567mm
Overall height: N/A
Overall width: N/A
Overall length: N/A
Dash & Electronics: Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS Cornering, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Brake Light, controlled through a 7.5in TFT.
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The Verdict | Quick Test: Ducati Multistrada V4 S
Capable!
After riding a heap of adventure bikes at a recent Metzeler tyre launch, Pommie lets us know how the big Ducati Multistrada V4 S compared to the rest…
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