After testing the Ducati Multistrada V4 S off-road, Pommie got the chance to see how the premium dual-sports machine soaks of the twisties. Check out what he thought… Photos: Graham Bain
I got the opportunity to ride the Ducati Multistrada V4 S at the Metzeler KAROO 4 tyre launch last year, so it was a pleasant surprise to be asked to test it again. I was looking forward to spending a little longer on the tarmac with the premium dual-sport machine…
Pommie has been out on the road aboard the new Ducati Multistrada V4 S! Check out what he thought.
Read Pommie’s off-road thoughts here…
The first thing I always do when I get a new bike to test is go over it and check everything is OK: tyre pressures, levers, chain adjustment, etc. This allows me to have a good look at the bike up close to the quality of the components and the fit and finish on the Multistrada V4 S. The good news is the quality and finish are spot-on. From the paint down to the Brembo Stylema brakes, you can tell Ducati hasn’t skimped when putting the Multistrada together.
Sitting on the bike is a stretch with an adjustable 840-860mm seat height. If you’re used to shorter bikes or have Hobbit-size legs, then it’s something you must get used to in the adventure bike world. Once you kick your legs up and ride off into the distance, the seat height is fine…
The V4 S is certainly not a small bike. People with shorter legs may have some struggles with the seat height.
Looking down in the cockpit area, it’s a bit intimidating. You have 10 buttons on the left-hand bar alone, which is a lot. Still, if it were your own bike, you’d soon get used to all the functions and operations. I managed OK; I found it easy enough to go into a mode and custom-set the suspension the way I like it, which is great to have that sort of control. You can also adjust all of the assists. The bike remembers what you’ve done when you turn off the ignition and turn it on again.
The only thing I didn’t manage to do was zero the trip meter; I messed with it for ages and then gave up trying. The crystal clear TFT 6.5in dash has a lot of information on there, but it is easy to read, which is the main thing and is also customisable through the menu.
“Pushing the starter button, I’m greeted by the cold start rumble of the glorious 1154cc 90-degree V4, fitted with the optional Akrapovič exhaust.”
Pushing the starter button, I’m greeted by the cold start rumble of the glorious 90-degree V4, fitted with the optional Akrapovič exhaust. It sounds good without being overly loud; I actually thought it would be louder, but these exhausts come with a baffle, and I’m sure it will come to life when I give it the berries.
I can feel the weight by lifting the bike off the sidestand and pushing it out through the gate. Ducati claims 217kg dry, which would be more like 240kg wet. Still, it’s easy to push around with the wide ‘bars. My first ride is my 50km commute to work, which is almost all freeway and setting off in the dark. I’d previously set the Touring mode for the softest settings possible to give me the smoothest ride on the way to work and smooth it is.
Each riding mode on the V4 S is linked to different suspension and electronic settings for their dedicated purpose.
The good thing about the Multistrada V4 S is each mode is linked to different suspension and electronic settings for their dedicated purpose. However, Ducati has allowed the rider to go into each mode and fully tailor them to suit their needs and riding ability. I only wish more of the other bike manufacturers would do this and give us back complete control over the electronics.
“The Multistrada V4 S has to be one of the most comfortable bikes I’ve ever ridden. It just soaks up the bumps and ruts…”
This bike has to be one of the most comfortable bikes I’ve ever ridden. It just soaks up the bumps and ruts; the seat and ride position enhances comfort and takes it to the next level. In traffic, the bike feels reasonably wide, caution is needed for lane splitting, but the mirrors offer excellent vision behind, and the clutch action is nice and light, so if you’re stop-starting, wrist ache will be minimal. The excellent performing up-and-down quick-shifter eliminates the need to use the clutch once on the move.
Cruising on the freeway, I look at the instant fuel reading and the Multistrada was using almost 7L/100km, luckily, you get a 22L fuel tank, which would give you over 300km. I also use this opportunity to try out the adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, which both work flawlessly.
Fuel economy on the V4 S isn’t spectacular, but you do get a large tank which should give you a 300km range.
The cruise control has three settings to adjust the distance you wish to keep from the vehicle in front. Trying it on both cars and bikes works well, ideally minimising fatigue on long trips. The screen on the V4 S offers good protection from the elements. I’m not usually a fan of screens because I generally sit too high and get a lot of wind buffering on my helmet, but I have no such trouble on the Multistrada.
With a beautiful sunrise, I took a few pics of the bike before I got to work, which didn’t turn out well. I turned off the bike for five minutes but couldn’t get the bike started again. The bike fails to recognise the key fob. I place the key all over the bike to try and get the bike to sync to the fob but to no avail.
Pommie unfortunately had issues with the keyless system not recognising the key and locking him out!
I eventually walked away from the bike 100 or so metres, waited for a while, then went back to the bike, and it then recognised the fob and started. This whole experience was frustrating and made me late for work, resulting in me losing confidence in the bike’s reliability. After contacting Ducati, I was given a code to put into the bike, which essentially bypasses the fob and allows the rider to operate the bike should this happen again.
Since I get no pleasure from riding on the freeway, I plan my next ride to be on some of my favourite roads; this allows me to have a bit of fun and get a few pics at the same time. The Multistrada is more than capable of hitting the twisties and even some serious off-road stuff with the right tyres fitted.
“It really makes no sense how quickly you can push the Ducati Multistrada V4 S.”
The star of the Multistrada is the V4 engine. With around 170hp and 125Nm of torque on tap, you have more than enough to have some serious fun on, and once I was on some good roads, I did just that. I select Sport mode, which stiffens the suspension, giving full power and a better throttle response. It really makes no sense how quickly you can push the Multistrada V4 S. A combination of every piece of technology and design coming together, with no doubt a sprinkling of Ducati’s racing heritage, allows this big adventure bike to get around a twisty road at an incredible rate.
Luckily, the Multistrada has the Brembo Stylema brakes to match the bike’s performance; they offer good feel and power and have no trouble pulling the Ducati to a stop safely with the help of the high-tech cornering ABS system. I would have liked more power from the rear stopper, but that’s a minor gripe. With all the electronics keeping me safe, I’d have thought that riding the Multistrada V4 S could result in it being a bit clinical or dumbed down, making it a less exciting riding experience.
Still, I’m happy to say that this is not the case. Once you’ve got around the corner, the Multistrada V4 S fires out in rapid fashion. That V4 just has fantastic drive and torque and feels strong all over the rev range, resulting in massive enjoyment as a result.
“Popping up and down through the gears, the Multistrada really gets along and sounds great doing so.”
Popping up and down through the gears, the Multistrada really gets along and sounds great doing so. To me, the power is almost V-twin-like but way smoother in the way that it delivers its power; you can still feel the engine pulse away as you twist the throttle, which gives the Multistrada its character and makes for a delightful riding experience.
I really wanted to clock up a lot of kilometres on this test to get a better understanding of all of the features and tech available on the V4 Multistrada; however, my initial incident with the key fob left me feeling less confident that it wouldn’t happen again, so I only rode the bike twice. In saying that, I turned the bike off multiple times after that and couldn’t get the key fob to fail again.
Most of us true bike nuts don’t ride our bikes just to get to work and back; they are our love and escape from our nine-to-five, the Multistrada V4 S fills this role to a tee, if you have deep enough pockets to buy one that is…
At the end of the day, for me, a bike is all about how it makes you feel when riding it. Most of us true bike nuts don’t ride our bikes just to get to work and back; they are our love and escape from our nine-to-five, the Multistrada V4 S fills this role to a tee if you have deep enough pockets to buy one that is…
TECH TALK, DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4 S
The V4 Granturismo has a displacement of 1158 cc and delivers 170hp (125kW) at 10,500rpm with a maximum torque of 125Nm (12.7kgm) at 8750rpm. 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 60,000km.
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).
2023 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.
Editor’s Note: If you are reading this article on any website other than BikeReview.com.au, please report it to BikeReview via our contact page, as it has been stolen or re-published without authority.
The Verdict | Review: 2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 S, Road Test
Wonderful!
After testing the Ducati Multistrada V4 S in an off-road environment, Pommie got the chance to see how the premium dual-sports machine soaks of the twisties. Check out what he thought…
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