The engine on the Multistrada is the one that we also see on the Panigale and the Streetfighter. But makes 55cc more from 1103cc to 1158cc. It also makes less power at 170bhp at 10,500rpm instead of over 200bhp at 12,750rpm. The torque figures are similar to that of the Streetfighter but it makes all of it at lower revs. What I really loved about this engine is that it retains the twin pulse firing order and interval for that V-twin feel. It also deactivates the rear two cylinders at standstill for better heat management and trust me when I say this, but this feature is such a brilliant move. Because this Ducati doesn’t heat up like the other models and that is such a boon especially while riding in the city.
And then there's feel. This motor offers tonnes of refinement and smoothness. Something that makes it addictive. But the addiction gets to a new level when you open that throttle. This engine wants you to ride hard all the time. It has a race intent and that’s why you will see a lot of riders take the bike to the racetrack.
Also, for the first time in many years, Ducati has used valve springs instead of Desmo valve gear – it’s just cheaper and lighter to make. Plus, it increases the service intervals - something that is needed for a fast tourer like the Multistrada V4S. Ducati decided to chuck the enduro variant and offer some off-road capabilities on this model itself. That’s why you see a 19-inch front and not a 17-inch that we have seen in the older models. I guess the idea was to reduce the number of variants, maybe because the Enduro didn’t sell much. But was that a good call? Well.
Now you need to understand that the Multistrada V4S is a large bike and it tips the scale at 240kgs. Plus, when I look at this motorcycle, I just don’t feel like riding it hard off-road. Maybe it’s due to those large body panels and the costs of fixing it haunting me. But this bike can surely do mild off-roading really well. So things like riding on dirt trails, sand, and ruts – all these things this bike does it superb. But if you want to ride really hard off-road that means lots of jump, some crazy U-turns or maybe even some fast corners – it’s quite unnerving. Even though the bike has lots of electronics and a special Enduro mode for these needs, the size and the weight of the bike does make things little difficult.
After riding the 1200S for 1500kms a few years ago, I realized one thing – there’s a big market for bikes that lets you tour in comfort and style. And now with the Multistrada V4S, things have gone to a whole new level.
I’ll first talk about the most exciting feature of all – the radar guidance system. The box that you see upfront is the latest tech in the world of motorcycling. This system is needed for the adaptive cruise control. What this feature does is, it lets you follow a vehicle ahead with enough distance – distance that you can set it from four options. So if the vehicle up front slows down, the bike will automatically slow down as well. And if the vehicle speeds up, the V4S will linearly increase the speed too. This system works flawlessly and is a boon for highway touring. Btw, there’s a radar system at the back too. This one is needed for the blind spot detection. There are two amber lights positioned on the mirrors. So when the system detects someone coming close to you at the back and is at a total blind spot, the lights lit up, making you aware of the vehicles around you. I used this feature in the city as well as on the highway and it’s such a boon to have it. This tech is so good that every motorcycle should come with one.
Now coming to the highway manners, well, the bike is extremely planted. High speed rides are extremely stable. There’s good feedback from the front. There’s some wind buffeting but you have the option of adjusting the screen using this handle and you can use just a finger and can be done easily on the go. We managed to clock couple of hundred kms in a day and the overall fatigue level was almost nonexistent.