Ducati rolled into 2021 on its fourth generation Multistrada that reaffirms Duc's position as a world leader in motorcycle development and production. The newly updated Multistrada V4 has the distinction of being the first motorcycle equipped with front and rear radar that enables an automatic station-keeping system in traffic, much like many of the higher-quality automobiles that are currently on the market. The line includes a trio of sub-models, the Multistrada V4, V4 S, and V4 S Sport.

2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 Performance and Capability

The hard engine figures remain the same across the spread with Ducati's V4 Granturismo delivering the goods to the tune of 170 horsepower at 10,500 rpm and 92 pound-feet of torque at 8,750 rpm. delivering the goods to the tune of 170 horsepower at 10,500 rpm and 92 pound-feet of torque at 8,750 rpm.}} As the ingeniously clever name suggests, it is, in fact, a V-4 plant. It's a decidedly oversquare layout at 83 mm and 53.5 mm for the bore and stroke respectively. This gives it a 1,158 cc displacement.

It isn't quite so obvious how the engine works. It uses a “Twin-Pulse” firing order that imitates the operation of a V-twin engine for a torque-rich ride. It also runs a counter-rotating crankshaft that adds its own significant gyroscopic force to combat the same force in the wheels. This results in a bike that flicks and makes reversals much crisper as the engine force counteracts some of the wheel force.

Induction control falls to the 46 mm ride-by-wire throttle bodies that run an elliptical bore. It delivers a lower-resistance air supply than a round bore resulting in a little boost to volumetric efficiency.

The six-speed transmission is likewise the same in overall gear ratio, and it comes with a slip-and-assist clutch that delivers a light pull at the clutch lever. It also provides some back-torque mitigation to protect the traction at the rear wheel during hard downshifts and engine-braking actions.

Top-drawer electronics give you full control over the ride quality. It starts with the variable power-delivery Power Modes feature with traction control, wheelie control, and a Riding Modes feature that bundles all of the above in various combinations for easy and fast personality changes.

Engine & Drivetrain

Engine:

V4 Granturismo, V4 - 90°, 4 valves per cylinder, counter-rotating crankshaft, Twin Pulse firing order, liquid cooled

Displacement:

1,158 cc (71 cu in)

Bore x Stroke:

83 mm x 53.5 mm

Compression ratio:

14.0:1

Power:

170 hp (125 kW) @ 10,500 rpm

Torque:

92 lb ft (125 Nm) @ 8,750 rpm

Fuel Injection:

Electronic fuel injection system, Øeq 46 mm elliptical throttle bodies with Ride-by-Wire system

Exhaust:

Stainless steel muffler, double catalytic converter and 4 lambda probes

Gearbox:

6 speed

Primary drive:

Straight cut gears, ratio 1.8:1

Ratio:

1=40/13, 2=36/16, 3=34/19, 4=31/21, 5=29/23, 6=27/25

Final drive:

Chain, front sprocket z16, rear sprocket z42

Clutch:

Multiplate wet clutch with hydraulic control, self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run


Design

Ducati built this Multistrada line around the needs of the most serious “adven-touring” riders out there with ample power, cutting-edge electronics, and all-around, top-shelf mechanicals. Ever a leader in adventure-bike design, Ducati's Multistrada V4 hits all the pertinent aesthetic high points that define the genre.

A broad, bird's-beak fairing leads the way above a minimal, fork foot-mount fairing that pulls double duty with foil-shaped uprights that reduce drag at the inverted front forks. In an early divergence between the V4 models, the Sport rocks a carbon-fiber front fender.

The LED headlights ride in recesses in the front fairing and rock a Daytime Running Light for safety across the board. However, the V4 S and Sport models diverge again with Ducati's Cornering Lights feature that detects when you enter a curve and lights up extra projectors so the light goes where you actually need it instead of just straight ahead.

A rally-style windscreen steers the wind up over your head, and since it's well vented, it produces little of that wearisome head-buffet effect at speed. Stock handguards protect your meathooks from wind and brush. For instrumentation, the base model comes with a five-inch color TFT screen, but the other two boast a 6.5-inch color TFT plus the Ducati Connect service and navigation feature.

A 5.8-gallon fuel tank defines the upper lines as it tumbles down to a deep swale that keeps the pilot well contained both fore and aft with stadium seating for your passenger. The pilot's saddle is adjustable with a range from 33.1 inches up to 33.9 inches off the deck so you can dial it in somewhat to accommodate your inseam length.

Visually, there is little to choose between these three V4 models. Just a splash of color here or a bit of blackout there separates them, though the Sport rocks Ducati's livery for a little extra dose of delightfulness.

Ducati Multistrada V4 Specs

Curb weight:

529 lb (240 kg)

Seat height:

Adjustable, 840 mm - 860 mm (33.1 in - 33.9 in)

Wheelbase:

61.7 in (1,567 mm)

Fuel tank capacity:

5.8 US gal (22 l)

Number of seats:

2


Chassis

The frame is noteworthy because it isn't a frame at all. The Multistrada V4 family uses an aluminum monocoque assembly that relies on a stressed skin for its structure, but the subframe is more mundane with tubular members and traditional webbing for stiffness.

Pirelli's Scorpion Trail II radial hoops come stock in a 120/70-19 ahead of a 170/60-17 with a ZR rating that tolerates speeds over 186 mph, so you'll never do them justice on public roads. The base model rolls on cast-alloy rims in a black finish, as do the other two, but the more noble variants come with a choice between gloss black rims with a red tag and the laced rims preferred for off-road work.

Fully adjustable suspension components are another common thread, but again the top two models take the cake with electronic suspension control through its proprietary Ducati Skyhook Suspension system and Marzocchi forks. Wheel travel measures in at 6.7 inches and 7.1 inches on the front and rear respectively to strike a balance between on-road work and off, and enable some fairly rough-terrain capabilities.

There's another difference in the brakes with the base model again running ever so slightly less-noble equipment. Dual 320 mm discs and four-piston Brembo monobloc anchors take care of business up front with a 265 mm disc and twin-pot caliper out back. The rear brakes are consistent across the board, but the V4 S and Sport lead the way with Brembo's four-bore Stylema monobloc calipers that bite larger, 330 mm discs to provide the bulk of the stopping power.

Ducati's lean-sensitive Cornering ABS calculates the available traction and tunes its interventions accordingly to make braking in curves a lot safer than you'd get with vanilla ABS. The V4 S and Sport also rock a Vehicle Hold feature that holds the rear brake for you so you can put both of your training wheels down for stability while stopped on a grade.

Chassis & Suspension

Frame:

Aluminum monocoque frame

Front Suspension/ Wheel Travel:

Ø 50 mm fully adjustable usd fork (V 4 S with electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension)/ 6.7 in (170 mm)

Rear Suspension/ Wheel Travel:

Fully adjustable mono-shock, Remote spring preload adjustment, aluminum double-sided swingarm (V 4 S with Ducati Skyhook Suspension)/ 7.1 in (180 mm)

Rake:

24.5°

Trail:

4.0 in (102.5 mm)

Front Wheel:

Light alloy cast, 3" x 19"

Rear Wheel:

Light alloy cast, 4.5" x 17"

Front Tire:

Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 120/70 ZR 19

Rear Tire:

Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 170/60 ZR 17

Front Brake:

Dual Ø 320 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo monobloc 4-piston 2-pad calipers, radial master cylinder, Cornering ABS

Rear Brake:

Ø 265 mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, Cornering ABS


2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 Price

The base model 2022 Multistrada V4 rolls in Ducati Red over black with white trim for $19,995. In the mid-range, get the V4 S in a choice of Ducati Red and Aviator Grey for $26,095, and you can also opt for wire wheels over the stock cast rims. The V4 S also comes in Iceberg White for 2023. At the top is the V4 S Sport with its red, white, and gray factory livery and choice between spoke wheels and cast. It fetches top dollar at $28,2495.

Pricing & Equipment

Model

Multistrada V4

Multistrada V4 S

Multistrada V4 S Sport

Safety equipment:

Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS Cornering, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Brake Light

Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS Cornering, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Cornering Light, Ducati Brake Light, Vehicle Hold Control

Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS Cornering, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Cornering Light, Ducati Brake Light, Vehicle Hold Control

Standard equipment:

Backlit handlebar switches, 5-inch TFT color display

Ducati Skyhook Suspension, Ducati Quick Shift, Cruise control, Hands-free, Backlit handlebar switches, 6.5-inch TFT color display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system, Full LED headlight

Ducati Skyhook Suspension, Ducati Quick Shift, Cruise control, Hands-free, Backlit handlebar switches, 6.5-inch TFT color display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system, Full LED headlight, Carbon fiber front mudguard, Type-approved Akrapovic muffler

Warranty:

24 month unlimited mileage

24 month unlimited mileage

24 month unlimited mileage

Color:

Ducati Red

Ducati Red, Aviator Grey, (2023, also Iceberg White)

Sport Livery

Price:

2021:

$19,995

$24,095

$26,095

2022:

$19,995

$26,095

$28,245


Competitors

No doubt about it, the new Multistrada V4 is a clear and present threat in the globetrotter market, but I think Kawasaki may have a viable alternative with its Versys 1000 SE LT+.

Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+

Kawasaki puts together a proper adventure bike that starts out by toeing the genre's design line with a fullish front fairing, vented rally-style windscreen and tall fuel-tank hump. An upswept tail finishes with a sporty flair to loft your passenger quite a bit over the sunk-in pilot's seat.

Kawi gets an early win as it sends this particular Versys out the door with hard panniers as part of the stock equipment. Let's face it, an adventure bike without storage is, as it stands, a glorified commuter, so the side cases on the Kawi give it more off-the-floor utility. Keep that in mind at checkout.

The Versys arguably falls behind in the brakes. It comes with smaller, 310 mm discs and vanilla ABS so there's a notable difference in stopping power.

Power comes from an inline four-banger. Naturally the torque falls off a bit down to 75.2 pound-feet against Duc's 92 pounds of grunt. That torque does come in a little lower in the rev range than the Multistrada it may be a trade off there.

You might expect the Kawasaki to fall behind also in the electronics, but the Versys acquits itself admirably with electronic suspension control, Riding Modes, and a Quick Shifter. That leaves the Eye-Tie with the slimmest of advantages in the ride-quality electronics.

You'll pay for that edge since the Versys' $18,199 sticker leaves the base model Multistrada V4 looking a bit proud at the checkout. Don't forget you'll have to pony up for some bags to really have the gear that you need for serious work.

He Said

“It never fails. Ducati puts together one hell of a product. Fit and finish are spot on, and there's no doubting the quality or the performance. One really cool thing Ducati is rolling out with this family is the pre-made factory accessory bundles that let you quickly set up the bike for a particular purpose, not entirely unlike BMW does with its machines.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “I believe this is the first time we've seen the new rear and forward-facing radar on a motorcycle, yeah? The new Mulitstrada V4 is so much more than the outgoing Multistrada. There's a new engine, a new lightweight chassis ,and a whole host of sweet electronics. Note also the larger front wheel shows off the improved off-road chops of the new the V4.”