Ducati Multistrada V4 S
With more power and ability than any Multi before, is the new V4 a Gs-beater?
More engine, more money
IT’S BEEN SOME transformation of Ducati’s Multistrada, from unloved ugly duckling in 2003, through 2010’s total overhaul, right up to the flagship 2018 1260 S. Featuring semi-active suspension, top-spec electronics and a 158bhp variable valve V-twin, it was hard to immediately think of how a bike so accomplished in so many environments — from trackdays to touring, and even an enduro version — could be improved.
So for 2021, Ducati changed everything. It’s dropped the V-twin, popped in a big-bored, re-engineered and re-tuned version of its V4 engine from the Panigale sportsbike, used an aluminium monocoque frame, added even greater levels of electronic sophistication, and then got its Motogp engineers to shape the whole thing in a wind tunnel. The result is an astonishingly refined machine — and it’ll be a very interesting prospect to try it over time and distance on UK roads after this Italian test..
The reason for switching to a V4 is based around advantages of size over the V-twin; it’s significantly more compact, allowing optimal placement in the chassis to deliver better handling and feedback. Bored-out by 55cc to 1158cc, then re-tuned to deliver 170bhp instead of the Panigale’s 200+bhp (which is still an astonishing figure), it spreads its power delivery over a shorter rev range and stacks up more torque earlier — which is what an all-rounder wants.
And the engine is simply beautiful. With a Twin-pulse firing order and interval, it’s literally a pair of 580cc V-twins next to
each other, firing one after the other in quick succession. The effect is to mix the off-beat bottom-end charisma of a V-twin minus the lumpiness, with the smooth, linear power delivery of an inline four minus the buzziness. It’s beguiling, seductive and addictive. And there’s a lot of performance. Few bikes will keep a well-ridden Multi V4 in sight on a B-road.
Ducati die-hards may lament the pragmatic omission of trademark Desmodromic valve gear, ditched in favour of conventional valve springs primarily for durability, cost and simplicity. It’s simply not needed and with a 37,000-mile major service interval, cheaper servicing makes it a worthwhile bonus for owners, too.
More Ducati tradition is abandoned with the chassis. A lighter aluminium monocoque frame replaces the old steel trellis, while a long double-sided swingarm, the latest Skyhook semi-active suspension (with self-levelling preload) and Brembo brakes ensure the Multi’s power is gloriously contained. The suspension is especially good, giving the bike an uncannily serene disposition even over the harshest road irregularities. A 19in front wheel instead of the previous model’s 17in adds a lightness to the steering without sacrificing feel.
And then there’s the Multi’s electronics, which include expected usual traction control and rider modes, cornering ABS, hill hold and quickshifter — all info delivered via an adjustable-angle 6.5in TFT dash. It even has anti-weave; if the IMU detects yaw greater than 3Hz, it rolls the power off slightly, like traction control. The Multi also has an option to fit forward and rear-facing radar, for adaptive cruise control and a blind-spot-detection system.