Jim Blackstock, product editor
A Motogp engine, a 19-inch front wheel, two radars and no Desmo. Does Ducati’s new Multistrada V4 S make any sense at all?
People have raved about the (thirstier and dearer) Multistrada V4 but is it really that good?
DUCATI SEEMS TO have stretched its flagship all-rounder in every conceivable direction all at once. Inspired by its race bikes, the new Multistrada has dropped its iconic 90° V-twin for a new-fangled Motogp-derived V-four with funny firing intervals and a backwards-spinning crank. At the same time, it’s made it more of an adventure bike, adding a 19-inch front wheel and a skinnier rear tyre.
To make it smarter and more advanced, a pair of radars now scan the road ahead and behind for traffic. Yet to make it simpler, Ducati has sacrificed its beloved desmodromic valve operation for regular springs. Just what is going on?
If that isn’t confusing enough, the new Multistrada now comes in 25 different versions, from standard ‘V4’ (£15,643) up to the stacked-out ‘V4 S Full’ (£21,643) we’ve got our hands on here. This is the very first test bike in the UK — so fresh in fact, the panniers haven’t arrived yet. But that won’t stop us doing 300 miles of chilly British January in search of answers…