The Ducati Multistrada V4 Offers More Than Just New Safety Features
For traveling long distances to camping sites or sight-seeing, touring motorcycles are typically the bike of choice. And if you want to get there quickly, one of the fastest choices is the Ducati Multistrada. It’s been updated for 2021 into the Ducati Multistrada V4, becoming the first production motorcycle with adaptive cruise control. But that’s not the only thing the Italian touring bike offers.
The 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4’s engine and powertrain have some unique touches
As its name implies, the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 has a V4 engine. However, it’s not exactly the same engine found in the Streetfighter and Panigale V4, Cycle World reports. This new ‘Granturismo’ V4 was developed from that V4, but it differs in several key ways, Ultimate Motorcycling reports.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 has a 1158cc V4 rated at 170 hp and 92 lb-ft, RideApart reports. That’s the same amount of torque, but 44 fewer hp than the Panigale V4 S has. But it’s also 12 more hp and about 3 fewer lb-ft than the current Multistrada 1260’s 1262cc L-twin produces. And despite the extra power and cylinders, the new V4 is lighter and shorter than the L-twin, RideApart reports.
The 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4’s engine lacks the brand’s characteristic desmodromic valves. However, that benefits the owner, because it extends maintenance intervals. The new V4 only needs valve and spark plug checks every 37,282 miles. Its oil-change interval is also longer, at 7500 miles. Plus, the V4 can shut down its rear cylinders at a stop to reduce heat output.
But that’s not the only thing that differentiates the Ducati Multistrada V4’s powertrain from the Streetfighter and Panigale V4. The touring bike’s 6-speed transmission has a shorter 1st gear and taller 6th gear, the latter to benefit urban and off-road riding, and the latter for better fuel economy, RideApart reports.
The 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4’s other touring and performance features
The V4 engine isn’t the only thing the Ducati Multistrada V4 brings in 2021, though. It has a brand-new aluminum chassis, Jalopnik reports, with a shorter wheelbase and a slightly taller seat, RideApart reports.
The 2021 Multistrada is slightly heavier than the outgoing model, but only in base form, Ultimate Motorcycling reports. The Multistrada V4 is available in 3 trims: the 529-lb V4, the 536-lb V4 S, and the 533-lb V4 S Sport. The outgoing Multistrada 1260 weighs 512 pounds, but the 1260 Enduro weighs 570 pounds.
The 2021 Multistrada V4 models also have more ground clearance than the 2020 models: 8.6” vs. 8.1”. The front suspension travel is still 6.7”, but the rear travel increases to 7.1”, VisorDown reports.
All Multistrada V4 trims get a TFT dash; a 5” on the base model, and a 6.5” one for the S trims. The touring bike also features an adjustable seat, a 12V outlet, and a phone storage area with a USB outlet built over the fuel tank. Plus, even the base model has Brembo brakes, ABS, wheelie control, traction control, and multiple riding modes.
If you want the new adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, they’re optional on the Ducati Multistrada V4 S, Autoblog reports. The S trim also adds the quick-shifter, LED lights, hill-start assist, and semi-active suspension, which for 2021 has an auto-leveling function. That’s in addition to a larger front brake and cruise control. The S Sport gets a carbon-fiber mudguard and an Akrapovic exhaust on top of that.
Ducati is also offering the Multistrada V4 with a host of optional accessories. Heated grips and seat, oil cooler protection, a taller windscreen, a center stand, and a metal skid plate and crash bars are just a few of the items on the list.
When and how can you get it?
As of this writing, Ducati hasn’t released official pricing for the 2021 Multistrada V4.
For comparison, the 2020 Multistrada 1260 starts at $18,995; the S starts at $21,295. The range-topping model, the 1260 S Grand Tour, starts at $23,295. The new models will likely cost a bit more, but still within the $20,000-$25,000 range.
As for ‘when,’ Ducati expects the Multistrada V4 models to hit dealers in January 2021, Autoblog reports.
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