Ducati Multistrada V4 Review: Superbike Meets Sofa

The premise of the Multistrada V4 sounds impossible: take the ferocious performance of a Ducati superbike, wrap it in the comfort and range of a long-distance tourer, and add just enough adventure-bike stance to tackle a gravel road. Somehow, improbably, Ducati has pulled it off. This is a machine that will devastate a mountain pass in the morning and cosset you across a country by nightfall.

It is the ultimate do-everything motorcycle for riders who refuse to compromise on pace, and it represents a genuine leap over the V-twin Multistradas that came before. The switch to a V4 changed the bike's entire character — smoother, faster, and, crucially, far easier to live with day to day.

The Granturismo V4: pace and patience

The 1158 cc V4 Granturismo is a marvel of dual personality. It produces a thumping 170 hp and 125 Nm, enough to fire the Multistrada to 100 km/h in around 3.2 seconds and on to a 250 km/h top speed, with a spine-tingling V4 wail when you chase the redline. This is genuine superbike performance, delivered from an upright and comfortable seat.

Yet the same engine is a model of civility when you want it to be, pulling smoothly from low revs and cruising with unruffled ease. The masterstroke is its maintenance: Ducati quotes an astonishing 60,000 km valve-check interval, banishing the costly, frequent servicing that once haunted its high-performance machines and making the V4 a genuinely sensible long-distance proposition.

Semi-active magic and surprising agility

For a machine weighing 240 kg, the Multistrada V4 hides its mass with real skill. The aluminium monocoque frame and semi-active suspension work in concert to deliver a chassis that firms up for spirited cornering and softens for comfort at the touch of a button, reading the road surface and adjusting damping on the fly to keep the bike composed whatever you throw at it.

The result is a bike that steers with a precision that flatters its size, holding a line through fast sweepers with the confidence of something far smaller. Brembo Stylema calipers on twin 330 mm discs provide superbike-grade stopping power, and while it is no lightweight enduro machine, the ground clearance and Pirelli Scorpion rubber let it handle gravel with genuine competence.

Touring comfort raised to an art

As a long-hauler the Multistrada excels. The riding position is upright and roomy, the electrically adjustable screen carves out a serene bubble of calm air, and the generous 22-litre tank delivers a proper touring range. Heated grips, a plush seat and thoughtful ergonomics mean you step off after a long day feeling remarkably fresh rather than beaten up.

It is not perfect — the sheer heft is noticeable when manoeuvring at walking pace, and it drinks fuel harder than a dedicated adventure bike when you exploit the V4. But as a machine for covering vast distances quickly and in comfort, while still leaving you grinning at every set of bends, it is close to peerless in its class.

A rolling suite of rider tech

The Multistrada V4 is bristling with technology. A radar system enables adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection, taking the sting out of long motorway stints, while a six-axis IMU governs cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control and four distinctive ride modes, all displayed on a large, crisp TFT with navigation and connectivity built in.

It is a comprehensive and genuinely useful package, and the integration is slick, though the sheer depth of menus can take time to master. The adaptive cruise in particular is a revelation on a long transit stage, turning a tedious motorway haul into a relaxed cruise while the bike quietly manages the gap to the traffic ahead.

Ownership, options and rivals

The Multistrada V4 is not a cheap motorcycle, and as with any Ducati the base figure is only the opening line of a conversation with the options list. Higher-specification variants add features such as the sophisticated Skyhook semi-active suspension, forged wheels and fuller luggage, and a comprehensively loaded example climbs into serious money. But the game-changing 60,000 km valve-service interval genuinely transforms the long-term ownership sums, removing the punishing maintenance bills that once made a high-performance Ducati a daunting prospect to run for big annual mileages.

The rivals are heavyweight in every sense of the word. BMW's R 1300 GS is the touring and off-road benchmark and counters with peerless all-round breadth, KTM's Super Adventure is sharper in the rough, and Triumph's Tiger 1200 offers a characterful triple for noticeably less money. Each has a clear identity, yet none of them quite replicate the Multistrada's intoxicating blend of genuine superbike urgency and grand-touring civility in one single machine.

That singular character is ultimately the Ducati's trump card. It is the sport-tourer for the rider who still, deep down, wants a superbike, and who flatly refuses to accept that comfort and range must mean surrendering pace and drama. If your idea of the perfect long-distance machine involves a spine-tingling V4 howl on the exit of every mountain hairpin, nothing else in the class speaks quite the same language.

The Multistrada V4 collapses the space between superbike and sofa, and asks why you ever thought you had to choose.— Diego Marroquín

Best for

• Fast tourers who refuse to sacrifice pace for comfort
• Riders who want one bike for commuting, touring and back-road blasts
• Technology enthusiasts drawn to radar cruise and blind-spot alerts
• Owners relieved by the 60,000 km valve-service intervals
• Anyone who wants superbike thrills from an all-day riding position

Verdict

The Multistrada V4 is arguably the most complete motorcycle Ducati makes. It fuses genuine superbike performance with the comfort, range and technology of a luxury tourer, and the long service intervals finally make that combination practical to own. It is heavy at low speed and thirsty when pushed, and the price climbs quickly with options, but the breadth of ability is simply extraordinary.

For the rider who wants a single machine to do almost everything, and to do it with pace, comfort and Italian flair, there is little to touch it. Superbike meets sofa, and the result is one of the finest all-rounders money can buy.