Ducati Multistrada V4 Spied In Testing

Back in September Ducati confirmed what we’d all suspected for a long time: the Desmosedici Stradale V-4 engine from the Panigale V4 and Streetfighter V4 was coming to the Multistrada in 2021.

The announcement was tucked away in a press release celebrating the fact that 100,000 Multistradas had been built, and mentioned the V-4 in a single sentence, saying, “in 2021 the Multistrada family will expand to see the twin-cylinder 1260 and 950 motorcycles joined by a version with a new, specific V4 engine.”

Now you’re looking at that bike.

Does a sit-up-and-beg, touring-oriented bike like the Multistrada really need an 1,103cc V-4 that has already proven capable of pushing out well over 200 hp in the Panigale and Streetfighter? Of course not. Do we want such a thing anyway? Oh yes.

Ducati’s own statement that the bike will have a “new, specific V4 engine” seems a little overblown. From the look of the motor on show in this prototype, the main casings are unchanged compared to the Panigale and Streetfighter engines. However, you can be sure that Ducati has retuned the 16v, DOHC V4, which features a MotoGP-inspired reverse-rotating crankshaft, to suit its new Multistrada home.

Chances are one of those changes will be a detuning of the engine, taking the edge off its maximum power in return for a broader spread of torque. However, with the current V-twin-powered Multistrada 1260 already making 158 hp, Ducati is unlikely to let the V-4’s power drop below around the 180 hp mark to ensure a clear gap between the V-twin and V-4 models. The Multistrada 1260 is expected to remain on sale alongside the V4, with the four-cylinder bike adding a new top tier to the range.

These pictures give a hint at the performance gain. Ducati has dropped the single-sided swingarm usually found on Multistradas for a lighter, more rigid dual-sided design with an unusual offset rear shock that connects directly between the frame and swingarm; there’s no rising rate linkage to be seen. The shock appears to be electronically controlled, probably using a development of Ducati’s Skyhook system, and it may also have some sort of electric preload and even ride height adjustment.

A trellis-style subframe replaces the aluminum design used on the current Multistrada V-twins, but that might well be the only trellis to be found as Ducati is likely to have moved to an aluminum beam frame for the main section of the chassis.

Despite the high riding position, it looks like the emphasis is on the “strada” element of Multistrada—this isn’t a desert-crossing adventure bike, but more of a high-rise sport-tourer.

Ducati has clearly gone to some effort to shift weight distribution forward, moving the radiators to the sides to allow the engine to be positioned closer to the front wheel. A separate oil cooler sits in between them, in front of the forward cylinder bank.

The swingarm is also notably long as a result, which should help keep the front wheel on the ground when the bike puts its power down—inevitably with the assistance of a vast array of rider aids.

The look is still very recognizably Multistrada. The vestigial beak is there, of course, along with the twin headlights, but between them sits a component that’s going to be one of the Multistrada V4’s big selling points: a Bosch radar unit.

More than a year ago Ducati announced it would launch a bike in 2020 with front and rear radar, and this is that machine. The front radar monitors traffic ahead and allows the use of adaptive cruise control that keeps pace with the vehicle in front. A second radar unit at the back provides blind spot warnings—probably via indicator lamps in the mirrors—and alerts if a vehicle is approaching fast from the rear.

At the moment, it doesn’t look like Ducati has come up with a solution to the styling problem that the front radar poses. Although the radar can “see” through thin plastic bodywork, it can’t be put behind panels with complex shapes, curves, or folds. If it’s going to be hidden, it’s likely to be behind large, flat panels, but Ducati doesn’t seem to be hiding its radar at all.

The front radar unit is clear to see between the headlights, though surely the firm will add some sort of cosmetic cover before it reaches production. At the back, the taillight has been shaped to accommodate the rear radar unit, which sits just below it, on top of the rear fender. On this prototype there’s also an additional rear sensor—it looks like a camera—zip-tied to the luggage rack above the taillight, but that’s clearly not something that will carry over to production.

The final look of the bike will be revealed later this year when Ducati officially unveils the Multistrada V4. If the firm’s past habits are anything to go by, it will debut at a dedicated launch event just prior to the year’s major bike shows in November.