Spied Again: Ducati Multistrada V4

Does anyone need an adventure-tourer with a MotoGP-derived engine capable of making in excess of 200 hp? Of course not. But “want” and “need” are very different things, so Ducati’s 2021 Multistrada V4 is sure to be a runaway success as soon as it hits the market.

Spied while being tested in near-finished form, the Multistrada V4 isn’t a secret anymore. Ducati officially announced its plans to make the bike last September, confirming it to be an addition to the Multistrada range rather than a replacement for either the 950cc or 1,260cc V-twin models. In a one-line statement, the firm said: “Development is ongoing, and in 2021 the Multistrada family will expand to see the twin-cylinder 1260 and 950 motorcycles joined by a version with a new, specific V-4 engine.”

That term “specific V-4 engine” appears to confirm that the motor isn’t 100-percent identical to the 1,103cc unit used in the Panigale V4 or Streetfighter V4, or the 998cc version in the Panigale V4 R for that matter, but looking at these pictures it’s very clear that it shares a vast number of parts.

Every visible engine casing is identical to those used on the Streetfighter and Panigale V4s, showing that Ducati’s changes are limited to revised settings and internal tweaks to suit the Multistrada’s adventure-touring role.

While power is likely to be lower than either the 214-hp Panigale V4 or 208-hp Streetfighter V4, swapped for more midrange and low-end grunt to suit the bigger, heavier Panigale, Ducati won’t be dropping a vast amount. The existing Multistrada 1260 already has 158 hp and 95.5 pound-feet in reserve, and since the Multistrada V4 will sit above it in the range, it needs a clear performance advantage.

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The 1,103cc V-4 engine can’t match the existing 1,262cc V-twin for torque. In the Streetfighter it peaks at 90.4 pound-feet and needs 11,500 rpm to achieve that number, a full 4,000 rpm higher than the Multistrada 1260′s 7,500-rpm torque crest. So to keep the performance advantage, the new Multistrada V4′s engine will surely make north of 180 hp, and perhaps even breach the 200-hp barrier.

Of course, Ducati might have opted to make the new engine’s capacity larger for the Multistrada, though given its roots in the Desmosedici MotoGP bike’s engine design it’s unlikely there’s a lot of leeway to increase the bore or stroke significantly.

Regardless of the final figures, the Multistrada V4 is virtually certain to be the most powerful production bike ever to exist in the adventure-touring class, and that level of performance is sure to provide a unique set of challenges for its designers.

We can see here that the firm has adopted side-mounted radiators to cool the big V-4, allowing the engine to be placed further forward in the chassis while still maintaining plenty of fork travel. Although there are no real off-road intentions for this model, the move also means the radiators should be safe from stones kicked up by the front wheel. On the downside, the design could leave the rads at risk in the event of a low-speed tip-over.

A smaller oil cooler is fitted just above the front cylinder head high enough to be safe from flying rocks, and while there’s a token bellypan it doesn’t extend far enough forward to protect the exhaust headers. And although they’re missing on this prototype, other test mules for the Multistrada V4 have been seen sporting low-mounted winglets, showing that Ducati is at least experimenting with the sort of downforce-producing bodywork seen on the Panigale V4 and Streetfighter V4.

While the very visible seat subframe maintains the traditional Ducati trellis chassis style, the main frame of the Multistrada V4 is believed to be cast aluminum, with the engine playing a role as a stressed member. At the back, the double-sided swingarm is a departure for a top-of-the-range Multistrada; previous models have tended toward single-siders. The decision to go to a double-sided arm is probably driven by the need to save weight, and the Multistrada V4′s swingarm certainly looks light. Its triangulated, cast-alloy design means it can act on a near-horizontal rear shock without the need for extra linkages. The suspension at both ends is sure to be Ducati’s electronically controlled Skyhook system, and the brakes are, of course, high-end Brembos.

Way back in 2018, Ducati announced it was working on front and rear radar systems for a forthcoming new model to be launched in 2020, and the Multistrada V4 is that bike. The system is the same Bosch-designed setup that’s being adopted in 2021 models by KTM, Kawasaki, and BMW—and probably as-yet-unannounced other companies—but the new Ducati shots show us there’s still no clear answer when it comes to hiding the ugly sensors that are key elements of the system.

The front radar sensor sits very visibly in the gap between the headlights and the “beak” on the front of the bike. It needs to be fitted like this to get a clear “view” of the road, and while there’s likely to be a plastic panel covering it on the final design, that panel’s shape will also need to have a flat, vertical front face. At the moment, it’s hard to see how Ducati’s designers, skilled though they are, can draw the eye away from the wart-like radar unit.

Like many modern cars, the radar setup will be combined with cruise control to create an adaptive cruise that allows the Multistrada V4 to follow other vehicles and maintain a constant distance to them even as speeds change. It will also be tied to the ABS to let the bike brake, albeit only gently, and to the instruments to provide the rider with warnings should he be required to intervene.

While BMW has announced it will be using the front radar for cruise control, both Ducati and KTM have already said they’re using both front and rear radars, with the latter providing a blind-spot monitoring system and warning of fast-approaching vehicles from behind. The rear radar is less disruptive when it comes to the bike’s styling, but it’s still very clearly visible just under the taillight. Every Multistrada V4 prototype spotted so far has been fitted with the radar, but if it turns out to be optional rather than standard, it will be interesting to see how many buyers forgo the system’s practicality in favor of a prettier, radar-free face.

The new shots give a glimpse of the rider’s-eye view of the Multistrada V4, including a look at a large TFT display instead of any conventional instruments. It appears to feature a big, analog-style rev counter on the right-hand side, with a gear position indicator in its center. On the left is a simple, clear, digital speed display. No doubt the whole panel’s layout alters as different riding modes are selected though.

Other tech on the bike clearly includes a quickshifter—the load sensor on the gear linkage is visible in the photos, and given the bike’s high-end status it’s sure to be of the up-and-down variety with automatic throttle blipping on downshifts.

When it’s officially announced later this year, the Multistrada V4 is likely to be a technical tour de force for Ducati, with an endless array of acronyms to accompany each computer-controlled gadget. Wheelie control, launch control, lean-sensitive traction control, and cornering ABS are all sure to be present, along with other tech like hill-start assist and, of course, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and entertainment.

With all the big motorcycle shows later this year already canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ducati is likely to launch the bike at a stand-alone, online event, probably in October or November, with sales starting in early 2021.