Given how it kind of feels the Ducati Multistrada has been around forever, it's hard to believe this bike was only launched onto the market exactly two decades ago. It's been used ever since by the Italian company as a test bed for new technologies and ideas, yet it somehow managed to survive all the trials and tribulations. And now a new model joins the range.
To properly mark the bike's anniversary, Ducati unleashed this week the Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour. It may be seen, for instance, as just a beefed-up version of the existing S, but it packs so much additional tech that it is definitely worth a closer look.
The Grand Tour is, if you will, a collection of the best things Ducati has to offer, especially in terms of the advanced systems it has developed over the years. Add to that the many other standard features, and the nearly endless list of customization options, and you have a very solid offering on your hands. If you're into long travels into the wild, that is.
Because it's based on an existing motorcycle, the Grand Tour borrows a lot of elements from the existing model. Its frame is of monocoque design in aluminum, pulled over a steel tube subframe. A double-sided aluminum swingarm holds the rear wheel.
Inside the frame Ducati installed one of their most acclaimed engines, the 1,158cc V4 Granturismo – a unit the Italians proudly claim every chance they get has been developed by applying lessons learned during the company's involvement in the MotoGP. The numbers for the V4 in the Grand Turismo application are 170 horsepower and 125 Nm of torque.
The engine sends its power to a rear wheel that's sized at 17 inches and, just like the 19-inch front one, wears Pirelli Scorpion Trail II rubber. Brembo braking hardware is fitted on both to handle stopping power.
Photo: Ducati
The suspension system devised to move the wheels up and down and keep the bike upright and safe even on less-than-friendly terrain is of the Marzocchi Ducati Skyhook variety. That's a semi-active suspension control system with up to 180 mm of travel that, for the first time, includes an Autolevelling function.
What this system does is recognize how the two-wheeler has been set up by its rider and, all on its own, move the seat so that it stays at the proper distance from the ground, based on rider preferences.
There is also the Minimum Preload function for the shock absorber, a feature that gives people a chance to lower the bike when the speed of travel is low or the bike is not moving at all.
Safety-wise, the Ducati Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour is packed full of high-tech systems meant to cover as many riding scenarios as possible. The list of extras starts with the usual suspects in Ducati books when it comes to safety – tire pressure monitoring system, ABS cornering, wheelie control, traction control, and vehicle hold control – but continues with several things you'll have a pretty hard time finding on any other bike.
That would be things like a radar system that works in conjunction with the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD). That's tech we've first seen on the Multistrada V4 back in 2020 and which has proven extremely popular since.
There are actually two radars in this system. The one at the front basically governs the ACC when the bike's speed is between 30 and 160 km/h (18 to 99 mph), providing slight inputs on deceleration and acceleration when it detects obstacles. The one at the rear works with the BSD, alerting the rider of approaching vehicles.
Photo: Ducati
Earlier this year the Multistrada V4 S got the so-called Easy Lift function, and that was transplanted to the Grand Tour as well. It allows riders to lift the bike more easily off its stand by softening the bike's front and rear suspension.
Design-wise, the Grand Tour is not significantly different than the model it is based on, but it does come with a bunch of extras. The most visible are the additional LED lights, and the bags at the rear, capable of holding 60 liters (2 cubic feet) of cargo.
The bike rolls off the factory lines complete with a central stand, heated grips and seats for both rider and passenger, and a ventilated compartment for the smartphone. Speaking of which, the bike is smartphone compatible, meaning it can mirror the device on a 6.5-inch TFT screen.
The Italians say the new Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour will be available "shortly," but they don't get more specific than that. We also have no info at the time of writing of where pricing for this one will sit.
Whatever that will be, expect it to go a lot higher than MSRP, thanks to the wide range of accessories you'll probably not be able to resist: extra luggage solutions, carbon fiber body elements, LEDs, solid aluminum components, you name it.
There will however be a single color to go for, the specially-designed Grand Tour livery that's basically a lot of gray with touches of black and red.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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