Ducati Multistrada V4: specs and alternatives
Ducati · Adventure touring
The Ducati Multistrada V4’s 1,158cc Granturismo engine differs from the 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine in the Multistrada V4 RS. The RS also has a different clutch specification. The Rally is another equipment configuration; its price and dimensions are listed separately so they are not mistaken for the base V4’s.
BikeWale tested the V4 S and calls the electronic suspension a brilliant piece of componentry that delivers a supremely comfortable ride across most scenarios, listing multi-level traction control, cornering ABS, wheelie control, ride modes, power modes and electronically adjustable suspension.
The report says the bike suits globe-trotting because of the comfort it offers riders of almost all heights and builds, and gives the accessory low seat with the lower suspension kit as 795 mm. Ducati collects press reviews on its own page, which describe the 2025 model as boosting rider and passenger comfort and adding new electronics for safety, and one review says the V4 and V4 S bring significant technical improvements for 2025 that affect comfort, safety and performance equally.
Ducati Multistrada V4
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1158cc |
| Bore x stroke | 83x53.5 mm |
| Compression ratio | 14:1 |
| Transmission | 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down |
| Front tire | Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 120/70 ZR 19 |
| Rear tire | Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 170/60 ZR 17 |
| Wet weight (no fuel) | 505 lb |
| Wheelbase | 61.7 in |
| Rake (caster angle) | 24.2° |
| Trail | 4.0 in |
| Power | 170 hp |
| Power (at rpm) | 10,750 rpm |
| Torque | 91 lb-ft |
| Torque (at rpm) | 9,000 rpm |
| Clutch | Multiplate clutch with hydraulic control. Self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run |
| Exhaust | Stainless steel muffler, double catalytic converter |
| Warranty | 24 months, unlimited mileage |
| Class | Adventure touring |
| Fuel capacity | 5.8 gal |
| Frame | Aluminum monocoque frame |
| Starting MSRP | $19,995 |
Those are maker-selected, so read them as the marketing summary.
Base bike or S
BikeWale's praise is for the S, whose semi-active suspension is what makes the ride quality. The base $19,995 bike has manually adjustable suspension. Ask which version any review describes before you compare its verdict to the price you are being quoted.
Multistrada V4 against the Pan America
The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST and Special cost $19,999, four dollars more than the Multistrada V4, and weigh 546 and 578 lb against Ducati's 505 lb. The Ducati is lighter by 41 lb or more at the same price. The Harley has a larger 1,252cc engine, and the two bikes suit different riders, so ride both.
Sit on the bike with the seat in both positions. Check that you can reach the ground at a stop. Try the Urban mode on a rough street.
Look at the 9,000-mile service interval in the manual. Ask about the 37,000-mile valve check. Compare the price with the V4 S and the RS.
Multistrada V4 against the Pan America 1250 ST and Special
Harley-Davidson's Pan America 1250 ST and Special are the closest large adventure-touring rivals, both at $19,999.
Ducati Multistrada V4 — specification referenceDucati Multistrada V4 Rally: equipment and specifications
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally is the travel-focused Multistrada: a 7.9 gal tank on the 1,158cc V4 Granturismo rated at 170 hp and 91 lb-ft. Ducati lists 529 lb without fuel, 24 lb more than the standard Multistrada V4, a 61.9 in wheelbase, and a price from $31,995.
Motorcycle News calls it the most travel-focused machine in the Multistrada V4 line-up, thanks to a 30-liter fuel tank, big screen, center stand, long-travel suspension, spoked wheels and more. It lists 2025 updates including an automatic lowering device, uprated semi-active suspension with an internal fork sensor, refined electronics and riding modes, new linked brake strategies and Euro 5+ engine tweaks.
The reviewer notes the seat stops being comfortable towards the end of a day's ride, and that the low suspension kit and low seat together bring the seat height to a more manageable 805 mm.
A Motorcycle News long-term fleet review says most owners spend 99 percent of their time on tarmac, so do not compromise that comfort with bars set for off-road. The writer would pick the standard V4 S with money no object, and calls the cheaper Multistrada DesertX hard to ignore if the V4 prices are a stretch.
The same page includes a report of damage sustained in a low-speed drop, a reminder that a tall, heavy adventure bike is expensive to tip over.
| Compression ratio | 14.0:1 |
|---|---|
| Transmission | 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down 2.0 |
| Rear brake | Ø 280 mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, Cornering ABS |
| Front tire | Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 120/70 R19 |
| Rear tire | Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 170/60 R17 |
| Wet weight (no fuel) | 529 lb |
| Wheelbase | 61.9 in |
| Rake (caster angle) | 24.7° |
| Trail | 4.1 in |
| Fuel capacity | 7.9 gal |
| Clutch | Multiplate clutch with hydraulic control. Self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run |
| Exhaust | Stainless steel muffler, double catalytic converter and lambda probes |
| Instrumentation | 6.5" TFT color display with mirrored full-map navigation system |
| Warranty | Warranty 24 months, unlimited mileage |
| Starting MSRP | $31,995 |
| Specification | 2024 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Torque | 89.2 lb ft | 91 lb-ft |
| Wet weight no fuel | 525 lb (238 kg) | 529 lb (240 kg) |
Ducati Multistrada V4 RS
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1103cc |
| Bore x stroke | 81x53.5 mm |
| Compression ratio | 14.0:1 |
| Transmission | 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down 2.0 |
| Front tire | Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa 120/70 ZR17 |
| Rear tire | Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa 190/55 ZR17 |
| Wet weight (no fuel) | 496 lb |
| Wheelbase | 62.6 in |
| Rake (caster angle) | 25.7° |
| Trail | 4.7 in |
| Power | 180 hp |
| Power (at rpm) | 12,250 rpm |
| Torque | 87 lb-ft |
| Torque (at rpm) | 9,500 rpm |
| Clutch | Multiplate dry clutch with slipper action on over-run |
| Exhaust | Stainless steel pre-silencer, Akrapovič titanium muffler |
| Warranty | Warranty 24 months, unlimited mileage |
| Class | Adventure touring |
| Fuel capacity | 5.8 gal |
| Frame | Aluminum monocoque frame |
| Fuel system | Electronic fuel injection system, Øeq 50mm equivalent elliptical throttle bodies with Ride-by-Wire system |
| Rear brake | Ø 280 mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, Cornering ABS |
| Instrumentation | 6.5" TFT color display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system |
Visordown says the range starts with the entry-level V2 and traverses eight models, with the V4 RS sitting at the top in spec and price.
The article says the track-only Akrapovic exhaust is a £2,900 option that raises power to 190 hp, that access to the pointy end of the track-day fast group has never been this comfortable, and that with skills it really can mix it with track-day-ready Panigale and Streetfighter V4s.
The same source calls the bike luxuriously comfortable, as easy to ride as a 200-plus-kilo adventure bike gets, supremely well-specced and capped by some of the most advanced electronics in the two-wheeled world.
Ducati identifies the RS engine as the 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale with desmodromic valve operation and a dry clutch. It is not the ordinary Multistrada’s 1,158cc Granturismo engine. Keep engine type, valve-service requirements and suspension configuration separate when comparing the RS with the V4 or V4 S.
What the RS adds
The RS changes engine family as well as equipment and weight. Ducati lists 180 hp at 12,250 rpm, 87 lb-ft at 9,500 rpm, a 5.8 gal tank and 496 lb without fuel. The extra £2,900 exhaust is a track-only accessory.
Total Motorcycle's page for the ordinary Multistrada V4 describes an Urban riding mode that cuts power to 115 hp; suspension behavior depends on whether the bike has the relevant electronic equipment, which shows how much the electronics can change the bike's character.
Ask what you gain over the standard V4 for the price gap. Ask whether the track exhaust is fitted and legal where you ride. Compare the price with the V4 Rally and the R 1300 GS.
The Multistrada V4 RS suits a skilled rider who wants one bike for long tours and track days and can afford the top model. A rider who wants comfort at a lower price should look at the standard V4.
More checks for the RS
Look at the exhaust and ask about the track option.
Multistrada V4 RS against the Multistrada V4 and R 1300 GS
Ducati's standard Multistrada V4 and BMW's R 1300 GS are the two closest rivals.
Ducati Multistrada V4 RS — specification referenceThe Ducati Multistrada V4 is the 1,158cc V4 Granturismo adventure-touring bike, rated at 170 hp and 91 lb-ft with a 5.8 gal tank. Ducati lists 505 lb without fuel, a 61.7 in wheelbase and a 24.2 degree rake, from $19,995. It is the mainstream, road-biased Multistrada.
- Capture-date range (not model years)
- 2021–2026
- Compared editions
- 3
- Specification entries
- 18
- Entries that differ
- 18
BikeWale gives 795 mm (31.3 in) as the seat height with the accessory low seat and lowering suspension kit, and says the bike is comfortable for riders of almost all heights.
- Capture-date range (not model years)
- 2024–2026
- Compared editions
- 2
- Specification entries
- 35
- Entries that differ
- 20
The Multistrada V4 RS is Ducati's top Multistrada, the model Visordown calls the most extreme adventure bike ever. It has a 180 hp V4, semi-active suspension and titanium weight savings, and Visordown says it can mix it with track-day fast-group bikes.
Exhaust Notes Australia says the plain V4 still gets the semi-active suspension, same engine and tech as the RS and simply misses out on the titanium weight savings. It reports the 860 mm adjustable seat puts you in a commanding position, that at 183 cm the writer could still flat-foot the RS comfortably, and that the seat is narrow at the front but flares nicely for comfort.
The RS is the Multistrada V4 with titanium weight savings and the highest specification. Ducati lists 180 hp at 12,250 rpm, 87 lb-ft at 9,500 rpm, a 5.8 gal tank and 496 lb without fuel. The extra £2,900 exhaust is a track-only accessory.
Total Motorcycle's page for the ordinary Multistrada V4 describes an Urban riding mode that cuts power to 115 hp and adapts suspension to bumps, which shows how much the electronics can change the bike's character.
- Capture-date range (not model years)
- 2024–2026
- Compared editions
- 2
- Specification entries
- 34
- Entries that differ
- 16
Exhaust Notes says the standard V4 has the same semi-active suspension, engine and tech, and only misses out on the RS's titanium weight savings.
Other models in this reference: Ducati Panigale V2, Ducati Multistrada V2.