Ducati Multistrada V4 S 1160 2024 — Specifications

Motorcycle: Ducati Multistrada V4 S 1160 (2024)

Can a motorcycle have too much intelligence? On board the Ducati Multistrada V4 S, this question becomes relevant. Bologna has decided to transform its maxi-trail into a true technological platform, and the result is both fascinating and a little intimidating. With 170 horsepower extracted from an 1158 cc Granturismo V4, the machine has not simply changed engines; it has undergone a profound mutation, abandoning the mythical Desmo and monobrach fork to embrace a philosophy where electronics reign supreme.

The first contact with this S is a lesson in modernity. The dashboard is dominated by a 6.5-inch TFT screen, a true tablet that orchestrates everything. The four riding modes – Sport, Touring, Urban, Enduro – are not simply variations of power; they recalibrate the soul of the motorcycle. In Sport, the 170 hp are delivered unfiltered, traction control and anti-wheelie are discreet, and the semi-active Skyhook suspensions stiffen for precision. In Urban, the power is reduced to 115 hp for the city, and agility takes precedence. Enduro, for its part, deactivates some ABS functions for the rear wheel and prepares the vehicle for off-road use. It is a configurable versatility, almost to excess.

But the true feat is the integration of radar. A Bosch module at the front enables adaptive cruise control, operating between 30 and 160 km/h, a world first that Ducati, KTM and BMW share. Italian audacity adds a radar at the rear, under the taillight, for a blind spot detection system. An LED in the rearview mirror illuminates if a vehicle approaches, and the system can even warn if you activate the turn signal while a danger is present. For the traveler crossing European highways, this is unprecedented safety. For the track rider, it may seem superfluous. This option illustrates the positioning of the Multistrada: a machine geared towards long journeys and technologically assisted.

This abundance of electronics has a weight, literally. With its 243 kg fully fueled, it is substantially heavier than its 1260 predecessor. Ducati has worked on the weight, with a monocoque aluminum frame and a V4 engine lighter than the V2, but the balance sheet is there. On the road, this weight is felt, even with the "minimum preload" function which reduces the seat height to facilitate maneuvers. On the road, the semi-active suspensions and the formidable torque of 124.5 Nm mask it admirably. The 22-liter tank and optimized wind tunnel protection, with winglets redirecting heat, confirm the grand touring orientation.

Compared to its direct competitors, such as the BMW S 1000 XR or the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S, the Multistrada V4 S plays a different card. It is not the lightest, nor perhaps the most instinctive. It is the most connected, the most "smart". Its price of 24,290 euros is a significant investment, justified by this digital arsenal. It clearly targets the modern traveler, one who wants to cover thousands of kilometers with maximum assistance and comfort, without sacrificing a touch of sporty performance when the road becomes winding. Is it too complex? For a purist, perhaps. For a traveler of the 21st century, it is simply at the forefront, a motorcycle that thinks almost as much as its rider.