Words: Akshay Jadhav, Photographs: Saidatta Naik, Shrenith Bhandary
“Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally” — it’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it? However, Ducati hasn’t just scrambled a few words together to name this one. It has made sure that the two magical words ‘V4’ and ‘Rally’ mean something, and it surely means business. With a price tag of ₹29.7 lakh ex-showroom, the Multistrada V4 Rally is the costliest ADV motorcycle in its segment that you can buy in India right now. And after riding it for almost a couple of hundred kilometres, I could see why.
First look at this mammoth and you are surely going to doubt if you could tame it. It looks huge with its holier-than-thou attitude stance thanks to the aggressive headlight design and the beefy panels all around the tank and headlights. The massive 30-litre fuel tank doesn’t shy away from embracing the curves and sticks out rather proudly making the bike look tall and butch. Come to the rear and you will find a neat and minimalistic design. Polar opposite! The exposed rear sub-frame dipped in red completes its ADV persona.
Let’s dive into the first magical word, ‘V4’. This angry bird gets a 1158cc V4 liquid-cooled engine at its heart, which Ducati fondly calls the Granturismo engine. It pumps out 172PS of peak power at 10,750rpm and a peak torque of 121Nm at 8,750rpm. Performance on the highway is brutal enough to keep your core engaged to the max. Every time you twist that throttle, it will remind you that you’ve saddled up on Ducati’s V4 engine. It’s notoriously aggressive, and with every RPM, you’ll notice the feel of its heavy 260kg weight fading in your rear-view mirrors.
Being an adventure tourer, Ducati has made sure you don’t burn a hole in your pocket feeding this thirsty bird. How so? Well, the Multistrada V4 Rally comes with a cylinder deactivation feature. It switches off the rear cylinders not just when the bike is stationary, but also when you’re riding at low speeds. This means, while commuting through city streets where the rpm and torque demand from the throttle is contained, the V4 strategically helps you get better fuel efficiency.
Thankfully, the V4 Granturismo is very well behaved when it comes to heat management. Unlike the V4s on the other Ducati models, this one doesn’t roast your legs to be served on a plate in the chaotic Indian city traffic. I get that this is globe-trotter and one wouldn’t usually commute on it but since we are in India, you inevitably have to navigate through bustling streets. And when you do, you will notice the V4s inability to be smooth on lower revs. You will feel the engine huffing and puffing for torque when the rpms drop. However, unleash it on soul-free roads, and the V4 will sing a different song.
To support this explosive temper, the Multistrada V4 Rally comes loaded with electronics so you don’t soil your pants easily. It is equipped with Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) which is tuned to precision, keeping the Multistrada’s size and characteristic in mind. The DWC offers eight levels of adjustment and is integrated into the riding modes. The bike also gets Ducati Traction Control, Vehicle Hold Control, ABS Cornering, and a radar system that constantly senses and provides data to enhance safety. Rear view mirrors are integrated with lights that flash and alert you whenever there is a vehicle or obstacle in your blind spot. That’s not all, you also get Adaptive Cruise Control and Ducati Cornering Lights. Thanks to all this tech, the bike inspires serious confidence when thrown into corners. The wide handlebar and upright ergonomics ensure you enter the winding roads with a smile plastered across your face. It is agile however owing to its weight of 260kg some effort is needed while picking it up from corner to corner. While all these electronics give the Multistrada a technological edge over its peers, I would have liked a motorized windscreen adjustment capability on board. To get that additional comfort for the wad of cash you will be throwing on the table. Also, even at the lowest setting, the windscreen is too tall for any meaningful airflow to reach you. Given the Indian weather, this is a point of concern as far as comfort is being discussed. Specially on those long summer rides.
Now, diving into the second magical word, the ‘Rally’. Oh my, oh my. Magic, it truly is. Thanks to the Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) system you can control and adjust the front and rear suspension electronically. This means, one less tool to carry in your luggage. You can fiddle around with the preload levels (1-24) and adjust the seat height as per your comfort! Again, electronically! It’s like Ducati is hell-bent on making other motorcycles in its segment look obsolete. Told you, this bike will spoil you for good!
Even though the word ‘Rally’ immediately makes you think of hardcore adventure sports motorcycles, that’s not entirely accurate.
The Multistrada V4 Rally offers spoked tubeless wheels in the front and rear with a 19-inch and 17-inch wheel setup respectively. A characteristic of most of the Adventure Tourers that are road oriented but given the opportunity by choice or by compulsion, they won’t turn the other way. This bike is intended to munch miles through different terrains rather than dominating a single one. One will need a sharp set of skills to hone this blade with this kind of weight and dynamics off the road as its more for touring over bad patches than propelling itself over obstacles.
All in all, without a doubt, this is one of the most impressive steeds in the Adventure Motorcycle stable. Is it value for money? I would say, sure! If you looking for power and comfort in every aspect of motorcycle riding then this is what perfection looks like. However, if you are in search of a do-it-all motorcycle then the BMW R 1300 GS is a worthy opponent in this segment.
