There is a version of the Multistrada argument that gets lost in the options list. Ducati now builds this platform in enough configurations — S, Grand Tour, Rally, Pikes Peak, RS — that the base Multistrada V4 tends to get treated as the one you buy if you couldn't afford the others. That framing is wrong, and the published numbers say so.
The standard Multistrada V4 carries the same engine, the same output and the same architecture as the S, Grand Tour, Rally and Pikes Peak. Ducati lists it at 170 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque, with a wet weight (no fuel) of 505 lb, at $19,995 in Ducati Red. Every other V4-powered Multistrada starts at $29,995 or above. Whatever else you conclude about this bike, understand that first: the engine is not the thing you give up.
The V4 Granturismo, and why it was built this way
The powerplant is a 1158 cc V4 Granturismo rated at 170 hp. Ducati's own framing of the engine is worth taking at face value — it is tuned for smooth, linear response across the rev range rather than for a peak you have to chase. The Multistrada's engine reflects that brief in a few specific, deliberate ways.
The crankshaft counter-rotates. Ducati traces this directly to its MotoGP experience and explains the benefit plainly: the counter-rotation works against the gyroscopic effect of the wheels, which improves handling and riding precision. On a motorcycle that is tall, heavily equipped and weighs over 500 lb before fuel, that is not a marketing footnote. Anything that makes a bike this size change direction more willingly is doing real work.
The gearing is spread wider than you might expect. First gear is deliberately short to help at low speed and off-road, and sixth is long for highway cruising. That is an honest acknowledgment of the two things a Multistrada actually spends its life doing: creeping around at walking pace on loose surfaces, and sitting at 75 mph for four hours.
Then there is cylinder deactivation. Ducati shuts down the rear bank not only at a standstill but — in this generation — at low speed as well. The claimed result is up to 6% lower fuel consumption than the previous model on the WMTC cycle.
Service intervals reinforce the touring intent. Ducati publishes a valve clearance check at 37,000 miles. For a four-cylinder Ducati, that is a long way between major valve service.
Weight, and the number people get wrong
Ducati publishes 505 lb wet (no fuel) for the standard V4. Set that against the rest of the family as the factory lists it:
- Multistrada V4 — 505 lb
- Multistrada V4 S — 511.4 lb
- Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour — 529 lb
- Multistrada V4 Rally — 529 lb
- Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak — 500 lb
- Multistrada V4 RS — 496 lb
The Pikes Peak and the RS — the two most expensive variants — come in lighter. The base V4 is the lightest of the four mainstream trims, and it undercuts the Grand Tour and Rally by 24 lb. Every piece of equipment you add to an adventure bike is mass you then have to steer, stop and pick up. The standard V4 simply has less of it.
Wheels, tires and the chassis
Ducati fits 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, with Pirelli SCORPION Trail II tires in 120/70-19 front and 170/60-17 rear.
Ducati's family-wide material for this generation describes forged seven-spoke wheels, in the same 19/17 sizes, that save 4.4 lb against standard types. On the base V4's own page, Ducati lists alloy wheels and silver brake calipers with the Ducati Red scheme. Worth knowing precisely because unsprung and rotating mass is where weight hurts most.
The chassis gets a new-generation double-sided swingarm — a quietly consequential piece on a bike this size, since it carries the drive, the rear brake and whatever luggage you hang off the tail without the packaging compromises a single-sider imposes.
Lighting and bodywork
The headlight is a new advanced LED system with Cornering Light, which Ducati says eliminates the shadowed areas near the front wheel — the exact place where a conventional beam leaves you guessing on a dark, tight corner entry. It uses a dual-headlight layout with revised daytime running light functionality.
The exhaust was redesigned for this generation with tighter lines to match the slimmer tail section, and a silencer with an even more distinctive sound. The bodywork keeps the Multistrada signature: mass concentrated forward, a slim rear, and a compact front end with crossover elements borrowed from Ducati's Superbike language.
Pricing
| Version | Color | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Multistrada V4 | Ducati Red | $19,995 |
Destination charge is $1,295. Ducati's MSRP excludes options, taxes, title, registration, destination charge, processing and handling fees, dealer charges and potential tariffs; the dealer sets the actual selling price.
One color, one configuration, one price. The gap to a V4 S in Ducati Red is $10,000 — which tells you how much of a modern Multistrada's cost lives in electronics, suspension and touring equipment rather than in the engine and chassis.
Who this bike is for
The standard Multistrada V4 is for the rider who wants the V4 Granturismo and the Multistrada chassis, and is clear-eyed about not needing the rest. If your riding is pavement, back roads, the occasional forest-service gravel detour and a few long weekends a year, this bike does all of it with 170 hp and the lowest weight in the mainstream range.
It is not the bike for you if your buying decision hinges on semi-active suspension behavior, on radar-based rider aids, or on panniers and heated grips arriving on the bike rather than on an invoice. Those are the specific reasons the S, the Grand Tour and the Rally exist, and the price steps to reach them are real money.
It is also, frankly, the Multistrada V4 that more people should shop. A $10,000 saving buys a great deal of fuel, tires, and time away from home.
See it at MotoCorsa
MotoCorsa Ducati in Portland can put you on a Multistrada V4 and let the bike make its own case. Browse our current Ducati inventory to check availability, or contact us to schedule a test ride — bring the route you actually ride and we will tell you honestly whether you need to spend the extra ten thousand.
Specifications and pricing sourced from ducati.com and are subject to change. Contact MotoCorsa for current availability and out-the-door pricing.