There was a time, in the not-so-distant past, when big adventure bikes were simple machines. They were relatively cumbersome and unexciting, but there was always an appealing utilitarian quality to the Ténéres and GSs of the early 21st century.
Times have definitely changed. In fact, Ducati’s updated Multistrada V4 Rally is one of the most technologically advanced production bikes on the market and, with 170bhp on tap, as capable of a rapid ride up a mountain pass in northern Italy as it is circumnavigating the globe. It is neither basic nor dull.
Ducati has adorned the new Rally with a similar suite of race-developed electronics to those introduced to the Multistrada V4S at the start of 2025. Although both machines share Ducati's Skyhook-managed Marzocchi electronic suspension, the Rally has more suspension travel and a larger 30-litre fuel tank, making it as ready to take on the sands of Morocco as it is the best asphalt roads in Tuscany. We had the opportunity to ride one on the famous Futa mountain pass, just north of the Ducati factory in Bologna, to see if the new Rally goes as well as it looks.
MotoGP level touring
Love them or loathe them, electronic rider aids are here to stay and they are making riding more enjoyable and safer than ever. In recent years there’s been a rapid development in the sophistication of all manufacturers' rider aids but it is arguably Ducati, using knowledge gained during a period of dominance in MotoGP, that is leading the field. This is the most advanced Ducati Multistrada ever seen.
Ducati has essentially taken all the tech from the excellent Multistrada V4S and transferred it to the V4 Rally. This means a plethora of updates which should boost rider engagement and safety. Prime among them is Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO), which we have seen already on Ducati’s Panigale and Multistrada. It was developed by the Ducati Corse Moto GP team and, in basic terms, DVO acts like a second brain for the rider aids, making them even more refined and precise by predicting what the bike is about to do via an array of ‘virtual’ sensors.
Ducati’s new automatic lowering device also debuts on the Rally, along with the latest linked ABS brakes, again seen on the Multistrada V4S but modified and perfected for the Rally. Front and rear radar supports the adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, and a new front collision warning system, which illuminates the dashboard before a possible impact, hopefully giving you time to react.
Ducati Skyhook electronic suspension features Marzocchi forks and shock with 200mm of travel. The rider can now change suspension settings on the move, plus there’s a new auto mode and a bump detection system that enables the front suspension to communicate with the rear. The swingarm pivot moves 1mm up, which should improve anti-squat, especially when fully loaded. Heated grips and tyre pressure monitoring come as standard, there is a slight tweak to the centre stand, and a larger bash plate gives a few more mm of protection just in case.
The (also optional) hard luggage system has a new locking mechanism, which means you don’t need a key to unlock the panniers once they are removed. The DQS 2.0 quickshifter debuts on the Rally for a faster, cleaner up-and-down clutchless shift. There are improved cornering lights, Ducati brake light EVO, and a new coming home light that remains illuminated for a few seconds once you’ve turned off the keyless ignition. The new Jade Green livery option looks good too.
About the only aspect of the Rally that hasn’t been changed, and arguably didn’t need changing, is the powerful 1158cc Granturismo V4 – now Euro5+ complaint and producing a (for now) market leading 170bhp at 10,700rpm, combined with 124 Nm of torque. Service intervals also remain wide, with an oil-change due every 9000 miles and valve inspection at a class-leading 37,000 miles.
All this rampant technology might easily strike fear into those of us who dread updating their iPhone, but Ducati has striven to make it all as easy and accessible as possible. To help prove that point, the press presentation for the Rally was held not in a warm location like southern Spain in early spring but in northern Italy in winter. This is a stunning part of the world with amazing food and wine, but in November the days are often rainy with near-freezing temperatures – making it the ideal proving ground to test the Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally's new tech and rider aids.
Riding the Rally
I like the new green-blue livery option. It’s probably the first time I’d choose an alternative to red on a Ducati. The brushed aluminium fuel tank adds a touch of class and the finish, as you would expect from a £25,595 Ducati, is top level. Ducati opted to add a few extras to our test machine: the bike tested was fitted with the £2,200 Adventure Travel and Radar pack, which takes the price to a total of £27,295.
As intimidating as the Rally might appear, as it stands tall on its long-travel semi-active Marzocchi suspension, Ducati has tried to accommodate all riders, including short bods like me. There are several seat height options and even lowering kits, which means, in theory, you can go as low as 805mm and as high as 905mm.
The automatic lowering device can reduce whichever seat height you opt for by a further by 15mm to 30mm, depending on the squat of suspension. The standard seat ranges from 870mm to 890mm. I’m only 5ft 7ins (170cm) and was offered the optional lower seat, but with the lowering device active I had no problem getting two feet securely on the ground with the standard set up, even though I wasn’t flat-footed.
With the standard heated grips set to level three of five, and the optional heated seat on a nice and gentle level one, it was a steady departure from Ducati HQ in Bologna into the city's crazy congestion and damp, cold streets. I opted for Urban mode, which is very close to the standard Wet mode.
I have experienced the auto lowering device on the Multistrada V4S, but on the Rally it’s far more noticeable – possibly due to the longer travel rear suspension and heavier weight of the bike. As the bike's speed drops below 10kph there’s a rather sudden drop in the rear shock and ride height, which is then gently re-applied at 50kph. It’s an impressive system that can be overridden should you want and has different settings for off-road. For many shorter or inexperienced riders, this will be the Rally’s ace card, making such a big adventure bike properly accessible for many.
To add to this slight unusualness, there is also the rear cylinder deactivation function, which knocks out the rear pair of cylinders, and transform the V4 into a parallel twin below 10kph in a bid to reduce heat transfer to the rider and pillion, and to improve fuel economy and range. All four pots come back to life depending on the rpm (usually at around 4000rpm) or torque request from the rider's throttle. For example, open the throttle wide from 2000rpm and all four cylinders will chime back in.
The fuelling and ride quality in Wet and Urban modes are superb. A potentially brutish 170bhp V-four is a pussycat to manage at low speeds, and the transition between two and four cylinders is so smooth it's almost impossible to detect. In these two riding modes, the semi-active Skyhook suspension delivers a smooth and cushioning ride. It's a tad unnerving at first, especially on poorly surfaced back roads, but its bump detection system means you can feel an imperfection in the road via the front wheel become better absorbed by the rear wheel, which is prepared for the pothole thanks to communication from the front. The rear wheel obviously follows the same track as front wheel but on some odd occasions feels like it is on a slightly smoother path.
The linked braking is also worth a mention. In the 'ABS 3' setting, the front activates the front and rear and, when applied, the rear also affects the front. When and how much depends on varied factors determined by the DVO and IMU but the key point is that when you're, say, commuting and battling angry traffic, you only need to use the rear brake, because it automatically applies the front.
Despite its refinement and everyday usability, the tall and commanding Rally turns heads in the city like few other bikes can manage, especially in its hometown. But where it should truly excel is on the mountain passes and hills of northern Italy where so many Ducatis handling abilities are honed. Over the last 25 years, I’ve ridden these roads on many different machines, including the original air-cooled Multistrada, but today it’s very different. It is cold and it is damp, and the Rally's impressively updated dash keeps flashing ice warnings as we head north and upwards above the cloud cover.
In Touring mode, I still have ABS 3 but fewer rider aids, more power, and the Skyhook suspension set to Auto. In Auto the suspension analyses how you are riding and adjusts its damping rates and spring settings to suit the moment. Rather than having to choose a Dynamic, Comfort or Low Grip setting, you can instead just use Auto and let the clever system do the work.
I’ve never really ridden a Multistrada in such cold and bleak conditions but I’m pleased to report that the heated grips and seat (still not on max) kept me warm and toasty, and the manually adjustable screen held the chilly air and occasional rain at bay. In fact, the cold conditions highlighted how effective the bodywork, screen, handguards, and creature comforts are. My only gripe is that the screen should be electronically, not manually, adjustable on a £25k-plus motorcycle.
At the start of the test day, I assumed it would be too wet and generally too grim to fully play with Sports mode, but as the V4 Rally was giving me so much confidence, I opted into Sport. Here, the 170bhp V4 Granturismo feels sharper, more responsive and with more drive – like a fully-fledged superbike of just a decade ago. Add a slick and effortless quickshifter, backed up by excellent rider aids and chassis, and you can really make the Rally dance.
The awful riding conditions really highlighted the Rally’s usability and versatility. There were ice warnings on the dash but I was still warm and comfortable all day. Grip in the wet was excellent, and when the roads dried out, the Rally could unleash its power and an exhilarating pace. All the time, you can flick between modes on the move, changing the character and feel of the bike. And, this remains hugely important to riders of my stature, at every standstill my feet could touch the ground thanks to the lowering system.
Riding back to the factory, we had a short blast on the motorway. It confirmed the rear radar and blind spot detection work well, as proven by Signore Alfa driving two inches from my number plate at 90mph. The auto cruise control is easy to operate, and you can change the permitted distance between you and the vehicle in front. The dash is relatively simple to operate, the back-lit main control joystick is indeed a joy, and the improved cornering lights work well – something we don’t normally get to test (on these manufacturer arranged press rides).
We covered just shy of 200km (125 miles) on test and had over 200km remaining on the range indicator from the 30-litre fuel tank. It was a relatively steady ride, averaging 47mpg, and comfort was not an issue. To be honest, we need to put more miles in the Rally to fully test its comfort, but I’d have no hesitation loading it up and diving into a big trip. We also need to take the Rally off-road and test its Enduro mode, but due to conditions and time we didn’t get the opportunity this time around.
Ducati hasn’t majorly overhauled the Multistrada V4 Rally but careful updates have made the bike more accessible than ever. The Rally is like the Swiss army knife of the adventure world. It can handle everything from switchback mountain passes taken at speed, to long-haul rides with equal aplomb. It doesn't care if is two-up fully loaded crossing continents or chasing a bunch of sports bike riding mates on a Sunday afternoon – the Rally will do it all. An injection of new electronic technology and riding strategies makes it more versatile, safer, and accessible to more riders.
Nothing is perfect. Should the screen be electrically adjusted? Is the ABS 3 setting a little too inconsistent when ridden aggressively? What will it be like off-road? And the base bike starts at £25k, while our test bike is priced at £27,295 and the full adventure option with an Akrapovic muffler and carbon mudguard comes in at an eye watering £28,645. It’s not cheap.
And there's that elephant in the room again that will not go away: the BMW R1300GS Adventure, the dominant king of the sales charts. How will the updated V4 Rally compare? The Ducati has the latest and greatest electronic technology and more power, but the BMW is possibly better off-road and also a phenomenal all-round motorcycle.
Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally specification
Engine: 1158cc V4
Power: 170hp/125kW @ 10,750rpm
Torque: 124Nm @ 9000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Aluminium monocoque frame
Suspension: 50mm inverted telescopic forks. Cantilever suspension mono-shock at rear. Skyhook semi-active electronic preload, rebound and compression damping adjustment
Brakes: Brembo M50 Stylema four-piston calliper and 330mm semi-floating discs at front. 265mm disc and two-piston calliper at rear.
Wheels: 19” front, 17” rear, wire spoked
Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II. Front 120/70-19. Rear 170/60-17.
Wheelbase: 1,572mm
Seat height: 870-890mm (lowering options available)
Kerb weight: 260kg (excluding panniers)
Fuel capacity: 30 litres
Contact: www.ducati.com
Words: Adam Child ‘Chad’
Photography: Alex Photo
