Is the Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally an able contender for global exploration?
Story: Joshua Varghese
Photography: Apurva Ambep
When considering circumnavigating the globe, the GS range of motorcycles come to mind first for most people. Ducati set out to create their own globe-trotter with a capital G and it is called the Multistrada V4 Rally.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 is among the best ADVs I have ever ridden but the thought of going around the world on it never occurred to me until the V4 Rally came by. The Multistrada V4 Rally is not just a V4 S with spoke wheels. We already had that. The V4 Rally is the most off-road-ready and I would even say everything-ready Multistrada yet. It is as Multi as it gets but taller, wider, and heavier. No cast alloy wheels for the Rally, just lightweight cross-spoked rims, 17-inch rear and 19-inch front. The icing on the cake is that these wheels are lighter, making considerable savings in terms of unsprung mass; 3.2 kilograms to be precise when compared to the V4 S’ spoked wheels.
The question “should it not have had a 21-inch front wheel?” may be pertinent if one is looking at this machine as a pure off-roader but it is not. It is Ducati’s overlander and while it is their most off-road capable Multi yet, it is also expected to live up to the manufacturer’s handling prowess on the road; which it does in good fashion. The Marzocchi semi-active units controlled by Ducati Skyhook Suspension Evo is impressive in keeping the rider blissfully ignorant of most imperfections on the road while also working the tyres into the ground to generate enough grip to go around corners with maximum speed and minimum effort. The leverage offered by the wide handlebar contributes generously to the latter. The electronic suspension also changes the way one lives with a motorcycle like this because one can always press a button and have the preload set up perfectly for rider only, pillion, and even luggage.
I am not saying the handling is good enough for a 260-kg motorcycle, I am saying it is among the best across big ADVs. It takes very little effort to get this motorcycle banked over and it never feels anything less than composed when moving on the edge of its Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres, which, I must say, are fairly robust. The rear tyre had a nail lodged in it for a couple of days but it did not leak any air at all. The Rally gets larger and wider foot-pegs and revised ergonomics that ably support standing on the pegs and riding.
In Enduro mode, the power output is cut down to 114 hp and it is nothing to sneer at because it also tones down a lot of the electronics that forgive one’s enthusiasm on the road. However, that is hardly a setback. The V4 Rally’s weight is so well distributed that, once in motion, it is easy to forget its size and heft. A new rider can ride along trails comfortably without too much exertion while an experienced one can make this Multi dance to their tune. It is happy to slide around corners and can handle big jumps with ease but, of course, in the hands of a skilled and smooth operator. Furthermore, should one want to venture off road properly, it is worth noting that more off-road-focused rubber, including Scorpion Rally and Scorpion Rally STR, have also been homologated for this motorcycle.
To complement its sport-bike-level handling, Ducati have equipped it with top-spec Brembo brakes too. There is really nothing more one could ask for in terms of feel, feedback, and force. There is a large suite of electronics on offer, most of which barely make their presence felt. Ducati’s digital wizardry is like an efficient butler who offers his services without intrusion (remember Jeeves, “the gentleman’s personal gentleman”?) and, given its wide range of adjustability, it can be tuned to every rider’s liking.
The engine also deserves its own paragraph because it is an integral part of what makes this generation of Multis the best ever. The familiar 1,158-cc, 16-valve, liquid-cooled, V4 Granturismo engine continues to dish out 170 hp at 10,750 rpm and 121 Nm at 8,750 rpm and, as always, there is a six-speed transmission as well. When this engine was revealed, Ducati famously said that it would only need an oil service once in 15,000 kilometres and a valve clearance check once in 60,000 km. At this point, we have to take their word for it because we only had this motorcycle for about a week but, to put things in perspective, the circumference of the earth is a little more than 40,000 km. We can testify to the fact that this V4 engine holds itself to a high standard of refinement and is brutal yet predictable about the way it supplies motive force. It enables this motorcycle to cruise happily at triple-digit speeds and also race through the gears on a quiet, twisty road.
When such an engine is involved, one usually tends to gloss over the fuel-efficiency aspect, but not in this iteration of the Granturismo. It features an evolved form of cylinder eactivation technology that works in all gears except first, shutting down the rear bank of cylinders when the load on the engine is minimal. It is calibrated differently for each gear and riding mode. Clever.
Comfort is still an integral part of this globe-trotter and Ducati are offering adjustability in the standard seat and a few other units as accessories. Their combined range of adjustability is 825-905 millimetres. The windscreen is larger, wider, and also features deflectors, further adding to its wind-deflection capability. Ducati have also tweaked the set-up for the pillion because their new perch is a significantly more comfortable place to be, even with the panniers attached.
With or without panniers, this Multi is huge and intimidating. For reference, it has 15 mm of more ground clearance than the V4 S. Most of its new proportions come from the massive 30-litre fuel-tank which has brushed aluminium panels on the side instead of graphics or shapely cowls. Personally, I feel it is most appropriate; it really brings out the purity of purpose in the V4 Rally.
Other things that I found useful include hill-hold, centre stand, switchgear, and an intuitive interface for the fully digital LCD instrument cluster. Furthermore, lifting such a heavy motorcycle off the side-stand should not be an easy task but it is because the valves of the semi-active suspension open fully for three minutes when the panel is switched on. The oil rushes in, softening the suspension, thus making it easier to get this big motorcycle off the side-stand.
In terms of safety and convenience, the V4 Rally gets a long list of equipment, including riding modes, cornering ABS, engine brake control, traction control, wheelie control, and the functionalities offered by a radar system which consists of adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection.
At Rs 29.72 lakh (ex-showroom), it is a lot of money for a lot of motorcycle. It is not a price tag that anyone is going to describe as reasonable but one has to remember two things. Firstly, it is a motorcycle that is armed to the gills with technology while also being effortlessly fast and easy to handle. Second, it is a Ducati and I have a feeling they are extremely confident of their product. As they should be.
Watch the video review here:
Also Read: Ducati Diavel V4 Review
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