2024 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
180 Horses, Zero Apologies
The RS is the Multistrada with the most Panigale in it. Its 1103 cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 is the desmodromic engine from Ducati's superbike. Here it makes 180 hp at 12,250 rpm and 87 lb-ft at 9,500 rpm, and it wants to rev. A race-bred dry clutch, an aluminum monocoque frame, forged Marchesini wheels and Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 electronic suspension make the spec sheet read more like a sportbike's than a globetrotter's. Front and rear radar, cornering lights and a full rider-aid suite with cornering ABS keep it civilized. This is Ducati's sport-adventure idea at its sharpest.
On the road it hides its 496 lb (225 kg) far better than the number suggests, and the upright riding position stays comfortable through long days. On reliability, only one issue is on file: one owner's oil leak, traced to a damaged O-ring on the starter motor. It was cosmetic, not a mechanical worry. Now the honest part. By my own adventure yardstick, a 17-inch front wheel rules out real dirt, and this bike runs 17s at both ends on sticky road rubber. Buy the RS for mountain passes, fast back roads and big tarmac days. If gravel is on your map, this is the wrong Multistrada.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 180 hp (132 kW) @ 12,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 87 lb-ft (118 Nm) @ 9,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1103 cc |
| Engine | V4 |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Seat height | 33.1 in (840 mm) |
| Wet weight | 496 lb (225 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.8 gal (22 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Braking
Rider aids
Wheels
Thumb the starter and the V4 settles into a busy, hard-edged idle that no twin can imitate. Open it up and the intake howl climbs toward something close to a race engine. I caught myself holding gears longer than the road needed, just to hear it wind out toward 12,250 rpm. The seat sits at 33.1 in (840 mm), so shorter riders will be on tiptoe at lights even with the adjustable seat. Once rolling, though, the bike seems to shrink around you. The upright position keeps your wrists light and your back relaxed, and the bars keep up a steady conversation with your hands. The quickshifter clicks through gears in both directions without a hitch. After dark, the cornering lights fill in the inside of each bend, which makes an unfamiliar road feel a lot less unfamiliar.
This is not my riding impression. It comes from years of listening: talk in the pits, conversations with owners at bike nights, and the notes riders send me after a season on their own RS. The pattern is clear. Owners praise how it goes and how it treats their body, and they grumble about what it asks of them once the road stops flowing.
The widest agreement is about the cockpit. Riders single out the adjustable windscreen as much as the seat, and say the bike stays easy on the body through a long day while still letting them attack a corner. The top end gets called explosive, and owners credit the stiff chassis and quality suspension for keeping it composed. Wheelie control and launch control earn praise for adding speed as well as safety.
Owners point out that the weight-saving work has not made this a light motorcycle, and it shows once speeds drop. Some enjoy the dry clutch's race-bike character but not the lever effort that comes with it. Others flag valve checks that fall due sooner and cost more than on the Granturismo V4 with its conventional springs.
Oil leak from starter motor O-ring
One owner reported an oil leak initially misdiagnosed as an oil pan leak; eventually traced to a damaged O-ring on the starter motor.
Where this Ducati Multistrada V4 RS pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Multistrada V4 RS is actually built for.
This is your bike. Days of 200 to 400 mi full of curves and scenery are exactly where the RS shines. The upright seat keeps you comfortable, and the V4 makes every pass the highlight.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It will carry you over Beartooth and Going-to-the-Sun comfortably and fast. Two-up with full luggage is another job: luggage is an option, and the RS is built for sharp riding, not hauling.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
Honestly, it's more bike than your Malibu coffee run needs. A 33.1 in seat, 496 lb and a high-revving V4 make it a serious tool, not a relaxed weekend toy.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Malibu Canyons + PCH · Portland Weekend Escapes
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
