2021–2022 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
Italian V4 Dressed for Distance
The V4 Granturismo is the story here. 1158 cc, 170 hp at 10,750 rpm and 91 lb-ft at 9,000 rpm, wrapped in an aluminum monocoque frame with a 19-inch front wheel and semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension. That combination puts superbike-grade output into a machine built to cross a state in a day. The Sport trim adds its own livery and visual hardware without thinning out the electronics, which stay complete: radar adaptive cruise control, Ducati Cornering Lights, Ducati Quick Shift up and down, Brembo Stylema calipers, and Ducati Wheelie Control.
On the road it behaves far more civilized than the output figure suggests. The Skyhook system takes the sting out of broken pavement while keeping the chassis honest when the pace climbs, and the rider aids stay in the background until you need them. Be clear about what it is, though. With 6.7 inches (170 mm) of front travel and 7.1 inches (180 mm) at the rear, this is a road-first adventure bike tuned for tarmac, gravel and graded dirt. At 529 lb (240 kg) wet on a 33.1-inch (840 mm) seat, it wants a confident rider once the surface turns loose. Buy it for the miles, not for the rock gardens.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 170 hp (125 kW) @ 10,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 91 lb-ft (124 Nm) @ 9,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1158 cc |
| Engine | V4 |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 330 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-19 |
| Rear tire | 170/60-17 |
| Ground clearance | 8.7 in (220 mm) |
| Front travel | 6.7 in (170 mm) |
| Rear travel | 7.1 in (180 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.1 in (840 mm) |
| Wet weight | 529 lb (240 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.8 gal (22 L) |
| Fuel economy | 36 mpg (US) |
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
Two decades of paddock talk, owner conversations at club nights, and the messages riders send me directly add up to a consistent picture of this bike. The praise lands on the engine and the electronics, and it lands hard. The complaints are narrower and cluster around low-speed manners and the screen you look at.
The V4 is what owners bring up first: immense, seamless thrust with a smooth delivery and a top-end rush they call addictive, output that puts it at the sharp end of the adventure class. Close behind comes the electronics, which riders describe as working together without fuss rather than as a list of features. Plenty also mention how light-footed it feels for its size, steering neutrally and staying settled when the pace picks up.
The one that comes back most is mass. Owners who have ridden lighter rivals say the weight never really goes away, most obviously at walking pace. Fewer riders raise the media and navigation setup: it leans on a phone pocket, draws complaints about connectivity and poor damping, and strikes them as thin for the money. A few also flag strong engine braking off the throttle in slow corners and tight traffic.
Excessive wear of engine valve guides (NHTSA recall 21V-212)
Valve guides may exhibit excessive wear, potentially causing valve head breakage, engine power loss, and inability to restart. Affected VINs built between Nov 5, 2020 and Jan 14, 2021. Recall remedy: entire engine replacement.
Spark plug o-ring failure leading to oil leak
A pinched spark plug o-ring inside the valve cover can fail, causing oil to blow onto the left side of the engine and rear tire. This may be accompanied by water pump seal failure and white smoke from the exhaust.
Where this Ducati Multistrada V4 S Sport 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 S Sport is actually built for.
Straight answer: this is not your bike. On slickrock, sand and step-ups, the weight, the seat height and the road-tuned travel work against you long before the engine gets a say.
Made for Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes · Johnson Valley OHV Area
This is the sweet spot. Two hundred miles of Blue Ridge or coast road with a sporting pace when you want one, and suspension that quietly absorbs the bad surfaces in between.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It will do the long weeks two-up and loaded, with adaptive cruise, navigation and roughly 200 miles of range per tank. Budget for chain care and plan your own heated gear.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2018
Italian Soul, Sport-Touring Muscle
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Multistrada V4 S Sport. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2021–2024
160 Horses, Full Electronics
Competitor · 2026
173 Horses, Fully Adjustable
Competitor · 2023
Tech-Loaded Triple for Distance
Competitor · 2020–2023
165 Horses in a Touring Jacket
Roughly $4,900 cheaper used than this bike at 5 yr
Same Platform · 2021
Four Cylinders, Zero Excuses
Roughly $1,900 cheaper used than this bike at 5 yr