2025 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Road-Tuned V4 With Presence
The Pikes Peak is the Multistrada V4 that commits fully to pavement. It rolls on 17-inch Marchesini forged wheels at both ends (120/70 front, 190/55 rear), carries Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, and puts you in a sportier rider triangle than a pure tourer would. At its heart sits the 1158 cc Granturismo V4 with 170 hp at 10,750 rpm and 91 lb-ft at 9,000 rpm, and it can shut down the rear cylinder bank on the move to save fuel. Cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, ride modes and cruise control come standard. In the sport-touring class, nothing leans harder toward the sport end.
This bike rewards riders who link big days on the highway with long stretches of mountain road. The chassis gives you a lot to adjust, lean clearance is generous, and the low-end pull is strong enough that the V4 feels relaxed most of the time. Build quality is high, which matters on a machine this dense with technology. Now the honest part. It weighs 500 lb (227 kg) wet with a 33.1 in (840 mm) seat. The chain wants regular attention, and you'll have to add a center stand, tire pressure monitoring and a USB port yourself. Heated grips and luggage cost extra. If you want a relaxed touring rig, look elsewhere. If you want a sharp, fast road bike you can live with every day, this is it.
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 | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Seat height | 33.1 in (840 mm) |
| Wet weight | 500 lb (227 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
Lighting
Rider aids
Wheels
Swing a leg over and the first thing you notice is how far forward the bars pull you. It feels committed, not stretched out, and the seat height adjusts if 33.1 in is too much for your inseam. Keyless start means the key stays in your pocket. At walking pace in a parking lot you feel every one of those 500 lb, and you plan your U-turns. Once you're moving, the weight fades. Out of town the quickshifter works up and down, so your left hand gets a rest for most of the ride. The screen adjusts by hand, so set it before you leave, then turn on cruise control for the interstate stretch. On a real back road at a sane pace the V4 pulls cleanly from low revs. You end up short-shifting and riding the midrange, and the bike feels calmer than the spec sheet would have you expect.
None of this is my riding impression. It comes from years of listening: paddock talk, owners catching me at club nights, chats after group rides, and the messages riders send me directly. For this bike the pattern is clear. Praise gathers around the chassis and the engine, the grumbling around price, comfort over distance, and low-speed manners.
The most consistent note is how small it rides. Riders describe steering that feels sharp and confidence-inspiring for a machine this big. The semi-active Öhlins comes up just as often, staying plush without giving up control as the road and the pace change. The electronics and the connected dash get the same approval, and the V4 acceleration comes back in superbike terms.
Cost leads the complaints. Riders put it among the segment's most expensive, out of reach for plenty of them. The seat is next, going hard after a couple of hours, which sends owners looking at aftermarket replacements. A recurring note says the rear brake is short on feel and power next to rivals, better than it was but still behind. A few mention abrupt on/off throttle at low rpm in town, smoothed by a remap.
Oil leak from water pump seal
Some early V4 engines weep oil from the water pump seal; repair involves replacing the seal. Believed to be resolved on later production batches.
Where this Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak 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 Pikes Peak is actually built for.
For 200 to 400 mi days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge, this fits. Cruise control and the semi-active suspension handle the slab, and the chassis comes alive once the road starts to wind.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If the Dragon and the Cherohala are your home roads, the lean clearance, suspension adjustment and low-end pull will serve you well. Just know you're steering 500 lb, not a lightweight.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It's not electric, but it has the modern design, the connected TFT and the presence you're after for Skyline runs. For daily city commuting, the weight and seat height take some getting used to.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2022–2024
The Track-Bred Road Tourer
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
