By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Sport Tourer
BMW S 1000 XR (K69) vs Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak (MY2025)
You'll feel the BMW S 1000 XR's inline-four pull clean from the midrange as you roll the throttle open, and it doesn't stop growling until it's at redline. The Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak's throttle flings you forward the instant you twist it, under a MotoGP-bred bark. Then its top end comes rushing in.
So which one do you buy?
The S 1000 XR has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Nose ahead: S 1000 XR
The S 1000 XR nudges ahead once the miles pile up. Still, it's a narrow gap.
What makes each one tick
S 1000 XR
Tall as it stands, the S 1000 XR switches from one lean to the next with hardly any effort at the bar. Corner entry asks little of you, since the nose tips in on light steering and doesn't wander once it's leaned over. Over broken pavement, the semi-active suspension stays taut even in its softer modes.
Nils rode the S 1000 XR in 2020, and in Andalusia in 2021 (NastyNils Testride).
Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak
For all its heft, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak's front wheel snaps into a bend, and there's no lag at the bar. The Öhlins suspension soaks up broken tarmac without letting the body wallow at a hard pace. The rear brake doesn't match its rivals for feel or power. The Öhlins keeps reading the pavement.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak makes more peak torque: 91 lb-ft (124 Nm) vs 84 lb-ft (114 Nm).
- The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak has the larger engine: 1158 cc vs 999 cc.
- The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak has the larger fuel tank: 5.8 US gal (22 L) vs 5.3 US gal (20 L).
Which one for the way you ride
Daily commuting & city riding
Not suited: Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak
Commuting is off the table for the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, so it sits this one out.
Keeping running costs low
Not its job: Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak
Upkeep on the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak works by different rules, so it isn't rated here.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Both fall short
Neither of these is a sensible first motorcycle. Learn on something smaller and lighter, then come back.
Look at twisty roads and you'll find two bikes doing the same job equally well. Fit is what breaks the tie.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
S 1000 XR
What owners say
Strengths
- Superbike-level engine performance
- Agile and precise handling
- Comprehensive standard electronics
- Powerful and progressive braking
Trade-offs
- Firm suspension even in softer modes
- Ineffective stock wind protection
Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak
What owners say
Strengths
- Advanced rider aids and connectivity
- Agile handling for a large adventure bike
- Premium Öhlins semi-active suspension
- Superbike-level engine performance
Trade-offs
- High purchase price
- Uncomfortable seat on long journeys
- Lackluster rear brake feel
What they share
- Seat height
- 33.1 in (840 mm)
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 190/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| S 1000 XR | Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 498 lb (226 kg) | 500 lb (227 kg) |
| S 1000 XR | Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 999 cc | 1158 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four | V4 |
| Power | 165 hp (121 kW) | 170 hp (125 kW) |
| Peak power at | 11,000 rpm | 10,750 rpm |
| Torque | 84 lb-ft (114 Nm) | 91 lb-ft (124 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 9,250 rpm | 9,000 rpm |
| S 1000 XR | Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 38 mpg (US) / 6.2 L/100 km | 36 mpg (US) / 6.6 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 5.3 US gal (20 L) | 5.8 US gal (22 L) |
| S 1000 XR | Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 320 mm | 330 mm |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| S 1000 XR | Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise Control | Option | Standard |
| Quickshifter | Option | Standard |
| Heated Grips | Standard | Option |
| Cornering Lights | Option | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
