V4 multi and monster-type bike. I’d have either. 180hp in a monster?! Raised rear sets and electronics make it perfect track weapon!
In what world does a dealer know anything about a manufacturer's future plans? You honestly think they'd spill their guts to a dealer to spout to all-and-sundry and kill the sales of current models as a result of such a monumental change? I think not. Come on, join the dots. Why spend all that dosh developing a brand new engine which heralds a "new and important chapter in Ducati's history" (a direct quote from Ducati's website) around which to build the brand into the future and then stick it in just one bike? That would just be completely mental. Not least because they'd have to continue to fund R&D into two different engine ranges, so keeping it in just one model just doesn't make any sense.
When the Panigale twin 1199 came out, I took a test ride. Loved the engine, predicted it surely would be rolled out to the Multistrada in a couple of years. Lots of other folk thought the same. But it never was; Ducati stuck with the beltie engine for the Multistrada after all. Since the Panigale twin is now being superseded by the V4, presumably the twin engine never will be used in other models.
Well I obviously don't know any more or less than any dealer - how can I? But if you can tell me where my logic is flawed I'd really like to hear it. Looking at it from a different angle, even if Ducati had actually told some dealers that they WERE going to stick a V4 in a Multistrada they'd be sooooo wrapped up in NDA's the dealer would never be allowed to tell you in any case. Regardless of whether a dealer was aware that a V4 Multistrada was in the pipeline or not, then the absolute LAST THING they are going to do is confirm it and potentially loose a sale from the stock of shiny new 1260's sitting in their showroom that only became available less than 3 months ago! The slightest leak out of a dealer of a V4 version of one of their top selling models at some point in the future would be financial suicide. If folk had any inkling that a V4 Mutli was coming next year, dealers stop selling Multi's - given the massive global praise being heaped onto the V4 in the one bike it's currently available in, it would be like someone flicking a switch to off on the money machine. So a simple solution is to tell dealers it's not going to happen - no NDA's needed, keep everyone in the dark, keep them guessing and keep them talking about it, like we are now. Everything considered it's good for the brand and when they do announce it they can just say they changed their mind, had an epiphany and decided to make a iconic change to the Multi too. It would be a marketing coup.
Agreed, but I reckon the V4 is 3 years away minimum. Most of the R&D budget will be getting steered towards the 1000cc WSB engine. Any V4 road bikes will have to wait until that is fully sorted.
Given they DVT lasted nearly 2 1/2 years, then 1260 came along which will be another 2 1/2yrs, that gives us the magic 5yr car cycle they probably follow these days and give is a v4 multi. This year Panigale, next year Streetfighter, year after Multistrada.
Well the 1262cc lump has already been around for a bit in the XDiavel. A torquey lump developed for their cruiser looking for more applications to absorb the R&D cost. Frankly I think the Testastreta 1200 DVT lump has been a bit underwhelming so it's animal that they immediately get to send to the glue factory - one less thing to spend R&D on, one less thing to worry about, shorter inventory, etc. Continual iterative improvement is the way of the world of engine development.
I think thats my point. A couple of small tweaks, then realise a V4 around 2020 ish. Although, having a large v twin int the stable would probably keep many brand-types on side, whereas a wholesale move of all large cc to V4 may stir a grew feathers.
I’m probably a ‘brand type’ - since 1983, the only motorcycles I’ve owned have been, and are, Ducati V-Twins. I love V twins. I’ve also had a good run on a V4s, and it’s the most astonishing engine I’ve ever had the pleasure of failing to thrash on a public road. So, if they put the v4 into a sports tourer and gave it semi-active Öhlins and a BETTER STANDARD OF FINISH, price would be very much secondary to me.
Wayne 58 could be right ,um maybe. lets see. Anyway done 300 miles on the pilot road 5,s & so far very impressed. Feels very stable & definately falls into the corners better than the trail 2,s Put shorty levers on & brake great but not sure about the clutch. Instead of holding it in at lights ,i,m tending to go to neutral to give fingers a rest. Look good but verdict still out.
L twin, V twin, makes no difference. An L twin is still a V twin. It only describes the possible crank timing, with an L twin being 90 degrees with the front cylinder parallel to the ground. The mechanics and the end result is broadly the same, it's the resultant engine character that's different.
I find this notion that "A Ducati is a twin" to be completely strange. Why does everyone conveniently forget that Ducati made a road legal V4 bike over 10 years ago? They've been running the Desmosedici bikes for 15 years and R&D has obviously been going on longer than that. The fanbois that would have everyone believe that a Ducati V4 is recent abhorrence and should only be a twin, either just don't know what they're talking about or have a selective memory. Ducati wouldn't have the same brand awareness (even with the mediocre results) if it wasn't for racing a V4 for over a decade.
I have tried a V4 personally thought the aprillia V4 is better think I will stay my 900ss bevel, 916 and the DVT Multistrada
