The problem with the current MTSV4 is the radical departure from the beloved 1260 design. A V4 Pikes Peak equivalent (or whatever label Ducati chooses) will be exiting and surely change people's opinion including mine. This photo has been used and perhaps even abused but it's what we expected.
Having test ridden the V4S on Saturday I was so impressed im swapping my 2018 S1000XR for one in the next week or two once all the extras I've ordered have come in. As I was riding to the dealership with the wife I was telling myself that it probably wouldn't be for me and unless it was something very special I'd be sticking with the BM a while longer. Seeing the bike in the flesh made a big impression, especially with the dealer added graphics which improve its looks without making garishly loud and in your face. The salesman showed me all the controls, 90% of which I had forgotten by the time I fired it up. I was expecting more if a growl and bark from the V4 motor and Akrapovic can but with everyone clamping down on noise these days that may be no bad thing. On sitting down it was instantly noticeable just how comfortable this bike is, the pillion seat is extra comfy too so the wife says. We set off down the road with the bike in touring mode. I quickly realised that this was not the mode for me and put it into sport mode, instant improvement. The bike felt much lighter than the figures suggest, easy to ride and felt very stable at speed yet turned into bends with ease. Bags of mid range grunt but not quite the same top end rush of the XR. Saying that in a drag race I thing the Multi may just edge it but it's hard to say as it is deceptively fast. Coming from the XR which had lots of wind noise and buffeting the Multi was very quiet to the point where I didn't need ear plugs. After dropping the wife off at home I tinkered further with the settings and firmed up the suspension some more and headed to quiet and familiar roads. The grin that was already there grew as I pinned the throttle in 2nd, 3rd and 4th down some straights and a series of flowing bends. Felt like I'd owned this bike for months as it felt so familiar yet very different from the XR. I'd say for 75% of my riding both solo and two up then it's a better bike but when really sending on in fast bends then the XR wound have the better handling. That's not to say the Multi handles bad or is looking for the nearest ditch to deposit you in just that with all that comfort and plush ride it comes at a small cost, ok a big cosit in terms of money as this is no cheap bike. Looking forward to getting out and doing the trips I had planned last year as the last 12 months has been a complete shit show for everyone.
Yup I was going to buy v4 tried both v4s and 1260 prefer front end of 1260 do not like the slowness of a 19 front not as confidence inspiring as 120 17 inch front
I rode v4s 1260s and had a s1000xr chose the 1260s trade in my bmw which had a bonkers engine but the vibe gave me numb fingers & all Bmw dealers said was buy a new one the 19 in front isn’t as confidence inspiring ie slower in corners than the 1260 I wanted to buy v4s I don’t car3 for single sided swing arm which u don’t see when riding i like prefer looks of v4 v 1260 so it was entirely about riding yes v4 suspension was 10% smoother than 1260 engine had 15% more grunt when revved hard bu5 I could dive into corners with confidence on 1260
dunlop surprised me a lot.they started producing the super sticky sportsmart tt for 19i front! i think multi v4 made them do that!
I just test rode v4s multi .absolutely loved it handles like a dream and power is super fast in sports mode. The tech was really easy to use so much better. than my 1200 s touring No chugging in gears around town. v4 so different but you get a nice throaty noise when you wind it up out the akro. Possible range issue seemed to drink fuel quick but I was pressing on. Feels a big bike. tft screen superb . Price ! Lots. is it worth it when base ktm 1290 adv 2 is 6 grand cheaper yes I went and had a look at that also .ducati does feel more premium better fit and finish . I'm undecided
The chugging in most gears is the one big issue i had with my 1200DVT. A lot of the time, i was in first gear around town. My Street Triple 765 barely needs to be out of 6th gear even at low speed.
Test ride the V4 late this afternoon. Not as long as I would have liked as it was the last demo of the day....but what a fantastic motorcycle. The engine is so flexible compared to the DVT engine. I reckon I was riding in at least two gears higher than the V2 for much of the time and at no point did I ever feel it was a 19 inch front compared to a 17. Felt like I could get on it now and ride straight down to the Côte d’Azur no problem. it’s better balanced than my previous DVT too. Possibly not quite the sporty edge of the DVT but better all round. That V4 engine though is fantastic.
I know that. You missed the beginning as that whole bit was a humorous running gag of the Multi being for roads vs off-roads. It started around page two thus my first post here:
Well i am at the crossroads now. Present bike is a 1200s with full termi & upmap. Plus i have spent tons on add ons since i bought new in 2017. Now i fancy the v4s sport. Dare not go test ride as i will probably end up with the visa card out. I am guessing the dealers will offer me peanuts for mine. 12500 miles from new but that don't mean squidly when the salesman tells you no one wants that model anymore sir. While giving you a free coffee & becoming your best mate.
Stick with what you've got and which you clearly like to own/ride/have. Within 1 year of owning the GS variant, I mean V4S, it will have lost as much as your current bike is worth. I appreciate that with Ducatis, in fact pretty much any motorcycle, common sense doesn't feature, but now's the time to add some into this equation. Yes I know if you have 'it', you can't take 'it' with you, but then with the bike you have, you can afford to keep it cared for and running as you prefer it to be.
You’d be better off either getting one of the last 1260’s, or waiting for the new Pikes Peak. But 12500 miles is barely run in, so if I were in your position I’d hang on to that bike, and spend the money saved on trips. Or the wife. Nah, trips!
12,500 miles is new in my opinion. The latest is not always the greatest although you won't hear that from the sales guys or the press. While the V4 has a slight edge on HP, that advantage is only available north of 10,000 rpm. How often are we spinning in that zone? The 1260 Testastretta twin pulls like a train from 4000 rpm with 80 ft-lb of torque. Not too many engines can do that. The V4 is relatively gutless at that rpm with only about 60 ft-lb. Then there's the weight and the looks which is subjective. IMO, the Multistrada V2 is not the best looking bike but the V4 is a step back having been hit with the Bavarian stick a few times over.
Imagine what my 2018 1260 S with 36k miles on it is worth, 3/5ths of f**k all. So I'm pleased that I don't like the current V4 , big decision will come if they do produce a PP model or one with all the things I'd hoped the V4 would have in the first place.
