Ducati has unveiled the 2023 Multistrada V4 Rally, taking aim at the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure and Triumph’s Tiger 1200 Rally. And you can watch a video of the Multistrada V4 in action and find out all there is to know in the video below.
With the V4 Rally, Ducati is hoping to beef-up the off-road credentials of the standard Multistrada V4, while also increasing touring comfort. Among the long-distance adventure focussed upgrades is the new 30 litre aluminium fuel tank, designed to fit seamlessly into the existing Multistrada body without upsetting the handling.
Ducati has also increased the suspension travel to 200mm (from 170mm on the standard V4), reinforced the engine guards, and upgraded the foot pegs for additional stability while standing.
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Ducati has also paid attention to the comfort and ergonomics of the bike. These new features will probably be the most important factors to how successful the V4 Rally is, since the Multistrada’s main strengths lie in its capabilities as a long distance on-road tourer.
The windshield has been given a makeover, gaining 40mm in height and 20mm in width, promising a more pleasurable ride at motorway speeds. If you’re planning on riding two-up, the tail has been lengthened, the storage boxes set back for extra leg room for the passenger, and there’s different saddle heights available for both rider and pillion.
In terms of electrics, there’s an upgrade to the Enduro riding mode, which limits the engine power to 114hp with a more dynamic and direct response. Ducati has added the Minimum Preload function (introduced on the 2022 Multistrada V4 S) which lowers the bike when stopping and at low speed.
Ducati has also introduced the Easy Lift system, which opens the suspension hydraulics when you switch the bike on, reducing the effort required to life the bike from its side stand.
These both seem like handy additions if you’re planning on touring with a partner. Ducati also introduced a new feature which extends the conditions in which the rear cylinder bank is deactivated, to enhance performance and fuel consumption.
Aside from those changes, the V4 Rally carries over many of the features from the Multistrada V4. Powered by the same V4 Granturismo engine and built upon the same monocoque aluminium frame, the V4 looks like it will have some nice new features, without being a radical departure from the existing Multistrada range.
The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in two colours: Ducati Red and Brushed Aluminium/Matte Black. There’ll be three packages to choose from: Adventure Radar, which includes adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection as standard, Adventure Travel and Radar, which adds aluminium side cases and heated grips and seats, and Full Adventure which completes the bike with an Akrapovič silencer and a carbon fibre front mudguard.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally starts at £23,590 and will arrive in dealerships from February 2023. With the current Multistrada V4 starting at £16,795 and including many of the features that the V4 Rally will have, it will be interesting to see how successful the Rally will be.
