Ducati Multistrada V4 Spotted On Off-Road Test

The Ducati Multistrada V4 may replace the existing Ducati Multistrada 1260, and will be officially unveiled by October or November 2020.

The upcoming Ducati Multistrada V4 has been spotted undergoing off-road testing at a facility near the Ducati factory in Italy. And from the looks of the motorcycle snapped in the latest spy pictures, the Ducati Multistrada V4 may be very close to production, and it may actually be a matter of a few weeks before it's unveiled officially. As the name suggests, the new Ducati Multistrada V4 will have a V4 engine, but latest reports indicate that it will be an all-new engine, rather than a de-tuned Panigale V4 engine. Apparently, the Panigale V4's 1,262 cc engine may have not the delivered results for an ADV, so the V4 motor for the Multistrada may very well be a new unit.

The single-sided swingarm from the Ducati Multistrada 1260 has been replaced with a conventional double sided set up. It's not the first Multistrada with a double-sided swingarm, the Multistrada 950 has one, and even the Multistrada 1260 Enduro has a double-sided set-up. Also borrowed from the 1260 Enduro is a 19-inch front wheel, as compared to the standard Multistrada 1260. This has been probably done to lift the front end and push the weight of the V4 engine further back, to offer better off-road ability and agility.

Apart from the mechanical changes, the new Multistrada V4 is expected to get a significant step up in its suite of electronics. The latest electronics package is expected to be shared with the Panigale V4, so all the features, including lean-sensitive anti-lock braking system (ABS), and traction control will be offered. The only new thing on the feature list which will be expected on the Multistrada V4 is radar-powered cruise control. So far, there's no word on price or availability in India, but we don't expect the Multistrada V4 to come anytime before mid-2021, and at a price which will likely be around ₹ 20 lakh.