So, you have finally mustered the courage to buy the new 2025 Multistrada V4 S. It will require courage because the motorcycle has 170 horses ready to propel you into the stratosphere. But it has too many electronics that can take care of you. So the courage you need is a specific type- cash-induced courage, and that is because it costs 35 lakhs! It is a motorcycle designed for experienced riders who want a sporty ride with a high level of comfort. When you get sick of the Panigales and Streetfighters, you get yourself this one. 

So, that is it. That is the verdict. Those are the people this motorcycle is meant for. Oh, but you want to know how it is different from the previous model, and you are just generally curious about what the 2025 Ducati Multistrada V4 S is all about, right? Alright. I will lay it down for you. Do not read it like a conventional review because it isn’t. This is a Ducati Multistrada, for God’s sake. So, of course, it is fantastic. We are going to talk about what makes it fantastic and also why it won’t make sense for most of us regular people. 

First off, let us talk about variants and pricing. While you can check Ducati India’s Website for more details, let me give you the basics. For the new Multistrada V4, there are two variants: base and S. The base variant is priced at INR 24,56,300/- (Ex-Showroom). Then there’s the S variant that comes with all the tech wizardry, including automatic suspension, radar, and so on, priced at INR 30,61,300/- (Ex-Showroom). Then, if you are someone like me who likes Batman a little too much and wants it in black, the one seen here, Multistrada V4 S in black, will set you back by INR 30,91,300/- (Ex-Showroom).

Now that you know what is up with all that, let us talk about the motorcycle. I had the Multistrada V4 S. We’ll start with the most used term so far, Radar. So, the new Multistrada V4 S gets a front and rear radar system that enables adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front as you cruise in even more control. For India, I think this feature won’t be used much, considering our roads, people, and the amount of respect people have (or lack thereof) for motorcyclists. 

It has a blind spot monitoring system that keeps you in the know of what is going on behind your back. And no, not those kinds of things. It uses the rear-view mirrors to indicate that something approacheth that you cannot actively see in the mirrors. 

Finally, there’s a collision warning system. So if there’s something or someone in the front and you are not decelerating, the dashboard flashes. Oh boo… You have to be looking at the dashboard to notice, and if you are, it is too late. If you are looking at something else and not the dashboard, you are cooked. So you’d better keep your eyes on the road and make sure that you never see the hard-to-see warning light on the dashboard. I am not taking a piss at the system, I promise. It is innovative but not very useful here in India. 

Next up, talking about the differences between the previous Multi and this one, there are new graphics and a redesigned beak. The mounts for luggage (panniers and tailbag) have been moved further back for enhanced pillion comfort. There’s a new exhaust system that is lighter, sounds better, and does the emission norms thing. And that is about it. 

The real difference is incremental rather than revolutionary. Folks at Ducati have not been sitting idly twiddling their thumbs, thinking that the Multi is awesome, which it always has been. The electronics have been refined to an even finer point. The amount of electronics this one gets is simply baffling. 

There are two new modes, Enduro and Wet, and they both reduce the power to 112 bhp. In the Wet mode, all the electronics are dialled to 11 and ready to have your back if your goofy self grabs a handful of throttle exiting out of a corner on a wet road. In the Enduro mode, they are scaled back so that you can trust your instinct. Instinct that you still won’t trust if you had the full dose of 170 horses. 

Weighing in at just over 1.3 kilos, the X-Cross from Axor is one of the lightest helmets around. It combines safety with comfort, along with a timeless style that fits the Multistrada like a glove!

So far, this review has been more like something you read in a tech magazine rather than what you’d read in the xBhp Print Magazine. But that is the world we are living in. And I have to tell you what you are spending 35 lakhs on. Trust me, I will talk about the riding experience after I list some of the outstanding electronics aids on the new Multistrada V4 S. 

One of the most unique ones is the new CBS. So, you get a bigger rear disc (complete with a new calliper and master cylinder). Moreover, the new CBS also applies a bit of the front brake when you apply the ear whereas in the previous model, only the reverse was possible. Here you get both. Although if you do not like that, you can change the ABS mode, as this one is only applicable in ABS mode 3. A neat little trick, but one that doesn’t do much when you are going fast… which you will, because this is a really quick motorcycle. 

You have usually seen us donning leathers from Dainese, but Dainese also makes premium touring gear that is one of the best around, if not the best, as you can see here. Check out the range at Dainese.com.

Then there’s the Skyhook Suspension. In addition to being adaptive and stuff, it now has an automatic lowering system, which, when you are slowing down, lowers the bike by up to 30mm, which makes for more confident stops if you are not vertically well-endowed. Then it goes back up when you pick up speed. Again, a cool feature that will be of use, but less so because most of the time, you will be going fast because this is a really quick motorcycle. 

Another thing that the suspension system does, which can be deemed clever, is that when the front suspension goes through a bump, it immediately braces the rear for it. The information transfer is quick, and it makes the new Multistrada V4 S feel much more comfier and the big bumps don’t throw you out of the seat as they would on any other motorcycle. This is good tech because you do not want to get thrown out of the seat when you are going fast… which you will be. After all, this is a really quick motorcycle. 

Finally, there’s the Ducati Vehicle Observer or DVO. It links the 70-odd sensors on the motorcycle with the IMU, which, in turn, optimises the other electronics. Say you’re going fast, which you will because this is a very quick motorcycle, the IMU adjusts the ABS, Traction Control, Wheelie Control, and such in a manner that aids you in feeling confident as you go fast, while the Skyhook Suspension is also optimised for the riding conditions and style. All that is there, but the new Multi V4 S does not get an electronically-adjustable windscreen… the heck happened there… 

With all that tech-obnoxia out of the way, let me tell you why this is a quick motorcycle and why you will be going fast on it. First of all, the engine. The Gran Turismo V4 is a derivative of the Desmosedici Stradale V4 that powers the Panigale. For the Multi, the 1,158cc V4 with a counter-rotating crankshaft makes 170 bhp of power and 124 Nm of torque. I am an old school rider, and I have ridden a 170-some bhp 2009 R9 around India. So I know I can handle the power. I dialled down the electronics, put it in Sport mode and set this Multi free! 

And what a motorcycle it proves itself to be. The engine has loads of power, and it delivers it so savagely that it does not feel like you are riding an adventure/sports tourer. It is intoxicating, and the accompanying soundtrack just enhances the feeling even more. I absolutely loved the acceleration and the accompanying thrill. Dizzying speeds are reached in seconds, and the slick quickshifter on this thing makes revving the engine even more satisfying. 

Then there’s the handling. I have never known such confidence. An upright touring motorcycle should not be a point-shoot thing, but the Multistrada V4 S is. The chassis is sublime and the handling telepathic. I did not feel the need for the Pikes Peak Edition with a 17-incher front to have the faith to simply throw the Multi in the corners and reap the rewards. But this is also where my gripes with the motorcycle begin. 

The suspension is adaptive, and as the name suggests, it adapts. It keeps changing based on the terrain and the riding. I love it. But it made it a little harder for me to rewire my instinct. As I said, I am old school, and I like adapting to my motorcycle and not the other way around. This also makes me want to talk about the electronics. Yes, they make the motorcycle safer and easier to ride. But the whole point of motorcycles was that they were engaging. Now, they are turning into appliances. It absolutely murders the skill of the rider and their development. It stunts one’s growth as a rider. 

Again, I am not bashing the advanced, comprehensive, and sophisticated electronics suite. It is great. But I enjoyed this Multi the most when they were all dialled down. That is an option, yes, but that ramps up the price of the base Multi V4 S to 30-some lakhs. The non-S variant at around 24-some lakhs makes more sense to me. Even more so, the base Multi V2 at around 18-some lakhs would make even more sense to me. 110-some horses are not too bad for touring, are they? 

Now that… brings me to my final point. How much power do you need for touring? I have ridden various Multistradas for thousands of kilometres in 20+ countries. Yet, when I rode a 40-some bhp motorcycle during the Asian Odyssey… I enjoyed it just as much. Maybe a tad bit less, but not enough to make a difference. 

That said, if you want the best and most boastful of everything that a touring motorcycle can offer, I do not think there is a better motorcycle than the Multistrada V4 S out there. If you can make do with a little less, get the base V2. Furthermore, if you just want to ride and tour, any 400-cc-40-bhp motorcycle will do.