[mohansrides]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Took delivery of my 2023 Multistrada V4S today

Congratulations!!

For someone who’s stayed off of motorcycles for a couple of decades and then faced stiff opposition from the family at the mere mention of getting back on the saddle, it looks like you are making up for lost time in splendid fashion.

Ride in good health.

Cheers

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

I took a look and rode the GS1250, Tiger1200 GT Pro and the V4S before finalising this one.

Would love to hear your thoughts from the rides on all three from a comparo perspective if you feel inclined to pen that.

Cheers.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Would love to hear your thoughts from the rides on all three from a comparo perspective if you feel inclined to pen that.

Sure Axe, my take on the trio.

All three on their own are really, really good. It’s when they are compared and pitted against each other that the differences really come out and of course these are perceptions which may differ from individual to individual depending on what you are looking for in your ride. The ride, handling and power I am talking about is for on road behaviour as I am not interested in the off road part.

3rd place - BMW GS 1250
This bike has been running for sometime on its reputation and one particular owner on a ride mentioned “just buy the GS it’s the best”. Then I requested him to take me through the TFT menus, believe me he was struggling and didn’t seem to know what he was doing Just riding the bike as is because the GS is the best. Not a new owner, 8 month old bike. Ok, the above episode really happened, but I put it down in jest just to show the mentality associated with this model.

The GS feels a generation old in everything, the TFT hardly has any adjustability and the way it makes it power, it’s not slow, but feels that way when you open the other bikes throttle. Perhaps that’s why BMW is preparing a new model which will have everything these other girls have.

2nd place - Triumph 1200 GT Pro
Easily, easily better than the GS! Light, flickable and powerful. The rear tyre is only a 150 section compared to a 170 section for the other two. Lots of fun but quite vibey, vibrations are everywhere and when ridden with abandon got quite irritating in around 45 minutes when I rode it. The TFT is a straight lift from the Speed Triple, good adjustments but very poor in viewing everything. Big screen but the usable area is quite small.

1st place - Multistrada V4S
If you are looking for power, smoothness (yes, really smooth), amazing TFT (crisp, clear with all information displayed) with the adjustments on another planet then this is your girl. All the menus are extremely intuitive, within no time you can own it. Four modes, Urban, Enduro, Touring and Sport. Inside each and every mode you can adjust everything, even the Preload with just a few button presses. The suspension comfort is on another level.

It will put a smile on your face at any time, in any gear, at any speed. It’s a freight train everywhere in the revolution range and after 6000 rpm hold on real tight.

She has two seat heights inbuilt, just remove the seat and fix it in one of two positions, 33.1 and 33.9 inches. I tried both and it makes a difference.

She kills both the others in the looks department too. Oh my God, the way she looks! What’s not to love about a sexy Italian full bodied woman in red. Her wiles seduced me completely

Please ask any specific question you may have and I shall answer as best as I can.

Cheers

[no_fear]

@Cyborg,

you forgot to mention the new cool tricks on the Multi - adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection..

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by no_fear

you forgot to mention the new cool tricks on the Multi - adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection..

Thanks for reminding me no_fear

Blind Spot Detection:
Most amazing feature, when we see reviews we don’t think too much about it. Been riding for a long, long time, trust me, this is a very useful add on safety feature which will be copied by everyone in due course.

The flashing lights on the mirrors are not distracting at all, it’s so perfect and just works. The light flashes on the respective side exactly when a vehicle is in your blind spot. Impressive!

Adaptive Cruise Control:
I have tried this twice for a very short while, again, works exactly as it’s meant to. Simple to use and set up, select the distance you want from the vehicle in front and start. It’s slightly unnerving at first because the bike slows down and speeds up as per the vehicle in front.

This one I am not so much a fan of, since in our country there is no concept of lane discipline. The radar will go mad trying to latch on a vehicle in front and instead of being a mode to slightly relax, it will become a reason to be extra vigilant. Don’t see myself using it much.

Hill Hold:
As the name signifies, simple and useful.

The clear horsepower advantage (GS 1250 and Triumph 1200 GT Pro), the way she puts the power on the road, amazing braking and electronics package as a whole with ease of use and a fabulous, crisp TFT display which shows everything required at a glance, easily sets this girl up at the top of the pyramid in this segment. Backlit switch gear looks good at night and very practical.

Cheers

[hiren.mistry]

Wow Cyborg, never knew you jumped ship from a semi-crotch rocket to a sofa

Amazing, amazing bike. The perfect antidote for someone's that done his/her time on sports bikes. Wish you a blissful ownership experience and thousands upon thousands of miles with the Italian Belle.

Cheers

[Cyborg]

Got the ceramic (graphene) coating done from OCD Detail Studio/Sumant located in Andheri, Mumbai. He’s done a superb job on my bike and is a “can do”, positive attitude person. This is his top of the line coating which has coverage for 3 years with a top up every 6 months, so a total of 5 top ups after the first application. He shared step by step videos of the work being carried out by What’s App as well.

I recommend anyone who’s interested in this service for their bikes or cars to go to him. Please note I have no vested interest in OCD Detailers or with Sumant, just a happy customer. Now let the pictures do the talking.

















Cheers

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Thanks for reminding me no_fear

Blind Spot Detection:
Most amazing feature, when we see reviews we don’t think too much about it.

Adaptive Cruise Control:
I have tried this twice for a very short while, again, works exactly as it’s meant to. Simple to use and set up, select the distance you want from the vehicle in front and start. It’s slightly unnerving at first because the bike slows down and speeds up as per the vehicle in front.

Hill Hold:
As the name signifies, simple and useful.
Cheers

Your bike looks even more amazing with that clear ceramic coat. A smart worthwhile investment. I already scratched my gas tank, after having adjusted the handlebars with risers, and I turned it all the way. It was painful to watch me do this to my own bike.

These 2 features you mentioned are missed on the 1250 GS. I am used to Adaptive cruise in cars, and without it, I get surprised that my GS gets too close to the car ahead of me. Sooner or later, I think you will get used to it on the highways. I certainly miss the blind spot detection while cruising on the highways. On the flip side, I wont ruin any electronics, if I drop and break the mirrors. (just comforting myself)

People getting in and out of your path is to be expected in any city. Although it gets extreme in our cities. On the high way you should be able to use it. One thing you could consider doing is to drop the set speed to something lower so that there wont be sudden acceleration when the slow vehicle moves out of the way.

[samyakmodi]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Took delivery of my 2023 Multistrada V4S today

Ducati original accessories fitted on delivery, engine guard, oil cooler guard and tank pad/grips. Center stand and radiator guards are on order which should be done latest by end December 2022.

Attachment 2384129

Cheers

Just when I was thinking whether someone on the forum has bought the bike or not - chanced upon your post.

Eagerly waiting to read a detailed ownership review.
I've been on the fence for far too long and irrespective of what the online reviews by firangi journalist say - my heart is set on the multi and need a real time review from someone in the team bhp family.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by samyakmodi

I've been on the fence for far too long and irrespective of what the online reviews by firangi journalist say - my heart is set on the multi and need a real time review from someone in the team bhp family.

Samyak, I am sure you have read all the posts above for a general overview, a full blown review may not happen.

I have completed close to 3000 kms, you are welcome to ask any question you may have and I shall answer the best I can.

Cheers

[killjoy]

I have the standard V4 and completed 10k kms and happy to help answer any questions too. Not too good at writing reviews though

[E30_325iSport]

I’ve just purchased a V4S, but in the UK. I do think there’s some relevant info that might be useful if you’re looking to buy this bike in India.

My first bike was a Ducati Monster 1200. Great bike, some niggles such as quickshifter issues (they have an an inherent design flaw so can’t really be fixed), issue with brakes and clutch needing bleeding every so often etc. By far the biggest issue for me was the lack of wind protection and the less-than-agile handling.

I then test rode a Kawasaki z1000sx, KTM 1290 Super Adventure S and an Africa Twin. The Kawasaki was good, but felt a bit bland, wind protection wasn’t fantastic and I’m not really an inline 4 guy so gave it a pass.

Africa Twin was a bit of a disappointment, I had a poster of the original Africa Twin on my bedroom wall 30 years ago and was (perhaps naively) expecting a revelation. It was easy to ride, but for me felt a bit too civilised and possibly over capable for my needs (mainly on-road touring).

The KTM was also a little disappointing. Yes, the engine is bombastic, explosive, and any other pyrotechnics-related jargon you can use. But the bike felt like it was made from melted toothbrushes i.e., cheap. I had no idea what I was seeing on the TFT, it was big, but just a wish-mash of info. The switchgear was designed by a 4 year old during a lunch-break. Wind protection was pretty poor, the dealer was recommending aftermarket screens even before I set off on the ride. The reviews on KTM’s reliability weren’t exactly positive and my closest dealer was a long way away. Still, it was a much better value-proposition than its nearest competitors i.e., Multi V4 and R1250GS.

Didn’t try a Triumph Explorer or whatever they’re called. I don’t buy into the whole ‘British Brand’ hoopla when I know they’re assembled in the Far East. Plus they look atrocious in my view.

By chance the dealer had a Multi V4 to test ride, I initially declined as it was out of my budget but luckily he insisted.

What a machine! Right from first fire up, you can tell it had an X factor that nothing else I had ridden thus far possessed. On the road the suspension felt fantastic, I couldn’t believe the amount of road imperfections that the suspension was filtering out.

The wind protection was fantastic, I’m 5ft7 and for my height the wind protection was excellent, just right with next to no buffeting. In fact I lowered the screen a little to get some airflow. At the time, I didn’t get the chance to try out twisty roads because
a) I knew I’d fallen for it already and didn’t want to make the desire greater
b) There are literally hundreds of combinations of engine, suspension, preload settings that would take ages to work out correctly. I didn’t see any point in trying out the bike in a mode that I had no part in setting up.

Anyway, I could not forget the ride for many days afterwards, it really was that magical. I tried to make the numbers work but it was just impossible. Even now, nearly a year later, I can still recount every minute of that first ride.

I settled for a 2019 R1250GS. Now the GS is an excellent tool. The confidence it inspires in the first 100 metres is unmatched, primarily because of its engine layout aiding balance. It is probably the most reviewed bike in the world, so I’ll spare you my expert thoughts. For me, it was a tool. A surgeon wouldn’t use a kitchen knife on the operating table, likewise a real explorer would choose nothing less than a GS. But that’s about it. Yes it has a nice screen and loads of customisation options etc, but it was boring. Boring to the extent that I had absolutely no desire to ride it when I opened the garage door.

As an object of desire, the Monster was pure pornography. People would be taking photos when I parked up this mass produced bike that was not an exotic like an MV Augusta or MotoGuzzi. The GS was like a grandma trying on spandex in comparison.

Anyway, fortunately or unfortunately the GS gave me nothing but trouble. Sticking exhaust valves, leaky brake callipers etc etc. So much so that I complained to the dealership who graciously took the bike back for a full refund. I kind of knew this was bad news in a way, because I was now convinced that I was going to buy a Multi V4s next. Luckily one came up for sale in a couple of weeks and I’m now the proud owner of a Multi V4 with Radar and the panniers.

Again, I haven’t spent time setting it up to my liking, but the ingredients are all there, just like I remember them.

Engine: It really is a masterpiece, I mean 170bhp is not really useable on public roads anyway, but it is thrilling at sensible speeds and that’s the most important thing. Heat management in stop and go traffic is not great, this has always been a Ducati trait. My Monster used to attempt to fry the family jewels at every traffic light. Fuel economy is (and there is no better way of putting it) abysmal. It is the worst of its competition by several orders of magnitude. Multi V4s have cylinder deactivation while stationary only, with the idea of alleviating the heat management and fuel economy issues but it feels like an attempt to boil the ocean. I doubt it makes a jot of difference. This will be an even bigger issue in Indian climes.

The new V4 Rally edition I believe has cylinder deactivation on the move, below a certain throttle opening. This, in my view, would be better suited for Indian conditions where the average speed is likely to be quite low.

Chassis: No real idea yet, only ridden for 45 mins after delivery. As explained earlier, there are loads of settings to try out. I’ll report back in a few weeks.
Chain drive as opposed to shaft drive on GS. I’ll worry about this apparent downgrade when I ride from the UK to Morocco (i.e., never).

Electronics: Yes, lots of them. No idea what they all do as they’re so seamlessly integrated into the bike. There is a new ‘minimum preload’ function that drops the bike by a few mm upto a certain speed (71mph) to aid town riding for the vertically challenged amongst us. Things like wheelie control and traction control are adjustable to several levels. Nice screen, but we live in an age where everything HAS TO be on a screen. Hardly a surprise that a motorbike with this much electronics handles all of it through a sophisticated screen and buttons. Never tried Ducati Connect, not bothered. I believe the switchgear is backlit.
Radar Cruise is good, works as it should. Same with Blind spot monitoring. I dare say both are next to useless in Indian conditions so you’d be better off saving your cash and going without these features.

In summary, I don’t think a Multi V4 is a rational purchase. There are many other options that provide more of a sense of value. I say sense of value because that’s what it is at the end of the day. I think my Multi is a value purchase because I cannot see a cheaper way of getting the thrills that this bike gives me. There is no escaping the fact that if you’re concerned about practicalities such as customisation options, heat management, fuel economy etc. then the Multi sets a pretty low bar for these. Also Ducati accessories are insanely expensive, and aftermarket experts like GIVI SW MOTO and Evotech are only just getting round to making stuff for this model.


Hope this helps.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by E30_325iSport

In summary, I don’t think a Multi V4 is a rational purchase. There are many other options that provide more of a sense of value. I say sense of value because that’s what it is at the end of the day. I think my Multi is a value purchase because I cannot see a cheaper way of getting the thrills that this bike gives me. There is no escaping the fact that if you’re concerned about practicalities such as customisation options, heat management, fuel economy etc. then the Multi sets a pretty low bar for these. Also Ducati accessories are insanely expensive, and aftermarket experts like GIVI SW MOTO and Evotech are only just getting round to making stuff for this model.

Missed this post somehow, just saw it and I have to say I disagree with everything you say. I feel an opinion should only be given after spending a reasonable amount of time with a machine or it can be completely misleading. I am penning this after 3000 kms with my Multistrada V4S.

Engine: This is the most powerful adventure bike available in India (the bigger KTM’s are not available here and not bringing the Harley Pan America into this). It’s not about using all of the 170 horses on public roads, it’s also how the bike delivers its power, the thrill is in that. In this manner NO superbike can be used to its full potential so no one should buy a superbike in this context.

Heat management: This is excellent in the V4S, again this has to compared in like for like, it cannot be generalised. In Bombay traffic this bike is fantastic, of course it heats, it’s got 170 horses, but it’s never reached a point of discomfort. The Multi has twin radiator fans which work superbly in directing the heat away from the rider. My last bike, the Triumph Street Triple was like it’s on fire comparatively in the same traffic.

Fuel economy: Yes, it’s low when compared to its only competitors (in India) like the BMW GS or the Triumph Tiger 1200’s, but the buyer should have done his homework before buying it. Now again a person has to think, power and economy don’t go together, it just doesn’t make sense.
BMW GS - 134 BHP/146 NM
Tiger 1200 - 150 BHP/130 NM
Multi V4 - 170 BHP/125 NM
Does it make sense to expect equal to or better fuel economy
My Multi gives me 14-16 (on the meter) depending how it’s ridden while my Street Triple used to give me 18-19, so it’s actually really good if you see the engine displacement and difference in power.

Chassis: Since you say you have only ridden it for 45 minutes let me put it out there, it’s sublime! No 19” front wheel, 243 kilogram bike has the right to handle this way. The people at Ducati have done some magic for sure.

Shaft vs chain drive: Chain cleaning every 500 kilometres or so is a pain for sure but still I couldn’t make myself buy either the Tiger or the GS because of how much ahead the Multistrada is in comparison. It’s completely worth the elbow grease, gives me time to show her some love.

Electronics: Simply on another planet compared with its competitors. I would urge you to learn about it through the various settings and you will transform your experience rather than rely on just the company given modes. The switchgear is beautifully backlit and a pleasure to see/use at night.

Radar Cruise Control: Works perfectly and like a charm, giving you the option to choose the distance you would like to keep from the vehicle ahead. Now this is about the only thing I agree with you, it’s not for India due to the complete indiscipline on our roads but abroad on long rides this should be an absolute boon to use.

Blind Spot Monitoring: This is a super addition to safety that Ducati has pioneered and extremely useful! I have been riding for ~35 years and have owned a few old bikes and ridden even more than I can remember (really) so let me tell you this feature is extremely useful and practical! The mirrors light up perfectly as the name suggests to warn you of a vehicle in your blind spot. This will be copied by all mainstream motorcycle companies in their premium offerings for sure.

The Ducati world is an expensive place to be in whether it’s purchase of motorcycles or assessories. This is something a buyer should know and accept before going ahead or not step into. The Multistrada is more expensive than the GS or the Tiger BUT what is offers in every way (power, electronics and even the fit and finish to a large extent) easily makes up for it. The choice is the buyers but to say the others make more value sense is an inaccurate statement.

Loads of assessories are already available for the Multistrada from many companies and more are getting added. For example, I have added SW Motech EVO foot pegs and Rox Pivoting risers which add a lot to my riding comfort. Will write a separate post on them later.

In summary I would say to anybody who would like to buy a Multistrada V4S and has the budget, please go ahead, you won’t regret your decision. You must first ride the BMW GS and the Tiger 1200 to know the difference and how much superior the Multistrada really is.

The BMW 1250 GS and the Tiger 1200 GT Pro (I have ridden this variant) are both fantastic bikes on their own. It’s only when you pit them against the Multistrada V4S that the difference shines through.

Cheers

[no_fear]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

The Ducati world is an expensive place to be in whether it’s purchase of motorcycles or accessories. Cheers

Ducati accessories are expensive, no doubt about it. But if I compare a Japanese bike maker like Kawasaki, and look at the accessories made by local Japanese companies for Kawasaki, they are equally pricey. Products from Activ, Aella, K-Factory, are frighteningly expensive (more than the Italians).

This is a false rationale that Italian bike accessories are expensive. The accessories market is very varied. You can buy generic stuff from Ali Express, middle of the road R&G, to eye watering Moto Corse. It all depends on your budget.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by no_fear

This is a false rationale that Italian bike accessories are expensive. The accessories market is very varied. You can buy generic stuff from Ali Express, middle of the road R&G, to eye watering Moto Corse. It all depends on your budget.

Spot on no_fear but as always great quality and low price can never be possible. It’s like you cannot buy a Michael Kors bag and expect it to have the fit and finish or quality of Louis Vuitton.

I would like to add to what I mentioned earlier for prospective buyers. These three bikes have extremely different engines/engine characteristics. Price wise from most expensive, Ducati Multistrada > BMW GS 1250 > Tiger 1200 GT Pro.

Multistrada V4S
V4 engine and in this Grand Tourismo iteration extremely smooth and punchy all through the rev range. Put it low power mode (Urban) and she putters around the city like a pussy cat. Change modes or configure as you like and she changes to El Diablo.

BMW GS 1250
Boxer twin, extremely smooth with terrific torque figures which are the highest among all three. In outright smoothness it would be better than the V4 and the Tiger.

Tiger 1200
Triple with a 3-2-1 firing order supposedly to boost power low down rather than the earlier 1-2-3 firing order. In my opinion Triumph should have stuck to the earlier firing order because they have messed up the engine smoothness by doing this. This bike has vibrations almost through the rev range which got extremely tiring and irritating to me in the 45 minutes to an hours test ride.

It’s important for prospective buyers to ride and evaluate what kind of engine characteristics/power delivery suits them. You can’t really go wrong with either of them, it boils down to what flavour suits your palate. The Multistrada is easily the best as a complete package (power, electronics/adjustability, TFT display, chassis handling and balance) but it’s not that the others are bad. Somebody may want to prioritise engine characteristics over everything else.

Cheers