Switched from a Ducati 848 Evo to a Multistrada V4 S: Ownership review

While the BMW R 1250 GSA excelled in every aspect, the excitement quotient left me yearning for more and the R 1300 GS didn't quite capture my aesthetic senses.

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A Two-Wheeled Symphony of Comfort, Power, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Ride

After a two-year hiatus from the therapeutic joy of riding, the absence of a motorcycle became insufferable. Riding, for me, is more than transportation; it's a therapy that brings pleasure like nothing else. The wind in my face, the hum of the engine, and the rhythmic dance of two wheels on the asphalt are the chords of a symphony that soothes the soul.

From Agony to Ecstasy - Choosing Comfort over Aggression

My previous companion, the Ducati 848 Evo, with its aggressive stance, became a bittersweet memory. The need for something more accommodating, a bike to munch miles in comfort yet possess the versatility to venture anywhere, led me on a quest. The Multistrada V4S emerged as the answer—a Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles promising a harmonious blend of comfort and power.

The Quest for Excitement - A Comparison with the BMW GSA 1250

A detour to the BMW GSA 1250 was a logical step. While it excelled in every aspect, the excitement quotient left me yearning for more. The peculiar challenge of the boxer engine layout hitting my shin every time I attempted to disembark added a dimension of discomfort. The eagerly awaited GS1300, still elusive in India, didn't quite capture my aesthetic senses.

The Multistrada V4S Symphony

Equipping for the Journey - The Perfect Gear

The quest for the perfect riding gear started almost as soon as I decided on the bike. Ended up buying an Arai Quantic helmet which is known for wind noise reduction, Dainese Ladakh 3L D riding jacket for year-long usability as it comes with 2 liners (one for wet and one for cold conditions). Picked up another pair of Dainese gloves as my earlier ones were almost shredded with the new bike's grips. Finally also picked up Alpinestars riding boots - and believe it or not - all the riding gear makes a huge difference in riding confidence. I have also equipped my helmet with a Cardo Packtalk Edge for seamless communication and listening to some nice music while rolling.

Service Milestone and Mishap

The Multistrada V4S recently crossed the 1000-kilometer mark, prompting its first service around Republic Day. Alongside routine maintenance, upgrades were made, including heated grips, a center stand, and plastic panniers.

In January, a minor mishap occurred as well—a slow-motion drop at a signal due to a car nudging me from behind. While the damage was minimal, the windscreen broke. Although it took some time to procure the new windscreen - I ended up upgrading to the Ducati Touring windscreen which definitely improves wind protection.

A special shout out to the great folks of Legacy Motors, Pune (Ducati Dealership, Pune) for making all the efforts to send me the bike all the way to Indore via their own transport, and being available at the beck and call to help me out every time I had a query. Their team is not just professional but extremely compassionate as well. Kudos to them.

Approved by my 2-year-old son as well.

The new windshield is about good 2 inches taller which helps in reducing the wind noise substantially in the helmet.

Also makes the bike look taller - not that it ever looked puny by any standards.

Riding Experience so far

Since I was riding after almost a gap of 2 years and I've ridden only Superbikers till now - took me a few days to acclimatise myself to the bike with the new riding posture along with the sheer size. The first ride I did with my group of biking brothers was a 200 kms ride with a lot of highway and twisties. Believe me when I say this - the bike transforms completely in these conditions. You do not expect something with so much bulk to be so nimble on the twisties while being absolutely composed on the highways.

When you setup the suspension to the softest settings - the bike literally glides over minor undulations on the road (even better dare I say than my 630D with air suspensions). The hardest settings make you aware of the smallest pimple on the road but are simply logic-defying at higher speeds. And mind you - reaching higher speeds on this bike is inevitable. You have to be really conscious about your riding speeds as you won't even realise when you cross 165kmph.

The various modes on the bike make it a different machine in each one of them. Here are some factory settings to give you a better idea:

• Urban Mode - The bike is comparatively quite tame in this. The engine produces about 115BHP power and the bikes doesn't give you any surprises as such. The suspensions are in the softest of their settings. I believe this can be used in wet conditions as well
• Touring Mode - The engine is extremely smooth in its power delivery and I believe belts out 150BHP (not entirely sure). Suspension by default is set to medium.
• Enduro Mode - ABS is off. Wheelie control is off. Traction control is off. Suspension is in medium. Engine produces 115bhp (haven't tried this mode yet)
• Sport Mode - a total hooligan the bike becomes. 170 BHP. extremely twitchy. Wheelie control comes down to 1. Suspensions become super stiff. But boy oh boy - does it make you go from ear to ear.

The best part about all these modes is - you can configure them as and how you deem fit. I am using the bike in touring mode with the suspensions at the softest setting for my daily commute to the office.

Few things I love about the bike

• It's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde type personality - can be anything you want it to be - albeit in 4 different avatars and not just 2.
• Extremely comfortable to ride - the seat though a bit firm is wide and I believe it wouldn't make the hind side sore on longer trips. The riding stance is extremely neutral and feels natural.
• The suspensions can be lowered by just long pressing the suspension button on the fly below 60kmph - making it more comfortable while standing at signals.
• Blind spot monitoring radar - absolutely the best feature in the bike - a real lifesaver while riding. I strongly believe this should be made compulsory in all 2 wheelers.
• Quickshifter - This is the only way one should change gears.

Few things I hate about the bike

• It heats up a lot!! Even with highway runs with speeds in excess of 90kmph - you can definitely feel the heat on the seat as well as your legs. Maybe Ducati should consider shutting off the 2 rear cylinders at cruising speeds (can be programmed I believe).
• The abysmal fuel efficiency - or inefficiency should I say. With babying the bike while on the highway - the max I have squeezed out is about 15.6 kmpl. The closest fuel station with min 95 octane fuel makes my office commute longer by about 8kms. And I am refuelling the bike almost every 3rd or 4th day in spite of it having a massive 22-litre fuel tank.
• Not an unknown devil to me - but Ducati parts are expensive!!! The windscreen replacement alone made me poorer by Rs. 27k!!! And let me remind you - it's made of plastic - not gold!
• Though the bike is keyless - to open the fuel tank you need the key. Completely stupid if you ask me. Though a keyless tank filler is available as an accessory for about 35K - just the dhakkan and not the entire tank.
• The LED headlights though good - aren't sufficient for highway rides in the night. And the only way to upgrade the lights is to add puny foglights from Ducati without voiding the warranty - and I have read that they aren't very helpful.

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