The update for the 2026 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally that really jumps off the page is 147 pounds. This is Ducati’s claimed weight for the 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo engine that cranks out 170 horsepower at 10,750 rpm and 91 pound-feet of torque at 9,000 rpm. For quick context, a 1,200 cc engine from a 1960 VW Beetle weighed about 240 pounds fully-dressed. It only made 36 horsepower.
That’s not necessarily a fair comparison, but it does illustrate how the evolution of the internal combustion engine has moved in six decades. The kind of power and technology you can put in between your legs in the 2020s is fairly amazing and even a little intimidating. Sport bike performance in a tarmac-oriented ADV bike is no longer unusual, and advanced electronics keep things under control and (relatively) safe. The V4 Rally is built to eat continents in every condition imaginable and to support that mission, the big Duc has some other key upgrades and changes for 2026 in addition to the MotoGP-inspired engine.
The 529-pound dry weight for the Multistrada is within a few pounds of one of its closest competitors, the BMW R1300 GS Adventure. Also matching the Bimmer is its 7.9-gallon fuel tank for huge range; and Ducati designed the V4 Rally with two-up riding in mind via highly adjustable seating options for both rider and passenger. Underlying the aluminum monocoque frame and double-sided shell-cast aluminum swingarm is Marzocchi’s adaptive Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) electronic suspension (200 millimeters of travel front and rear) that features an automatic lowering device. With settings for both on- and off-road conditions the bike automatically lowers when the speeds falls below 6 mph. When the rider accelerates past 31 mph on-road or 12 mph off-road, the motorcycle automatically returns to its standard ride height. A center stand is standard.
The 6.5-inch TFT color screen tucks behind a larger adjustable windscreen and anchors the rider controls and electronic aids, including 4 power modes, 5 riding modes, wheelie control, brake control, engine brake control, along with radar adaptive cruse control and collision warning systems. Ducati says this new Vehicle Observer system is “derived from the Panigale V4 [and] raises the Multistrada V4 Rally to a new level of safety and efficiency with electronic controls that act with greater precision. This function accurately estimates the position of the bike in space and the overall mass, simulating the input of 70 sensors in addition to data supplied by the inertial platform.” Ducati Connect operates media and nav functionality.
Also on the high-tech front, the Bosch-Brembo ABS 10.3ME cornering braking system has new rear-to-front strategies that compensate not only for road conditions, but rider, passenger, and luggage weight as well. Brake discs measure 330 millimeters up front, and a larger 280 millimeter disc bolts to the rear; 19- and 17-inch spoked wheels are mounted with Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires. Given this remarkable spec sheet suffused with MotoGP-level technology and materials, you might imagine that Ducati’s flagship adventure tourer won’t be cheap. I would take whatever imaginary number floats into your mind and likely add a few thousand dollars to the bottom line. The Multistrada V4 Rally starts just shy of $32,000 and goes up from there once you start to stick on Ducati-branded farkle.
From $31,995 | ducati.com
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Images: Ducati
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