I would really like to upgrade to a V4 from my 2012, but I just really don't want all the electronics that people are talking about - cruise control and the likes not for me...…. but then what else is there as a real contender? It irks me that KTM don't offer a top box as standard on the Superduke GT...
I agree the look of the single sided swing arm is brilliant. However, the good looks do come at a cost. On my 14 twin spark the pillion footrest hanger and silencer has to come off to get the wheel off. That big nut needs a big lever to undo it (lets imagine your on tour with no air gun) my breaker bar isnt quite up to it, i use my torque wrench which is a bit longer, something else not tour friendly. It's best to take the mahooosive wheell socket on tour with 1/2 inch adaptor cos sods law says if you need a garage there won't be a Ducati garage around with a 55 mm socket. And of course the weight. Fortunately, my trips to Italy and Portugal have been incident free but I do get a bit anxious in case that back wheel needs some attention while overseas. TB
With the potential demise of the Multistrada Enduro with the launch of the V4, it would certainly fill a gap. Andy
I can see a lot of streamlining of the ranges available over the coming few years with the ecomonic problems this year will cause.
Cruise is great on super long journeys - French motorways spring to mind... Just 30 seconds of it to take your right hand off is worth it being on a touring bike
I have had my Multi from new in 2012, and of the 25000 miles she’s done only about 300 are on motorways (if that). I plan every trip to avoid them, I hate them on the bike. I love CC in the car.
Sometimes a necessary evil, but I agree on the principle! I bought the Multi for those kinda rides, though, where the destination is as much the point as the journey. I wish I had the time to only take fun roads
My two cents on a V4 Multi is...bring it on. A smooth V4 with a lower peak but higher curves in power and torque through midrange than the Pani will hopefully just make a better overall machine for the Multi, especially as a road bike. Also isn't the V4 block lighter than the twin by a couple of kilos? Italian witchcraft for sure but there ya go. And there'll still be a 'V2' twin 950. It's a great move. Anyone who says you don't need more power than 160bhp is just thinking about peak power - higher power/torque overall just means it'll be better two-up, with luggage, going up steep inclines etc. If you don't want to go too fast, don't twist the grip so far!
Problem with more or too much power is that if it’s there then you want to use it now and again. With the advance of all electronics/GPS etc, the chances of being caught using it over and above the limit are increasing exponentially. Don’t ask me how I know.
I would have thought the chances of it having more bottom end and mid range torque than the current 1260 would be extremely remote, I have no doubt it will have more horsepower up high
Yes maybe - but what I meant was in comparison with the V4 Panigale. With the V4 config in a Multi chassis, I imagine the Ducati engineers will work some wonders. Basically the smaller pistons and higher number of power strokes per crank rotation means it will likely be smoother than the twin, with potential for higher compression due to smaller cylinders meaning more power. But a large capacity engine like this is unlikely to be left wanting for torque. I would probably imagine the aim is somewhere between the 1200DVT and the 1260DVT in terms of characteristics, but with a higher peak (than the 1260 multi, not the V4 Pani).
There is no reason to remove the footrest hanger, just the silencer, same as all the other Multistradas since 2010. Regarding the V4 (when it finally arrives), we shall see. I would quite like one, but in reality I'm more likely to mop up a bargain priced pre-reg'd 1260
At the risk of dropping a fly in your soup, the current 1260 V2 engine already produces more torque than the 214 HP Panigale V4 engine. Multistrada 1260: 129.5 Nm (95.5 lb-ft) Panigale V4S: 124.0 Nm (91.5 lb-ft) In fact, the Multi's 1260 V2 produces as much torque slightly above idle than the Panigale V4 does at 6000 RPM. Moreover, the Pani's V4 engine only produces more HP than the V2 above 9000 rpm. To put this another way, using the rule of thumb (sweet spot) of riding at 1/2 of redline, the V2 still makes more pulling power than the V4. Although I really like the idea of a V4 on a Panigale, I personally, am now questioning the value proposition of a V4 on a Multistrada. "The latest is not always the greatest"
You need to compare to V4 Streetfighter. Best i could find. Rear wheel numbers, different machine, rider, day, etc, etc but you can see the torque comes in earlier. The fact of the matter is if it red lines at 14 instead of 10...9 will become the new 6 Some other numbers....
According to the release day information/video on the Street Fighter, Ducati pointed out that it does produce more "rear wheel" torque than the V4S (I think they gave a third gear example) but the percentage increase was roughly equivalent to the final drive gearing change that they had made to the SF I think we have to be very careful when comparing torque graphs of Street Fighter versus V4S and assuming the engine is producing more torque I believe the difference will probably be fairly small I do entirely agree about the comment that an engine that's designed to run to 10,000 rpm can never have the same gearing as one designed to run to 14,000 rpm. But this in itself becomes a problem with the multistrada version of the V4, as the multi is designed to do some long distance/touring duties (just the opposite of a sports bike) you cant have an engine buzzing away for long periods of time at say 6000 rpm where the multi would be ticking over at 4000 rpm for a number of reasons, they will have to gear the V4 multi up compared to the current V4S to a compromise between the two and this gearing change will only reduce its in gear torque compared to what it already is (similar to how the SF version went up) Long story short I think it's going to be very difficult to turn a 14/15,000 rpm sports bike motor into something that is capable of doing touring duties as well. I personally hope that they stroke it out to a 1200 and put completely different heads/cams on it, more suitable for torque delivery than high rpm horsepower and turn it into a 12,000 rpm 190 hp sports touring weapon Or they just keep the 1260 going and sell the V4 multi along side it (new pikes peak)
Very interesting first chart but the V2 still has more usable power where we need it on the street. It's going to be difficult to replace that Oomph of the V2 without major modifications as @dddd mentioned. Notwithstanding, thanks for sharing as I like looking at these. As for the second chart from Brock Davidson whose work I'm very familiar with. It's from a Kawasaki. Brock does not work on Ducati bikes unfortunately. I've had many discussions to that effect with Steve Syx, their sales manager.
We will have to see which way they take it. The second chart was to put things into perspective of other rip your arms off\put the fear of god in ya bikes
Yeah I see what you're saying, but think something is getting lost in translation... Panigale is just geared and engineered for peak performance primarily on track (or fast roads), so loads of everything at the top of the rev range (i.e. higher peak power). It was the same when it was a V2 as well! A V4 in a Multistrada will just be developed to a different requirement (ie higher peak torque), much as the current one - but with smoother delivery and probably bigger numbers then the current 1260 V2. It's bloody rapid already though, so improving performance is subjective depending on what your interest is as the rider, or the goals are as the manufacturer.
