The 2025 model has an automatic lowering of the chassis when reaching a certain speed or when stopping. Do you know if this function can be uploaded to older models with an update?
As Stratters says, different back shock with an additional half inch or so of drop (which also means that the older plastic panniers no longer fit ). But you can just press and hold the suspension button for two seconds on the pre-2025 bikes which drops the back just under an inch (depending how you set your pre-load, I use Auto), it then goes back to normal height at 72 mph or if press the suspension button again once moving. Not quite as good as the new models, but easy once you get used to it.
I have to say I’ve not noticed it going back to normal, and 72mph seems too high really. 30 mph would be more practical
Don't know much about Ducati's system but if it's anything like Harley's adaptive ride height (ARH) system, auto-lowering is activated by wheel rotation, not speed. When the bike becomes stationary the suspension automatically lowers within ten seconds. It isn't automatically raised by renewed wheel rotation, rather that the suspension pumps itself up again mechanically to optimum height as it is worked by the road surface. It takes between 10 and 30 seconds depending on the smoothness of the road: the rougher it is and the more the suspension gets worked, the faster it pumps back up again. Optimum preload pressure is controlled by a solenoid. Any power loss or other fault and the system defaults to optimum preload height - ie. "normal" suspension function - and it's only the auto-lowering that is lost. You can also lock the system at optimum preload height, and select fast lowering or slow lowering. There's quite a lot going on and settings can be customised with clickers on the suspension units. It isn't simply controlled by ECU software. For example, if you transport the bike on a trailer, if the system isn't locked it will be at the lowest height when you load the bike onto the trailer, but may have risen to optimum during transit as the suspension gets pumped by the bike bouncing around on the tailer. even though te ignition is off. You need the solenoid and the suspension units that have been fitted with the hardware needed for it to work, and I doubt they'd fit all that to models that weren't sold with ARH as a standard feature. As I say, that's Harley's system on their Pan-AM and it's the only one I've ridden. But they were the first to bring out ADH and they patented it. I imagine all systems from other manufacturers work in a similar fashion.
The latest generation of Multistrada V4S uses the Skyhook suspension electronics to adjust the rear shock preload to minimum, below 6mph (10kph). The preload increases to your original setting at 30mph (50kph).The automatic adjustment can be switched off. Andy
