Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally 2025 Review

Adventure bikes live a double life. On one hand, they’re expected to be kilometre-crushing tourers, loaded with comfort, tech and luggage for days. On the other, they’ve got to survive the rough stuff — gravel tracks, corrugations, water crossings and the kind of abuse that would send a lesser machine home on a trailer. Ducati’s Multistrada is one such example, but the new V4 Rally takes the concept even further, with radar-assisted cruise control, spoked wheels, a 30-litre fuel tank, hard luggage that looks like it could survive an artillery assault, engine bash plate, Semi-active Skyhook suspension and tech wizardry to rival a SpaceX rocket.

All those features come at a cost, though. At $42,600 ride-away, the V4 Rally is one of the most expensive adventure bikes on the market. But is the double dose of sporting DNA and Italian swagger it brings to the table worth the premium?

Rolling out of Melbourne on a crisp Autumn morning, cloaked in the kind of chill that seeps through jacket zippers, I aimed the beak of the Multistrada V4 Rally toward Marysville for Ducati’s 'We Ride As One' event – the perfect excuse to see how this techno-beast handles a variety of bitumen.

First came the long, boring variety of blacktop, which gave a chance to explore the Rally’s plethora of buttons. Top priority was the heated seat, which at first sort of feels a little like you’ve wet yourself as it warms up. It’s lovely and cosy though – much nicer than heated bars alone. Beaut. Next up, adaptive cruise control.

I must admit to some scepticism about a motorcycle that slows itself down, but in practice it’s intuitive and well-tuned, gently applying engine brake if the radar spots a vehicle too close, and re-accelerating once the road clears. It’s not easily fooled by cars in adjacent lanes, and you can adjust the following distance if you’re finding it over-vigilant.

The usual ride modes are all there – Urban, Touring, Sport – plus the Rally adds an Enduro setting for off-road hijinks. These are no mere gimmicks either. When paired with Ducati’s semi-active Skyhook suspension, being able to soften or firm the ride for freeways, twisties, or trails with the flick of a switch becomes seriously useful. Modes are easy to toggle on the fly, though they require a brief throttle shut-off to activate.

The ergos are upright and roomy, with the saddle supportive and plush enough that by the end of the day, my rear end wasn’t crying mutiny. The enlarged, manually adjustable screen let a bit of wind buffet my helmet, but otherwise offered decent protection despite the elevated posture. And elevated it is.

This Multi is quite a tall steed in Rally spec. Even set to the lowest 870mm setting, I found myself doing an impromptu calf workout at every red light as I extended my tip toes down to the road surface. Riders with shorter inseams can option a lower seat (855/825mm) though, or just embrace leg day. Win-win.

The Rally builds on the standard Multistrada’s long-distance comfort and go-anywhere intent and dials it to eleven. There’s more pillion space, revised aerodynamics, and wide pegs for stand-up riding when you’re channelling your inner Dakar racer. It’s even got a phone charging compartment that swallowed my Pixel 7 with ease.

When the main group stopped for fuel, my aluminium reservoir of a tank still showed 500-odd km to empty on the full colour TFT screen, so I skipped the servo and got a head start on the fun stuff.

The 1158cc Granturismo V4 is a wonder – a high-revving, midrange-rich masterpiece. There’s some vibes as the revs build but it still somehow feels teflon-smooth at speed. You can short-shift and exploit the mid-range torque or redline it like a banshee as the mood strikes you. Normally you associate the word ‘flexible’ with a motor’s ability to pull cleanly at naff-all revs in high gears, but this donk also remains smooth and usable at the other end of the tacho, with so much rev ceiling to play with. While lacking in a little basso profundo with the stock muffler, there’s a MotoGP-flavoured V4 growl when you crack the throttle with a chorus of mechanical trills behind it like a crooning velociraptor. 

In Sport mode, the full 125kW is ready to propel the Rally down the road like a caffeinated missile and the chassis feels planted enough that it dares you to forget it’s a long-legged adventurer. The semi-active Skyhook suspension reads the road like a tarot card reader, adjusting in real time to keep the road-oriented Scorpion Trail II tyres glued down over ruts, and beefing up support fore and aft to deal with the stopping force served up through the top-spec Brembo callipers. I kept waiting for that point where the composure would start to crack – too soft, too tall, too awkward – but it never does. It’s baffling, in the best possible way.

It even has a lap timer. Which sounds absurd and probably is, but gives you an idea just how much sporting pedigree lurks beneath those shiny crimson flanks. On the tight, technical climb through Black Spur to Lake Mountain, the Multistrada didn’t just cope, it felt like it belonged. Wide bars, excellent weight distribution and brilliantly tuned suspension modes make feel it agile and involving. 

A sportsbike in hiking boots or an adventurer with sprinting spikes, this is a high-tech show pony with a trick for every occasion. And it’s got heated seats.

Bloody brilliant.

Specs – Ducati V4 Multistrada Rally

ENGINE
Type: Ducati V4 Granturismo, V4 - 90°, 4 valves per cylinder, counter-rotating crankshaft, twin pulse firing order, semi dry sump, liquid cooled with Extended Cylinder Deactivation
Capacity: 1,158 cc
Bore x Stroke: 83 mm x 53.3mm
Compression Ratio: 14.0:1
Engine Management: Ride-by-wire, Ducati Quick Shift (Up/Down), four ride modes

PERFORMANCE
Claimed Maximum Power: 125 kW (170 hp) @ 10,750 rpm
Claimed Maximum Torque: 121 Nm @ 8,750 rpm

ELECTRONICS
Type: Bosch IMU-based system (6-axis)
Rider Aids: Riding Modes, Power Modes, cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Ducati Brake Light, Ducati Cornering Light, Vehicle Hold Control
Rider Modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, Enduro

TRANSMISSION
Type: 6-speed, Ducati Quick Shift (Up/Down)
Final Drive: Chain
Clutch: Multiplate clutch with hydraulic control. Self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Aluminium monocoque
Front Suspension: 50mm fully adjustable USD fork with internal stroke sensor. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension EVO (DSS)
Rear Suspension: Cantilever suspension with fully adjustable monoshock. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment. Electronic spring pre-load adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS). Aluminium double-sided swingarm.
Front Brakes: 330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Stylema 4-piston callipers, radial master cylinder with cornering ABS as standard 
Rear Brakes: 265mm disc, 2-piston floating calliper, with cornering ABS as standard 
Tyres: Spoked wheels with tubeless tyres – 120/70 R19 (Front), 170/60 R17 (Rear)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 24.7°
Trail: 105.5mm
Claimed Wet Weight: 238kg (no fuel)
Wheelbase: 1,572 mm
Seat Height: 870 mm–890 mm (adjustable); optional low seat to approx. 825 mm
Fuel Capacity: 30 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: From AUD $42,600 ride away 
Colours: Ducati Red, Brushed Aluminium with Matt Black
Warranty: 2 years/unlimited kilometres