Ducati Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour: More tech for 2026

With the Ducati Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour, the purpose is already pretty clear from the name. In the new version, Ducati bundles numerous comfort, luggage and assistance solutions from the factory, continuing to aim the adventure bike at riders who want to set off on long tours with as little aftermarket fitting as possible. The basic concept is already familiar from the previous Grand Tour. For the new generation, however, Ducati goes a step further in several areas.

At first glance, the Grand Tour stays true to its previous recipe: strap on the panniers and head to the sea – just with an equipment list that means far fewer boxes need to be ticked in the accessories catalogue before setting off. New additions, or changes, include the assistance systems, the chassis functions and the engine tuning. The Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour also gets its own paint scheme with black surfaces on the frame, swingarm, triple clamps, handlebar and other components. The wheels feature a dedicated "Grand Tour" lettering, and the rider and pillion seats also get special details.

The previous Grand Tour already offered an exclusive, dark-toned Grand Tour livery with red Ducati accents. The new version continues this distinctive look.

At the centre is still the 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo. For the current version, Ducati states 170 hp or 125 kW at 10,750 rpm and maximum torque of 123.8 Nm at 9,000 rpm. The emissions standard is Euro 5+. Also new, or further developed, is the Extended Cylinder Deactivation. This deactivates the rear cylinder bank not only when stationary but also under certain riding conditions. According to Ducati, this should reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to six percent compared to the previous generation.

The V4 Granturismo continues to use a counter-rotating crankshaft. Ducati says this reduces the influence of the wheels' gyroscopic forces on handling. Service intervals remain an important topic for touring riders: valve clearance inspection is still only scheduled after 60,000 kilometres.

There are also changes to the electronics compared to the previous Grand Tour. The 2024 spec sheet listed four riding modes: Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro. The new Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour offers five riding modes:

• Sport
• Touring
• Urban
• Wet
• Enduro

Also included are four power modes as well as Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and Engine Brake Control. Engine Brake Control can be configured in three levels.

Among the key technical additions is the Ducati Vehicle Observer, or DVO for short. The system calculates the forces acting on the bike using numerous virtual sensor inputs. This data is then intended to be used by the electronic control systems. Ducati cites, among other things, refined control of cornering ABS and Ducati Wheelie Control.

Also on board is the Electronic Combined Braking System. This distributes braking force between the front and rear wheel depending on riding situation and load. In an emergency stop, Ducati Brake Light EVO additionally activates the indicators to alert following traffic to the braking manoeuvre.

At the front, two 330 mm discs work with radially mounted Brembo Stylema calipers. At the rear, a 280 mm disc with six millimetres thickness is used. The cornering ABS comes from the Bosch-Brembo 10.3ME system.

The aluminium wheels measure 19 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear. Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres are fitted in the dimensions 120/70-19 at the front and 170/60-17 at the rear.

The 2024 Grand Tour already featured a radar system with Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection. For the new version, Ducati additionally adds Forward Collision Warning, or FCW. This expands the radar equipment to include a frontal collision warning.

Standard equipment also includes:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Blind Spot Detection
• Forward Collision Warning
• TPMS tyre pressure monitoring
• LED auxiliary lights
• dynamic indicators, where homologated
• rear fog light

The Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour continues to use the semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension Evolution from Marzocchi. There's 170 mm of travel at the front and 180 mm at the rear. Ducati also states a preload range extended by eight millimetres.

New is a position sensor on the fork. Together with the IMU and predictive logic such as bump detection, the system is designed to continuously adapt damping to road conditions. An auto-levelling function detects the bike's load and adjusts the ride height accordingly. In addition, the rider can change the suspension characteristics on the fly via a dedicated switch on the left handlebar control.

There's also an interesting development in terms of lowering. On the 2024 model, this was called Minimum Preload. This allowed spring preload to be reduced to make it easier to reach the ground when stopping. The new Grand Tour now features the Automatic Lowering Device. The bike automatically lowers itself by up to 30 millimetres at speeds below 10 km/h. Above 50 km/h, it returns to normal ride height.

For stop-and-go traffic, manoeuvring, or that classic moment in front of the hotel when the parking spot just happens to slope exactly where you want to stop, this sounds quite practical on paper. Easy Lift is still present too. When the ignition is switched on, the system opens the suspension hydraulics, intended to reduce the effort required to lift the bike off the side stand.

The two side cases remain standard equipment and are integrated into the bike's colour scheme. Together they offer 60 litres of volume. The centre stand is also standard and is meant to make fitting, removing, loading and unloading the cases easier. Ducati has positioned the side cases and top case further back to give the pillion more freedom of movement. The top case uses a die-cast mounting bracket.

In terms of comfort, Ducati sticks with the familiar Grand Tour ingredients. Standard equipment includes:

• heated grips
• heated rider seat
• heated pillion seat
• centre stand
• hands-free ignition
• hands-free fuel cap

In front of the rider remains the 6.5-inch TFT colour display. The smartphone can be integrated via Ducati Connect. Navigation is displayed via phone mirroring, turning the display into a colour map navigation system. Besides navigation, phone and music functions can also be controlled via the system.

Service programmes are also part of the touring bike positioning. Ducati 4EVER includes a four-year warranty in Europe with no mileage limit. In addition, Multistrada V4 models receive Ducati Roadside Assistance. Depending on the case, the programme covers breakdown assistance, transport for rider and passenger, a replacement vehicle, and accommodation at a four-star hotel during the coverage period.

Ducati also points to more than 800 authorised dealers in over 90 countries. The new Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour will be available at European Ducati dealer networks from November.