2025 Ducati Multistrada V4S FR. Review.
Tech-enhanced sport-tourer ups its level of all-day adventure comfort.Of all things that Motorcycles ask of you, commitment and compromise are the most important for any rider who gets aboard them. Over various road surfaces, you have to have a certain tolerance for wrist pain, lower-back protests and the occasional existential crisis at a fuel stop. And then there's the Ducati Multistrada - a motorcycle that implies, 'I've got your back'. Ever since the first Multistrada landed, it's been Ducati's answer to riders who wanted sportsbike performance but didn't want to fold themselves into origami for the heck of it. Fast, comfortable, endlessly capable. Then Ducati went and did something very Ducati - they stuck a V4 in it.
Now, in V4 S guise, the Multistrada leans harder into comfort, convenience and technology than ever before. And after spending time with it, I can tell you this much: if effortlessness were an Olympic sport, this thing would be standing on the podium, Italian anthem playing proudly in the background.
Visually, the Multistrada V4 S doesn't stray far from the standard V4 - and that's not a bad thing. It's tall, broad-shouldered and properly imposing. The only real giveaways are the discreet 'S' badges and those radar sensors tucked away at the front and rear. Climb aboard and you don't sit on the bike, you sit in it. The proportions wrap around you, and despite weighing about 3kg more than the standard V4, it doesn't feel intimidating. Ducati's signature DRLs give it that permanently-angry brow - like it's mildly annoyed you're not riding faster - and the half-fairing does an excellent job of channelling heat away from your legs. Your thighs will thank you in traffic.
Is it beautiful? That's subjective. Is it striking? Absolutely. Big red Ducatis have a habit of doing that - demanding attention even when standing still. Love it or hate it, you won't ignore it.
In terms of features and tech, well, this is where the V4 S starts flexing. Up front, you get Brembo Stylema calipers - sharper, more powerful than the monoblocks on the standard V4. Grab a handful and the bike sheds speed like it's offended by momentum. It's physics, yes, but it feels borderline disrespectful to Newton. Then there's the suspension. Ducati's Skyhook semi-active system is the real star here. Sensors constantly read the road, your speed, your inputs - and adjust damping in milliseconds. Hit a bump at highway speeds and while your hands feel it, the rear suspension reacts intelligently, smoothing things out before the jolt travels through the bike. It's spooky how well it works. Even better, the suspension lowers the rear at low speeds and when coming to a stop. For reference, I'm 5'9" and I could get both feet down comfortably. In a bike this tall, that's a small miracle. Parking lots, U-turns, pillion mounting - everything becomes easier.
And then comes the electronics buffet. RadarTech is standard on the V4 S, bringing adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and rear collision warning. Yes, your motorcycle now watches traffic better than most car drivers. Indicators light up on the mirrors if someone lurks in your blind spot, and if you're closing in on a vehicle too fast without braking, the bike politely but firmly tells you to wake up.
Ride modes include Sport, Touring, Urban and Wet, each altering power delivery, suspension behaviour and electronic intervention. Traction control, wheelie control, cornering ABS, engine brake control - it's all here, all configurable, all doing its thing quietly in the background so you can just ride.
Convenience hasn't been forgotten either. Keyless ignition? Check. A massive 6-inch TFT? Check. An adjustable windscreen that you can move with one finger while riding? Very big check. This is touring made easy, bordering on lazy - and I mean that in the best possible way.
Powering the Multistrada V4S is Ducati's 1158cc Gran Turismo V4, making 170PS and over 125Nm. Numbers aside, what matters is how it delivers them - and it does so with a velvety smoothness that feels almost un-Ducati at first. At low speeds and under 4000rpm, rear-cylinder deactivation kicks in. This reduces heat, improves efficiency and means your inner thighs don't feel like they're being slow-cooked in traffic. In Mumbai conditions, that alone deserves a standing ovation.
Out on the open road, though, all four cylinders wake up and the bike transforms. Acceleration is deceptively rapid - the kind that makes you look down at the TFT and go, "Oh. That escalated quickly!" The engine is refined, responsive and endlessly eager, pulling hard without ever feeling stressed. And when you really start pushing? That familiar Ducati rumble creeps in. The smooth gentleman reveals a bit of old-school mischief - raw, mechanical and deeply satisfying.
For a bike this size, the Multistrada V4 S handles with an ease that borders on witchcraft. The low centre of gravity and superb suspension let you carry serious corner speed, and with a few button presses, you can stiffen or soften the setup depending on mood or road conditions. The Pirelli Scorpion Trail tyres offer excellent grip, whether you're flowing through sweepers or braking hard into a corner. And yes, it goes like a cat on a hot tin roof when you want it to - but it's just as happy cruising calmly, devouring kilometres without drama. Even slow-speed manoeuvring is stress-free thanks to the suspension's ability to lower itself. Something as mundane as navigating a parking lot becomes noticeably easier than on the standard V4.
The Multistrada V4 S sits neatly between the standard V4 and the Rally variant. You get radar tech, semi-active Skyhook suspension, top-tier brakes and enough electronics to make a smartphone feel insecure. It isn't cheap. At around Rs 28.6 lakh (ex-showroom), you're well into luxury territory, and on-road you're staring at numbers north of Rs 30 lakh. And yes, if something electronic goes wrong, it won't be an inexpensive day at the workshop.
But taken as a whole, this is a magnificent motorcycle. It makes touring effortless, performance accessible and comfort almost absurd. If you want sportsbike pace without the punishment, long-distance ability without fatigue, and technology that genuinely enhances the ride - the Multistrada V4 S delivers. I didn't think the standard V4 could be made more effortless. Ducati proved me wrong. And I'm not mad about it at all.
Words: Christopher Chaves
Photos: Sumit Gaikwad
Watch the Review Video Here:Â https://youtu.be/nFxPMqf_uwQ?si=xwUosqTUP51I7p8h