Ducati 2024 Premiere
Ducati is on fire right now. Arguably the top dog in MotoGP and World Superbikes for some time, Bologna now also spread its wings into the Motocross arena with Ducati’s first pole and win in its first race last week in Europe.
Those successes are reflected in its current and coming model line-up, which was on show this week in Melbourne for Ducati fans and local media. On top of getting a chance to ogle the entire fleet already in showrooms, we had our first glimpse in the metal of four new models hitting our shores in the coming months. Two Multistradas, the stonking RS and the V4S Grand Tour, the hardcore Desert X Rally, and what promises to be the ultimate hooligan Ducati – the New Hyper 698 mono RVE.
The night was kicked off by words from Ducati Australia New Zealand Managing Director Sergi Canovas, who reflected proudly on the Italian marque’s current stable and racing achievements. One of the interesting comments he shared with the crowd was around Ducati’s vision to be the world’s most desirable motorcycle company. And that it doesn’t just see itself as a motorcycle manufacturer, but as an entertainment company.
On that note, it is looking to offer organised local rides across a variety of disciplines – road and adventure, as well as Ducati Expeditions (offroad) kicking off in New Zealand later this year.
We then had Nick Selleck, no doubt known to a bunch of you for the Mission Un-Finkable doco-movie effort on the Desert X last year. If you haven’t watched that, add it to your must-watch list. Nick ran through the four new models in detail as they were unveiled.
Now, you can look at the detailed specs in detail in lots of places, but I’ll give you the important bits and my instant impressions:
First up was the Multistrada V4 RS. It looks pant-swelling-good in the metal. I’ve no doubt it will be a cracker of a bike. Maybe the ultimate real-world sports bike? Ducati has eight Multistrada variants now across V2 and V4 as well as special editions, but the RS will be the hero model for sure.
- 17-inch wheels front and rear for ultimate on-road performance
- The first multi with the Desmosedici Stradale engine, a 1100 cc V4, punching out 180hp and 118Nm (note, that’s slightly down on torque but up on power over the ‘regular’ multi engine). That number can be bumped up to 195 hp with the addition of a full race exhaust…
- It comes with trick Öhlins TTX36 electronic suspension
- It tips the scales at 225 kg wet with no fuel (comes with a 22 L tank)
- Has a seat height of between 840-860 mm
- Some new heat shielding under the seat to redirect heat out and away from the rider
And then we saw the Multistrada V4S Grand Tour. Bit of a mouthful, but the Grand Tour is all about… you guessed it, touring grandly. Nice looking bit of kit for sure, but overshadowed by the RS on the night. It gets the same heat-shielding as the RS, and panniers come as standard.
- The 1158cc Granturismo V4 engine with 170hp and 125Nm
- 19-inch front and 17 inch rear wheels
- 235kg wet no fuel (22l tank)
- Same seat height of between 840-860 mm
Next up, we got to see the Desert X Rally. I’m super keen to put this through its paces on my local trails and see how it comes up. It has the same drivetrain as the regular DX (which is just fine), and the changes are centred around beefier suspension and better handling in more extreme conditions, without sacrificing its terrific on road manners.
- It uses KYB closed-cartridge forks – a first for a Ducati road bike. 48mm competition forks and a matching shock with 36mm diameter. Travel is now bumped up to 250mm and the feel, especially as you approach the bottom of the stroke, is said to be pretty amazing
- Wet weight with no fuel is at 211kg with a 21l tank (which puts it around 225kg full of fuel)
- It also comes with beefier triple clamps and an Öhlins steering damper to get the best from that front end
- Folding-tip gear lever, a carbon sump-guard, and a lick of fancy cosmetic graphics
And last, but certainly not least, the new Hypermotard 698 mono RVE. The Superquadro mono is the highest revving (10,250 rpm) and most powerful single in its class. It looks supertrick as you’d expect and comes with a swathe of electronics to help bring out the inner-motard in everyone. Licenses will be at risk…
- 698 cc Single cylinder with 77.5hp and 63Nm, upped to 82.5hp with a full race system and some intake tweaks. Mental numbers.
- 17-inch wheels front and back, and a single disc on the front to keep the weight down
- 151kg wet with no fuel, so with a 12l tank that’s around 160kg full ready to go. Epic.
- Has a full-linkage suspension design (unlike the DX and Multi) and runs a relatively high 904 mm seat height, but its obviously very slim when sitting on board, which makes it feel a little lower.
- Among the electronic goodies for helping back it in and drift it out, it has a mutli-level wheelie control with a Level 1 being a ‘pro’ level, enabling very high mingers to be pulled with a safety net still in place. Yeah, that sounds like something I need to test thoroughly.
We also got to see an impressive new range of apparel and luggage, but realistically – the four new bikes were what most of us were there to see.
I’ll be looking to throw a leg over them as they become available throughout the year. Can’t wait! The RS and the DX Rally in particular… yes, please.
The showcase now moves to Sydney on March 25, and Brisbane on March 27.
