First Multistrada V4 Rally lands in Australia and we get a sneak peek

2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally arrives in Australia… kind of!

Images by Half Light Photographic

The very first Multistrada V4 Rally has hit Australian shores ahead of the bikes becoming available through dealers in May, and we got a sneak peak of the bike in the metal at Ducati HQ in Sydney this week.

The V4 equipped Multistrada is already a beast as we found when Wayne tested out the current Multistrada V4 S (review link) recently, however the new Rally version takes things next level across a number of metrics.

Obviously Ducati has an international market in mind, so there’s some less Australia-specific benefits, but there’s little doubt as a pretty adventure-crazy nation the Rally will deliver in spades there too.

In a nutshell the Multistrada V4 Rally is a more serious off-road performer but not only that, curiously it also aims at offering better two-up comfort, as apparently that’s a big consideration over in Europe. The obvious competition the bike has in its sights is of course the GS, and terms like globetrotter were thrown around.

The electrickery on offer is also tweaked, with an updated Enduro mode joining Ducati’s radar system as a baseline feature.

Two colour options will be available, Brushed Aluminium and Matt Black, as well as a more traditional Ducati Red, the former of which was on display for us.

The 2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally comes in three trim levels, starting with the base model, that just gets the active radar/blind spot systems. Pricing starts from $41,400 AUD ride-away in Ducati Red, and from $42,100 ride-away in Brushed Aluminium & Matt Black.

The ‘Adventure Travel & Radar’ version adds aluminium panniers, heated grips and heated seat and bumps the ride-away price to starting from $45,700 ride-away.

The decked out ‘Full Adventure’ then adds an Akrapovic muffler and carbon-fibre mudguard to the Adventure Travel & Radar spec, from $48,100 ride-away.

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So here’s the highlights illustrated by some great shots by Half Light Photographic:

Ducati Skyhook electronic suspension includes a position sensor in the forks to tailor damping more accurately on the run and there’s now 200 mm travel front and rear, marking a notable boost over previous offerings.

The shock adds 6 mm of preload adjustment and there is a lowering system that drops the rear of the bike for easier mounting.

Holding down the suspension pre-load button on the switch-block will take all preload out of the suspension to achieve this, and as I understand it, there’s an automatic setting that’ll do the same when the bike is parked.

The seat height is adjustable between 870 and 890 mm, with seat height rising by around 30 mm compared to the V4/V4 S, with a range of accessory seats that can raise the perch higher or lower to suit rider preference / leg length! Ground clearance is up 20 mm, as an advantage of the longer travel.

A lowering kit will also be available later in the year, including shock and fork springs and a different side-stand, dropping the bike 20 mm, the downside being that you then essentially erase the extra travel of the Rally.

There’s a big emphasis on two-up comfort, so if convincing your better half is part of the purchasing equation, that’s definitely the angle I’d lean on, with generous room for a pillion, a comfortable large seat and special attention to keeping the panniers out of their way.

A 30 L fuel tank adds 8 litres, or 35 per cent more range out to around 400-500 km, although naturally just how aggressive you ride will dictate how far you get.

More range on an adventure or tourer is always a plus, if adding a bit more high-up weight when fully fuelled, and that’s reflected in some weight being added both wet and dry on this machine.

The pannier system runs a floating mount system, although solid mounts are available for off-road use where that’s not so preferable, and they just bolt in.  The reason for the floating system is it’s beneficial at higher speeds that are more legal over on the autobahn but are instant license losing speeds here… which naturally no one would ever consider here. I think the figure for this coming into play was in the ‘one ton’ region.

Luggage options through Ducati are aluminium panniers and top box, with a 41/35L capacity on the former, and 41 L on the latter for 117 L in total. The smaller pannier is due to the exhaust, with a shielding run on that side, hiding the exhaust when the panniers are not fitted.

There’s also an additional 20 kg of carrying capacity for the Rally, which brings the total figure to 228 kg for rider, passenger and luggage.

The V4 is unchanged but does now benefit from EBC or engine brake control with three settings, so you can tailor your desired engine braking characteristic or off-throttle deceleration to your preference.

Performance peaks at 170 kp or 125 kW (at 10,750 rpm) and torque at 121 Nm (at 8750 rpm), however Urban and Off-Road modes run a 114 hp setting, with electronics playing a big part in the full power modes of Sport and Touring. What does that mean? Apparently you want to dial down those rider aides if you want to get the full 170 hp V4 experience.

That Enduro mode has also evolved, in that despite offering the lower power, it combines that with what Ducati call a direct and dynamic response. To further support that, the DTC is also set to a much lower intervention level, with DWC (Wheelie Control) off and rear ABS off. Cornering functionality and rear lift detection, are also suppressed here.

Rear cylinder deactivation was previously seen when you come to a stop, for idling, however this is expanded to actually coming into play at low speeds, and when power demands are low, meaning the bike can run on two cylinders in these situations, saving fuel and reducing heat.

Other changes include new camshaft timing, and a new exhaust system pre-silencer, which was necessitated by the changes to that cylinder deactivation system.

Easy Lift is a new feature, opening all suspension damping valves, so you can more easily lift the bike off the stand, where electronic suspension can otherwise be quite resistant to this kind of action, meaning the bike feels particularly heavy, especially for shorter riders!

The bike weighs in at 240 kg all up, without the 30 L of fuel.

Wire spoke wheels are standard but are a massive 3.2 kg lighter than those Ducati previously used, with a 19/17 inch combo and standard tyres are the Scorpion Trail 2, rather than the tyres we saw fitted on the day, which were Scorpion Rally STR tyres. The Trail 2s are more touring orientated in comparison.

The windscreen is 40 mm higher and 20 mm wider for considerably better protection in touring scenarios and being adjustable you’ve got a good range you can run that through to suit your needs.

The winglets and airducts help direct cooling air to the rider’s legs, but there’s an air duct closing mechanism that allows this to be shut off or closed as required, for when it’s rainy, or particularly cold.

The rear brake is also updated, with a smaller master-cylinder piston for more power, while the rear brake control runs an adjustable tip, for easy switching between a road and off-road orientation. Brakes are Brembo and the Stylema calipers on 330 mm rotors at the front remain.

That rear master-cylinder is also hidden away to be better protected from the possibility of damage, now more fully hidden behind the foot controls.

There’s a front slot for your mobile, with USB charging point, and air cooling, as many modern phones will run pretty hot with the navigation going through them, and there’s room for a fairly large modern smartphone.

While optional on other Multistrada variants, the radar system is standard across all Rally versions, both front and rear. The front system is used to maintain a safe follow distance to a vehicle in front, which can be altered via the switchblock buttons to increase or reduce that distance.

Obviously this offers some safety benefits to the cruise control, and seems like the type of feature it’s easy to scoff at, only to then find invaluable.

The rear radar is used as a blind spot detection system, so a light on the mirror right in your line of sight will let you know if someone is sitting in that ‘blind spot’ region, and the lights on both sides will flash if the system detects someone closing in on the rear of the bike rapidly, letting you know if being rear ended is likely.

Whether you could react fast enough to take advantage of that if it is your only warning sign is another thing, but I like the idea.

Servicing is also an impressive 15,000 km or two years for oil changes/minor services, with the valve clearance check at 60,000 km, making servicing costs more manageable thanks to being less frequent.

A new sump guard also offers more protection and coverage.

A centre-stand is standard.

Accessory packs are also available to grab various extras, if you want to customise the bike a bit more specific to your needs, but in the case of the first two packs listed, do roughly cover the loadouts available.

Here’s a run down of the packs:

• Adventure Touring
  • Aluminium side panniers
  • Side pannier mounting frame
  • Heated handgrips
  • Lining for aluminium panniers
• Performance
  • Carbon-fibre mudguard
  • Akrapovic muffler
• Enduro
  • Tubular crash bars
  • Oil radiator grid
  • Water radiator grid
  • Auxiliary LED lights
  • Handguards
• Urban Adventure
  • Aluminium top case
  • Cushion for aluminium top case
  • Top case mounting plate
  • Tank pocket bag
  • Tanklock flange kit
  • Power extension cable with USB

For more information on the range, head to the Ducati Australia website (link).

2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally Specifications

Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally Gallery