First Ride: The Ducati Multistrada V2S is an adventure bike with added thrills

What is it?

Think of Ducati and what springs to mind? We bet it’s probably a red superbike zipping through the Italian mountains, or maybe even a sculpted Scrambler making its way through the city? That sure might be the case, but in more recent times, Ducati has been making waves with its adventure bikes.

At the back end of 2024, Ducati released a completely revised version of its Multistrada V2S, a ‘do-it-all’ bike with all the character that you’d expect from one of this brand’s bikes. Now available in the UK, we’ve been getting acquainted with this motorcycle to find out what it’s like.

What’s new?

The arrival of the new Multistrada V2S implemented a suite of changes to this high-riding motorcycle. A key edit was a new engine – more on that shortly – and a number of other revisions which contributed to an 18kg weight saving over the previous generation bike.

An upgraded electrical system means that the Multistrada can handle more plugged-in features, too, such as hand warmers, cameras or phone chargers. The front screen has been redesigned to improve airflow, too, and the seat height can be adjusted to range from 830mm to 850mm. Bikes like our V2S with electronic semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension can drop that seat height even further to 790mm via a button on the handlebars, making it easier for shorter riders to get on and off.

What’s it powered by?

The 890cc twin-cylinder motor in the Multistrada V2S is the same one you’ll find in bikes like the Panigale V2 and Streetfighter V2 road bikes. With 113.4bhp, it’s more powerful than the engine that you’d find in the previous-generation Multistrada, too, while the gear ratios have been tweaked to bring shorter first and second shifts, bringing quicker acceleration in the process. A quickshifter is equipped as standard, too.

Ducati says that at 54.4kg, it’s the lightest twin-cylinder motor that it has ever produced. However, with just over 92Nm of torque, it’s not going to get caught lacking in the punchiness department, either. Ducati says that this setup should manage around 43mpg during mixed riding, too, so it should prove to be pretty efficient on a longer trip.

What’s it like to ride?

The Multistrada V2S is quite a tall and intimidating bike to begin with. Standing 5”11, this tester is bang-on average height and even here, there’s a decent swing of the leg required to get up and over this Ducati. However, once you’re on board, all of those concerns melt away, and you very quickly become accustomed to how this bike feels to ride. Firstly, it’s as if the bike weighs half of what it actually looks like – at low speeds, the Multistrada V2S feels very easy to position and around town, it’s far simpler to operate than you’d expect a bike of this height to be. Once you’re up to speed, the V2S is refined and extremely comfortable, too, so long-distance trips won’t prove to be much of a chore.

The new twin-engine absolutely rips, too. Somewhat at odds with the height of this bike, the performance that you’re able to access is very impressive and entertaining. With the standard-fit quickshifter, the V2S feels like an adventure bike which leans more heavily towards the sportier end of things and it’s this character that we expect most riders to find hugely exciting.

How does it look?

The Multistrada V2S is built in the image of the classic adventure bike, but there have been some revisions in design over the previous bike. The front end mudguard is more like the one on the Multistrada V4, for instance, while at the rear, the tail is shorter and the passenger grab handle has been slimmed down.

You can get the Multistrada V2S in two shades – Ducati Red and Storm Green – and our test bike’s use of the latter colour feels absolutely spot-on in our view. Against the British countryside, this colourway is a great match and reflects the bike’s adventure-ready ethos, too.

What’s the spec like?

As with any bike from a premium manufacturer, the V2S does carry quite a hefty price tag. In fact, before options, it comes in at £16,995, while that Storm Green paintwork adds £400 right off the bat. However, what you are getting for that money is a lot of technological know-how, with this bike’s configurable suspension being a particular highlight. It allows you to change the bike’s ride height on the fly. You can also drop it as low as you can for easier access, though this function’s control button on the back of the handlebar grips is a little tricky to reach when you’re on the move.

As is the case with nearly all adventure bikes, the Multistrada V2S is available with a wide range of accessories to help tailor it to the trip you’re heading on. So whether it’s panniers, boxes or even some extra carbon fibre for a racier look, there’s a lot to choose from within Ducati’s extensive options list. It’ll quickly crank this bike’s price up, mind you.

Verdict

The Multistrada V2S feels like a do-it-all motorcycle. It’s got the performance and excitement that you’d expect from a Ducati, but with the all-round ability and long-distance comfort that you want from your typical adventure bike.

As is usually the case with Ducati models, this does come at a cost, but given the Multistrada V2S’s breadth of talents, we’d say that it more than lives up to its pricetag.