Multistrada dynasty

First generation

2003 marks the start of the Multistrada dynasty. With a new lease of life, Ducati has long been associated with the concept of extreme sports attitude. The 916 and the Monster have become icons, while the Supersport bikes are for the purists. But the company realises that while sports bikes satisfy the hard-core enthusiasts, the future that is developing will require more versatile models, suited to sports use but also touring, perhaps heavily loaded up with luggage. All without losing that Ducati spirit. 

With its 17” front wheel (other crossovers of the time had an 18-inch solution), the newly created Multistrada promises supermotard-style corner entry and sports-style performance. Crossover yes, but with a Ducati soul and all the right elements, including the trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, 1100 cc air-cooled Desmodue engine, and a dry clutch. And a record-breaking weight of just 195 kg. The front-heavy setup seems to emphasise the speed with which it will enter the corners.

Is it a Ducati? Undoubtedly so, as the engine and trellis frame never lie, but the Multistrada is something that has never before been seen. A bike that begins to carve an innovative path, gaining in volume but losing none of its sleekness. One example is the tank, produced as a single piece that ends under the rider’s seat, a solution that the Superbikes and GP bikes of the time are beginning to adopt, but that has never been seen on a bike in this segment. And then there is the unique design, so very different that the first prototype is truly tantalising in style.

Second generation

Codename “Cayenne”. This is how the Multistrada 1200 comes to be known internally. A name that says a lot about how different the project is set to be, in the minds of those working on it, with respect to everything Ducati has done up until this point. The most symbolic bike in Multistrada history and the one that, at least until the arrival of the V4, will represent the real turning point. Not only for the family, but for the brand as a whole, which goes from being simply a manufacturer of sports bikes to something more, proving that it can branch out and look to the future.

The Multistrada 1200 does not just chase the maxi enduros but overtakes them, going so far as to create a new segment and forcing the competition to expand its vision. A crazy bike, at least on paper, with a level of technology and performance never before achieved by a bike of this kind. Are those at Ducati right in thinking that they have invented the bike that the world was missing?

In designing the Multistrada 1200, the work group expands its vision to conquer a segment in which comfort and space on board are the priority. It is important to cut, lengthen, lift and boost the dimensions, creating more space for both rider and passenger, improving the aerodynamic protection, and offering more luggage loading options.

Ducati has the Testastretta 1198, an extremely high-performance sports twin. But as well as horsepower, the Multistrada also requires torque and fluidity. This leads to the idea (one that persists to this day) to radically modify the timing, while retaining the desmodromic system. Hence, the creation of the Testastretta Evoluzione 11° engine, eleven like the degrees of crankshaft rotation during which both the intake and exhaust valves are open.

On launching the Multistrada 1200, Ducati adopts the “four bikes in one” claim. An assertion that is not far from the truth, because a simple click on the handlebar of the Multistrada is enough to alter the power delivered by the engine, the throttle response, and the intervention threshold for the electronic DTC.

This is the riding mode revolution, with four modes - Sport, Touring, City and Enduro - further enhancing a bike that has made versatility its very essence.

Third generation

With the third generation of Multistrada, Ducati again picks up the pace, focusing particularly on the mechanics, which are worthily represented by the engine. The brand-new Testastretta DVT with its 160 HP and 136 Nm of torque is equipped with double variable timing. Both the intake and exhaust valves can vary the timing, and this is an absolute first, the Multistrada once again raising the technological bar.

The new Multistrada also stands out for its on-board technology, which reaches new heights with the arrival of the most cutting-edge electronics to be found on a bike at this time.

An essential role is played by “big brother”, which monitors the entire system, managed by various control units. This is known as the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit).

It almost goes unnoticed, because the Multistrada 1260 project is not as revolutionary as that of the previous 1200, or the subsequent V4. Yet in reality, and although it technically inherits the layout of the 1200, the 1260 can still be considered a brand-new bike.

Once again, the evolution of the Multistrada revolves around the arrival of a new engine, an updated version of the 1262 cc Testastretta 11° DVT used to power the Diavel. An engine that perfectly marries with the Multistrada philosophy, ensuring both first-rate performance but also usability and an enjoyable ride.

The Multistrada 950 is not simply a scaled-down version of the 1200, but a bike that carves its very own path, offering a combination of never-before-seen technical solutions and, particularly, a level of equipment that stands out in the segment.

Fourth generation

“Are we still calling it Multistrada?” This is the doubt, a legitimate one, raised by Ducati designers as the Multistrada V4 project dawns. Because just like the 2010 bike, the Multistrada V4 changes the paradigm, revolutionises the concept, turns the tables. And, naturally, it continues to raise the bar when it comes to technology, forcing others to follow suit.

As with every Ducati, the engine is at the centre of the changes, which are momentous in this case, not just in terms of the framework adopted but also the technical solutions.

Deriving from the Desmosedici Stradale, which conquered hearts and minds on the Panigale and the Streetfighter, the V4 Granturismo exploits that sports attitude and combines it with technical characteristics that highlight the versatility and ease of use in all conditions.

The perfect synthesis of almost twenty years of development, the Multistrada V4 brings a technical revolution in which the ultra-compact and lightweight V4 Granturismo engine is undoubtedly the linchpin. Added to this are the electronics with front and rear radar, the chassis with monocoque frame and the 19-inch front wheel, for a design that is even more oriented towards function.

In 2010, American rider Greg Tracy powers what is essentially a production Multistrada to victory in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the famous timed ascent that takes place each year on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The following year, Ducati decides to participate in the race in an official capacity and creates a special version of the Multistrada, the sportiest and most adrenaline-fuelled of them all.

With the V4, the Multistrada Pikes Peak outdoes itself. It is no longer just a “version” of the Multistrada, enriched in terms of its equipment and with a sportier look, but a separate model entirely that starts from the same platform but differs in terms of its front wheel diameter, tyre section, suspension, swingarm and even electronics.