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Ducati Multistrada V2 2025 review (Baujahr 2025)

Adventure bike or cross-over?

27.03.2025

Photos: Motorradtest.de

The new Multistrada V2 from Ducati has been completely renovated. New engine, new chassis, new design, new technology. Ducati itself speaks of a cross-over bike, for us it is a mixture of adventure bike and cross-over. Jan and Dietmar have swung on the Multi and describe their driving impressions here.

Do we still need the Multistrada V4 at all?

The new V2 is not only light, it is now also damn well equipped. Except for a few features, it has everything that the Multistrada V4 has. It costs 15,990 euros, making it almost 5,000 euros cheaper than a V4. Okay, the V4 engine has 55 more horses in the stable, but it also weighs easily 30 kilos more! In terms of length and wheelbase, the two multis don't give each other much.

Data comparison Ducati Multistrada V4 and Ducati Multistrada V2

In other words, the Multistrada is also a full-blown motorcycle. There are also two versions here: The standard one tested here and a V2S, which is equipped with an electrically adjustable, semi-active Skyhook suspension. The S costs 18,490 euros, 2,500 euros more than the standard V2. If you're not a suspension fetishist, you can confidently save the money in our opinion, because the fully adjustable suspension of the V2 is wonderful. The Multistrada V2 is only available in red. Never mind, we would have voted anyway.

Color: Only available in red. Anything else would be total nonsense.

Dimensions and seat test

Since the V2 is quite large, as I said, both driver and passenger have plenty of space. You sit upright and the bench seat is comfortably upholstered. So you can easily endure hours in the saddle! The knee angle for both people is very comfortable. The passenger will find reasonable handles and since the machine is so light, manoeuvring is also easy. This is a really big advantage over the V4. The seat height can be adjusted to either 830 or 850 mm.

Very small and very tall people will also find lower or higher seats in the Ducati accessories. So here everyone can not only sit and ride very comfortably, but also find a secure footing. In addition, the V2 has a minimum preload function as standard, which lowers the bike by 8 mm. Unlike the V4, however, this does not work automatically, but by switch.
Sitzprobe

That's what it's like to sit on the Ducati Multistrada V2.

360-degree tour of the new Multistrada V2

Beleuchtung hinten inspiriert von der Panigale

Technology of the Duc

The new 5" TFT color display of the V2 is not only very easy to read, it also shows a lot of information - and very clearly presented. You can set it to white or black. The menu navigation is logical and underlaid with very nice pictograms. There are a lot of setting options, but Ducati has managed to present them in such an easy-to-understand way that even complete tech idiots should be able to cope with them.

The technical equipment is impressive: there is cornering ABS, lean angle-dependent traction control, five configurable riding modes, cruise control, USB port, display themes, QuickShifter, Wheelie and Engine Brake Control as standard. Annoyingly, heated grips are not part of the standard equipment, and a center stand is also missing. However, these can be booked just as much as suitcases and lots of other accessories.

In terms of lighting, the new V2 does not show any weaknesses either. There are daytime running lights, automatically self-resetting LED turn signals and an emergency stop braking system. In terms of lighting design, Ducati has taken a little inspiration from the Panigale. From the rear, the V2 looks really sharp, but we also like the turn signals integrated into the fairing very much at the front. There is even a coming-home function - the lights at the front and rear remain switched on for a while after switching off the ignition (with a key, by the way) so that you can find your way home.

Slim rear silencer with very clearly perceptible V2 boomer sound.

That's how it drives - and that's how it sounds

What we noticed at the press event for the presentation of the new V2 in Valencia is also confirmed in this test. The V2 sounds extremely good, especially "from the outside". On the bike itself, in addition to the typical V2 banger, there is a clearly audible snorkeling of the airbox. This all sounds very official - you can listen to the soundcheck at the top right.

Ducati is (rightly) particularly proud of the new V2, which weighs just under 55 kg. Ducati has also saved a lot of weight on the wheels, namely about 3 kg. Overall, the new V2 is a whole 18 kg lighter than its predecessor, which, by the way, we tested as an S version in 2022.

Neuer, leichter V2 mit 115 PS und 92 Nm Drehmoment

New, lightweight V2 with 115 hp and 92 Nm of torque.

And of course, it is precisely this weight advantage that you notice immediately when you go out on the road. The machine is very agile and easy to drive. In contrast to "real" cross-over bikes, however, the V2 has a 19-inch front wheel and therefore feels a bit more grown-up than, for example, a BMW XR. The low weight also proves to be an advantage in terms of driving performance. The V2 has "only" 115 hp, but that feels like more.

New engine in the Multistrada V2
The new engine revs up willingly and runs much more refined than the older Desmo V2s. However, not everyone will like this, because as annoying as many found the rattling of the older Ducs, other riders found it just as beautiful. Whatever the case, the new V2 goes off like Schmidt's cat and doesn't punish its driver with wild chain slapping if he doesn't shift down fast enough.

We also liked the QuickShifter. He is of the kind "I'll give you clear things when I've changed gears". In other words, it is not the smoothest, but it is very accurate and, above all, fast. What doesn't work is tapping down when accelerating. So you have to follow the old QuickShifter rules if you want to have fun with this. If you do that, everything works fine and puts you in a good mood.

Brembo brakes and radial Brembo brake pump. Brakes accordingly well.

Braking performance of the Ducati Multistrada V2
The brakes of the new Multistrada V2 are even cooler. At the front, Brembo 4-piston fixed calipers work on two 320 discs. They are supported by a Brembo radial brake pump, which reduces the required manual force when decelerating to a minimum. Stylemas are a bit more snappy, but the M4 Brembos on our test machine also work wonderfully. At the rear, the machine apparently doesn't have that much weight, so the brake at the rear regulates very quickly into the ABS area.

The wind protection of the V2 is also very successful. The windscreen can be easily adjusted with one hand while riding and, together with the flaps and the front fairing, offers very good wind protection. What else did we notice? The quality impression of the Duc is very successful, the view to the front of the bright cockpit, the tapered aluminium handlebars with milled triple clamp and the new switch elements is very confidence-inspiring.

To be honest, we can't say that much about the suspension because we couldn't drive hard corners or higher speeds on our test drive. However, our impression is consistently positive, the suspension of the Multistrada V2 has ironed everything out, but has not seemed spongy or imprecise.

Warranty, Service and Competitors
It gets even more pleasing when you take a look at the warranty and service: There is a four-year warranty with no mileage limit. The service is only due every 15,000 kilometers or every two years - very good! The competitors are not so easy to spot, because the Duc Multistrada V2 is a mixture of adventure and cross-over bike. We would take the following machines into the comparison: Kawasaki Versys, Honda Africa Twin, Husqvarna Norden 901, KTM Adventure 890, Suzuki V-Strom 1050 and Triumph Tiger 900.

Result

Thanks to the weight savings, the new Multistrada V2 is significantly improved compared to its predecessor in terms of drivability and also in terms of technical equipment. The price is justified in view of the abundant technical helpers and the installed components - even compared to the competition. Ducati calls the new Multi V2 a cross-over - and that's what it is, but it's also very suitable for the really long journey, so it's also a real adventure bike somewhere.

The test bike was kindly provided to us by Bergmann & Söhne in Bremervörde . By the way, both a V2S and a V2 are available there as a demonstrator for test drives. So you can compare the difference in suspension directly - if you find one, please write to us.

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