Ducati pulls cover off 2026 Multistrada V4 Rally

It’s only been three years since Ducati first unveiled the Multistrada V4 Rally, a bike that instantly won the hearts of everyone who loves an over-the-top adventure-touring machine. But that seems to have been long enough; Ducati has just pulled the cover off its new 2026 Multistrada V4 Rally, which it says is even better than before.

“The Multistrada V4 Rally is the Ducati for lovers of long journeys,” states a media release. “Ducati confirms and strengthens the globetrotter spirit that has made this model a benchmark for two-wheeled travellers, offering superior comfort for rider and passenger, greater range thanks to a 30-litre fuel tank, and a strong off-road aptitude thanks to reinforced engine guards and spoked wheels.

“The result is a motorcycle perfectly at home on challenging mountain passes, dirt roads, or the fast, flowing highways of the world. The ideal companion for those who want to explore further with maximum comfort  and safety, without sacrificing typical Ducati riding pleasure.”

So, there’s all the promo-speak out of the way, let’s dive into the details, starting with the bike’s insane 1158cc V4 Granturismo engine. Ducati claims 170 bhp at 10,750 rpm and 89.2 lb-ft of torque at 8,750 rpm. It pairs this, it says, with “a particularly linear torque curve,” which may or may not address some riders’ criticism of the V4 powerplant - that it is lacklustre at low revs.

As with other V4 models, the engine features “an extended rear cylinder deactivation strategy, which keeps the rear cylinder bank deactivated from a standstill and at low revs, benefiting fuel consumption and emissions.”

Maintenance intervals are a reasonable 15,000 kilometres (9,320 miles), with the big services coming every 60,000 km (37,282 miles). 

As you would expect, the bike is LOADED with an alphabet soup of tech, starting with its Adaptive DSS EVO semi-active Marzocchi suspension. Ducati’s media release offers no less than 7,000 words on all this, so we’ll keep to the highlights. If you want to learn more, check out the official Ducati website, or - better yet - go have a chat with a Ducati salesperson. They’ll probably reward you with a cup of tea for sitting through a detailed breakdown of all this bike has to offer.

The suspension system allows for adjustment of the preload and hydraulic compression and rebound damping of the fork and rear shock absorber, according to Ducati. Fancy sensors read the road and your riding style, and respond accordingly.

For the sake of off-roadability, suspension travel is boosted slightly over other Multistrada V4 variants. With the Rally you get 200 mm of travel front and rear. That ultimately gives you 230 mm of ground clearance, a blistering centimetre more than what you get on the standard Multistrada V4.

Settings are adjustable on the move and can be tailored to the rider, their situation, and the riding mode. As is becoming common with electronic suspensions, the Rally offers so-called ALD: Automatic Lowering Device. To make it easier to put feet on the ground, the system lowers the bike’s height when speeds drop below 6 mph. Things return to normal once you hit 31 mph on the road, or 12 mph off road. If you’re a commuter, this probably sounds like a nightmare. Fortunately, it can be shut off.

Bump detection, meanwhile, apparently recognizes when you’ve hit a bump or pothole and adjusts compression and rebound damping accordingly to absorb the shock a little better. This feature will be working overtime on British roads. 

Meanwhile, the DVO algorithm works in conjunction with the IMU to operate the ABS, ECBS, EBC, DTC, DWC, ACC, BSD, BSW, FCW, BLE and, we assume, VHC features. It’s a real whizzbang set-up.

In English, that means the bike uses roughly 70 sensors to constantly assess all different aspects of the bike and adjust feature performance accordingly. Some of the more unique features are:

• Electronic Combined Braking System, which “modulates the action of the front and rear brakes to always guarantee ideal performance. This feature adopts something Honda and Harley have been offering for decades, which is that both front and rear brakes will activate if you are only squeezing the front.
• Adaptive Cruise Control makes use of front and rear radar to allow you to ‘set it and forget it’ when using cruise control. The same radar system also gives you blind-spot detection, and a forward collision warning, which tells you when you’re about to run into something. It tells you this on the screen in front of you. So, you need to be looking forward to see the forward collision warning. This reminds us of the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 feature that tells you when the bike is on its side - presumably something the rider would know without needing a dashboard alert. But, hey ho.

A quickshifter is standard, as is cornering lighting. You get five riding modes: Sport, Touring, Wet, Urban, and Enduro. You can keep track of most of this via a 6.5-inch TFT screen, which makes use of the Ducati Connect app.

Ducati also says it has put more effort into passenger comfort.

“The meticulous study of aerodynamics, which Ducati pioneered in MotoGP, is also obviously a central theme,” states a media release. “The Multistrada V4 Rally has introduced aerodynamic deflectors on the front that increase protection for the rider and especially the passenger, ensuring that the aerodynamic flows close further back than the standard Multistrada V4/V4 S version, and expanding the area of still air behind the fairing.

“Compared to the Multistrada V4, the windshield, 40 mm wider and 20 mm taller, offers greater protection,” the media release continues. “The position of the pannier mounts has been designed to provide ample legroom for the passenger, who also enjoys greater support and a sense of sturdiness from the top case.”

Deliveries of the 2026 Multistrada V4 Rally will begin in Europe in November 2025 and January 2026. We’re not sure where the UK slots in there. It is available in two colour schemes: Ducati Red/Brushed Aluminium with black spoked wheels, and Jade Green/Brushed Aluminium with gold spoked wheels, both with a brushed aluminium fuel tank.

Again, you can find a complete run-down of every feature and concept on the official Ducati website. 

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