Ducati has launched the sportiest iteration of its flagship adventure tourer, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, at Rs 31.48 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak builds upon the sporting intent of the Multistrada V4 S and rolls on 17-inch rims shod with stickier rubber, electronically adjustable Ohlins suspension, a single-sided swingarm and a new ‘Race’ riding mode.
Costs Rs 7.33 lakh more than Multistrada V4 S
Features 17-inch forged aluminium wheels and single-sided swingarm
Gets a special MotoGP-derived paint scheme and Akrapovic exhaust
Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak: engine, underpinnings & electronics
The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak sports the same engine and gearbox as the regular Multistrada V4 range, without any changes to either component. As such, the liquid-cooled, 1,158cc 90-degree V4 engine making 170hp at 10,500rpm and 125Nm at 8,750rpm is carried over unchanged, as is the 6-speed gearbox.
The aluminium monocoque frame and the entirety of the braking hardware are also the same as found on the Multistrada V4. The seat height is adjustable between 810-860mm and it also has the same 22-litre fuel tank found on the regular Multistrada V4. However, that’s where the similarities come to an end.
A single-sided swingarm, which puts the rear wheel on full display, was one of the highlights of the Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak. The Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak marks the return of the single-sided swing arm and it certainly adds visual distinction to the rest of the V4 Mutistradas.
This is also the only V4-powered Multistrada you can buy today with 17-inch wheels sized 120/70-ZR17 (front) and 190/55-ZR17 (rear), both of which are forged aluminium units. The rubber fitted to these lightweight rims is also much stickier, in the form of Pirelli Diablo Rosso 4 tyres, the same ones found on the recently launched Streetfighter V2.
Continuing with the overall sporting intent is the superbike-spec electronically adjustable Ohlins 48mm fork and monoshock. On top of that, Ducati has equipped the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak with a homologated Akrapovic slip-on exhaust and a litany of carbon-fibre components as standard. The result of all these changes is a lighter 239kg kerb weight (down 4kg on the Multistrada V4 Sand 1kg on the standard V4).
To suit the racier nature of the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, Ducati has also revised the rider triangle with higher and more rear-set footpegs, a lower handlebar and a shorter front windscreen as well. To complement the changes made to the hardware, the software has been revised, with the addition of a new Race riding mode promising sharper throttle response and reduced intervention from the electronic safety aids.
Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak: pricing and rivals
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak is effectively a superbike-on-stilts and in terms of performance, its nearest rival is the BMW S 1000 XR. However, the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak is better-equipped and is sure to be more exotic than its Bavarian rival, not to mention a whole lot more expensive to purchase.
Priced at Rs 31.48 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak is costlier than the BMW S 1000 XR by over Rs 10 lakh, making it a machine for the very well-heeled. In fact, this pricing makes the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak just Rs 50,000 shy of its superbike sibling, the Panigale V4 S.
Would you purchase the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak over its superbike sibling or its all-rounder sibling, the V4 S? Let us know in the comments section below.