Ducati Multistrada V4 RS (2023 – ) review

Bikes don’t get much madder, more extreme – or brilliant. The RS recipe is, on face-value, simple as well. Take the already superb Multistrada V4, switch its 170 horsepower Granturismo V4 for the desmodromic, 180 horsepower Stradale version from the Panigale, add that bike’s single-sided swing arm, some lightweight wheels and brakes, Öhlins suspension, a titanium subframe, bespoke electronics and racier carbon fibre bodywork, mix thoroughly and stand well back. That there is your mad and your extreme. The ‘brilliant’ is that it all works so well, while if you switch into Urban or Touring mode and raise the adjustable screen it can still be comfortable, placid and practical.

No, the RS is not quite as comfortable, practical or pillion friendly as the standard Multistrada. But it’s not far off. The upright bars, TFT dash, broad but shapely tank and seat are all familiar but, like the Pikes Peak version (which has the standard engine and costs six grand less) it has a slightly sportier, nose-down attitude thanks to the swap from a 19-inch front wheel to a smaller 17-inch item. The screen, while still adjustable, is a little shorter and the seat is different and slightly less accommodating, but not by much. While undeniably a properly potent machine, the RS is also a relatively comfortable all-day bike, too.

All Multistradas are practical so the RS performs well here, even if it’s starting to push it a bit. It’s sporty, relatively manageable, comfortable, easily capable of motorway cruising and taking pillions and luggage – it’s just not quite as flexible as other Multistradas due to its performance focus and price. But if you think of it less as a practically compromised Multistrada and more as a fire-breathing sports bike that just happens to be comfortable and capable of taking a pillion and luggage it suddenly starts to make a lot more sense. A bit like the Audi RS6 Avant the bike is paired with in Ducati’s publicity pics.

The RS’s desmodromic Stradale version of Ducati’s phenomenal V4 is from the Streetfighter super naked, which is in turn a slightly detuned version of that in the Panigale rather than the Granturismo motor found in the rest of the Multistrada V4 range. The result is another 10 horsepower, taking the peak to 180 horsepower while the £3,000 Akrapovič exhaust on our test bike raises this to an even more impressive 192 horsepower. And, boy, ridden hard in Sport mode, feeding gears through the slick quickshifter, you really notice it. No upright adventure bike is so thrilling and addictive. Yet the RS can be a big pussycat, too. Switch to Touring or even reduced power Urban modes and it’s far more placid and easy-going. Top-notch Brembo Stylema four-pot radial calipers biting onto massive 330mm twin discs meanwhile deliver phenomenal stopping force and finesse with the deftest squeeze of one finger.

Although there’s nothing wrong with the standard Multistrada V4’s handling the RS is on another level again. Suspension front and rear is now Öhlins’ finest, the front wheel is a 17- not 19-incher, both hoops are lighter Marchesini forged aluminium saving 2.7kg, the whole RS is lighter throughout thanks to things like the titanium rear subframe and carbon fibre bodywork, there are track-spec tyres … the list goes on. The result is a notably more sporting attitude, tauter, more cultured ride and also super precise, sensitive and intuitive steering at odds with the RS’s upright, adventure gait. In fact, it’s all so good it’s crying out to be on a track and almost seems wasted on the road.

Let’s face it, the RS is not only a £33,000 Ducati (more like £36,000 as tested) but it’s an extreme performance one with over 180 horsepower and is never going to be cheap to run. Depreciation and insurance will likely be chunky and, if you ride it as intended, the hunger for tyres, chains, brake pads and the rest could be voracious. It burns through fuel at a fairly alarming rate, too. None of this should come as a surprise, though!

Although a relatively highly-strung performance machine – and an Italian one at that – there’s little reason to doubt its likely reliability. Its V4 powertrain has now been around over five years with few problems, the base Multistrada platform is similarly proven and the componentry is as high-end as it gets. As long as it’s looked after correctly – and who isn’t going to a pamper at £30K machine such as this – the RS should cause no reason for concern.

The days of Ducati unreliability and narrow service intervals are long behind us, thanks in part to the new regime created since Audi took control. Warranty-wise, it’s fairly standard and the Multistrada V4 RS comes with a manufacturer-backed, two-year, unlimited mileage warranty which covering all parts and labour. Servicing-wise it’s better yet, the RS, like all Multistradas, coming with expanded 15,000-mile service intervals.

You want it? You’ve got it – at least in a performance sense. This includes aforementioned Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, Marchesini wheels, carbon fibre bodywork, titanium rear sub frame, single-sided swing arm and more. In terms of electronics it has the very best as well, with many and various modes, quickshifter, switchable traction, cornering ABS, wheelie control and all the rest. But maybe the best bit is that the RS keeps most of the regular Multistrada’s creature comforts as well, including radar monitored cruise control/proximity control, heated grips, adjustable screen and even optional luggage. Maybe it IS worth the money after all!

On face value the RS makes little sense when the standard Multistrada V4 S is already so good for over £10K less. Then you ride it. From first encounter it looks something of a beast, and feels genuinely exotic with all the designer-label componentry. On the move it has supreme performance and the finesse of a true thoroughbred as well. But you can also dial it back at the press of a button and enjoy it at a more relaxed pace, perhaps with a pillion for a more sociable day out. And that’s something no other Italian superbike can offer. Maybe it is a two-wheeled Audi RS6 after all…