Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, the Italian adventure bike now more sporty than ever

Pikes Peak, a name that immediately evokes for any motorsport enthusiast that location in the Rocky Mountains where so many great moments and speed records have been set. It is therefore no surprise that many brands, whether motorcycle or car makers, have used the name of this mountain to designate their most sporty or extreme models.

This is exactly what Ducati has done, taking its most extreme adventure bike as the reference for a new model, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak. If the Multistrada V4 already set the bar very high for the Borgo Panigale house, this Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak raises it a little further, offering a powerful adventure bike in which both the sensations and the riding become more radical in favour of greater sportiness.

With a livery inspired by the Desmosedici GP21 MotoGP bike, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak features numerous bodywork components made of carbon fibre, together with other elements such as the low smoked windscreen, gold anodised front fork feet, and the two-tone black and red rear seat with the V4 logo. The titanium and carbon silencer signed by Akrapovič, which is road-homologated, will also catch the eye.

Looking at its inner workings, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak presents changes compared to the Multistrada V4 to make its use more sporty, such as the modifications to the steering head with a new rake of 25.75° versus the 24.5° of the Multistrada V4, as well as a new calibration of the steering geometry trail and wheelbase according to the different uses of the motorcycle. That is not all: it fits 17-inch Marchesini forged aluminium wheels on both axles, which are 2.7 kg lighter than those of the Multistrada V4 S, and it equips Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension that adjusts automatically according to the rider’s riding style, as on the Panigale V4 S or the Streetfighter V4 S.

Mechanically there are no changes: it keeps the 170 CV V4 Granturismo engine with a maximum torque of 125 Nm at 8,750 rpm, linked to the Quickshifter quick gearshift with a specific calibration, allowing extremely aggressive downshifts and an even more direct acceleration response in high-power mode. As a novelty, the engine receives a new map called Race, with which the limiter allows more sporty riding. Additionally, like any good Ducati, it receives first-class technology with the electronics package from the Multistrada V4 S, which includes systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection, among others.

Finally, once in the saddle, the rider will notice that this is not the natural riding position for an adventure bike, since the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak has footpegs set higher and further back, with the aim of allowing a greater lean angle. It also features a narrower, lower handlebar with curved tubes. Right behind it sits the 6.5-inch TFT display, which presents information in a precise and clear way, along with the ability to mirror the rider’s smartphone thanks to the Ducati Connect system.