Ducati’s New Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour Is A 170-HP Adventure Bike Built For Distance
Ducati has announced the Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour, a purpose-built long-distance tourer arriving at North American dealerships in February 2027. It’s the brand’s most comprehensively equipped Multistrada yet — a bike that pairs the 170-hp V4 Granturismo engine with a full radar safety suite, heated seats, semi-active suspension, and integrated 16-gallon panniers, all wrapped in an exclusive livery that makes no attempt to look like anything other than a Ducati.
Radar Safety Suite Sets The Grand Tour Apart From Standard V4 Models
The headline differentiator over the standard Multistrada V4 S is a factory-fitted radar system that brings Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) to the bike as standard equipment. On long highway stretches, ACC handles speed management relative to traffic ahead, while BSD flags vehicles in the rider’s blind zones and FCW alerts to closing gaps before they become emergencies. These are the kinds of systems that reduce fatigue on multi-day rides — exactly the use case the Grand Tour is designed for.
Visibility hardware rounds out the safety package: TPMS displays live tire pressure on the 6.5-inch TFT dashboard, auxiliary LED lights extend the lighting footprint, and the Ducati Brake Light EVO activates the turn signals during emergency braking to alert traffic behind. Dynamic turn signals are included where homologated.
The V4 Granturismo Engine Gets A 6% Efficiency Gain Without Losing Its Edge
The 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo produces 170 hp at 10,750 rpm and 91 lb-ft of torque at 9,000 rpm — numbers unchanged from the broader V4 family. What’s new is an Extended Cylinder Deactivation strategy that shuts down the rear cylinder bank not just at idle, but under specific low-demand riding conditions, cutting fuel consumption and emissions by up to 6% compared to the previous generation. On a 500-mile day, that efficiency gain translates to fewer fuel stops.
The counter-rotating crankshaft — a Ducati engineering choice that works against the gyroscopic inertia of the wheels — contributes to the bike’s handling precision by reducing the tendency to resist direction changes. The result is smooth, linear power from low rpm, strong mid-range torque, and a top-end pull that doesn’t feel muted by the touring brief. Five riding modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro) and four power modes let riders tune the delivery to conditions.
Skyhook Suspension And The Lowering Device Make Long Days More Manageable
The Marzocchi Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Evolution system is fully semi-active, reading inputs from the inertial platform and a new fork position sensor to adjust damping in real time. A bump detection algorithm gives the system predictive logic — it doesn’t just react to surface changes, it anticipates them. An Auto-leveling function detects the motorcycle’s loaded weight and adjusts the stance accordingly, which matters when the panniers are packed and a passenger is aboard.
Two practical low-speed features address a real-world challenge for tall adventure bikes. The Automatic Lowering Device drops the chassis by up to 30 mm when speed falls below 6 mph — at traffic lights, fuel stops, or parking — and returns the bike to full ride height above 30 mph. The Easy Lift function reduces the effort needed to bring the bike off its side stand by opening the suspension hydraulics when the ignition is switched on. Neither feature is glamorous, but both matter at the end of a long day.
Standard Touring Kit Means No Accessories Bill At The Dealer
Ducati has spec’d the Grand Tour so that the touring essentials arrive with the bike, not as line items on a parts order. The techno polymer side panniers — finished to match the exclusive livery — offer a combined 16-gallon capacity and mount on a repositioned subframe designed to improve passenger comfort and freedom of movement. A center stand is included as standard, simplifying the process of loading, unloading, and opening the cases.
Heated grips and a heated seat for both rider and passenger are standard fit, as is a hands-free fuel cap that keeps the key in a jacket pocket during refueling. The 6.5-inch full-color TFT display supports phone mirroring via Ducati Connect, turning the dash into a map-based navigator that also shows music controls and essential ride data. Ducati Quick Shift up and down, Vehicle Hold Control, and cruise control complete a package that covers the practical checklist without requiring aftermarket additions.
The Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour arrives at North American dealerships in February 2027, exclusively in the Grand Tour livery, at a starting price of $30,995. For riders who’ve been waiting for a Ducati that’s genuinely ready for distance straight off the showroom floor, the wait is almost over.
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