It’s slightly ironic that Ducati chooses to call its sportier versions of its adventure bike the Pikes Peak, when it was a crash on a pre-production V4 Streetfighter that not only cost Carlin Dunne his life at the race in 2019, but which also led to the banning of motorcycles at the famous hill climb.
Whatever the logic, Ducati has now released the 2022 Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak, an altogether more road-focused and sportier version of its adventure model. It’s been a year since the Multistrada V4 hit the showrooms, a high-tech, high-performance adventure bike. While the Pikes Peak version might have lost that rugged appeal, it steers closer to Ducati’s core heritage by being a super-sharp and dynamic road machine.
Running on 17-inch wheels, as opposed to the 19/21-inch ones used on the standard Multistrada, the Multistrada Pikes Peak looks more like a road bike, an impression that will be helped by the more sports bike-like riding position. Think of it as the Italian version of the Triumph Tiger Sport or the Yamaha Tracer 900.
The V4 motor now pushes out an impressive 170 hp, while chassis and electronics have been tweaked giving the overall impression that this is a Panigale in adventure clothes. Despite this, 4 kg has been shed by the use of lighter Marchesini alloy rims, Brembo Stylema calipers and Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension.
All this points to a definite sporting pedigree for the bike. It’s a beguiling mix: comfort for long distances, but the engine and chassis to satisfy any track day warrior or back lane scratcher.
The electronics are dazzling: front and rear radar system, allowing adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. ABS and traction control is, naturally, lean and cornering sensitive, while the wheelie control and ABS have revised programming to allow for the change in geometry and smaller wheels.
The bike will be physically launched at the EICMA show in late November. So, we hope to see it in South Africa in the first quarter of next year.
