Adventure motorcycles have come a long way. If you look back at the first few ADVs, they were little more than big dual-sport motorcycles. They were reliable, had enough performance for a rider and luggage, and manufacturers opted to make them more capable of going as the crow flies rather than making them capable of quick overtakes on the highway. As with everything else, the segment evolved, and brought with it features that can only be described as ‘luxury features’. If you haven’t swung a leg over one, well, it feels like a two-wheeled Range Rover.
The Luxury Adventure Bike Market In 2026 Is Crowded
You’d not think that there are too many people willing to pay midsize sedan money for a motorcycle. However, judging from the sheer number of full-size ADVs in the market, there seems to be a queue around the block with people asking motorcycle manufacturers to ‘shut up and take their money’ for their premium ADVs. There is every kind of premium adventure bike available today – even a value-for-money one! However, they all try to make their own niches, so we can try to see what each one does best. We’re leaving out the niche products and focusing on the mainstream ones to maintain some brevity.
The ‘Ready To Race’-r
KTM’s new 1390 Super Adventure S Evo certainly is an exciting motorcycle, and the 1390 Super Adventure R even more so. The R is definitely the most off-road capable big ADV around, and the S Evo has features like the automatic gearbox with ‘park’ that we haven’t seen before. However, if you just want to cruise down a boulevard or get to work peacefully on Monday morning, these aren’t the right choice. They are too high-strung and tend to egg you into doing something naughty.
The Value Picks, Even In Luxury
The Japanese do what the Japanese always do, even when it is a luxury motorcycle. The Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE is a very capable motorcycle, but it is a little long in the tooth, and the additional weight from the great but last-generation twin-spar aluminum frame limits how good it can be off-road.
Weight isn’t a problem with the Africa Twin, despite its steel semi-double cradle frame. What it lacks is power: 100 horsepower isn’t enough to cut it with buyers looking for luxury, no matter how sufficient it might be in the real world. We have to give Honda its flowers for being able to offer pretty much a complete product, with a large TFT touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, electronic suspension, and even a true-blue dual-clutch automatic gearbox, all for under $20,000.
The Stiff Upper Lip
Triumph also has a dog in this fight – the Tiger series of adventure bikes is very respected, and the Tiger 1200, especially in ‘Explorer’ form, has some very impressive hardware. The ‘T-Plane’ crankshaft’s odd firing order gives it immense torque while not giving up a high horsepower figure. Showa semi-active suspension, Brembo brakes with Stylema calipers and a Magura radial master cylinder on the front, and a seven-inch TFT display. However, unlike the midsize Tiger, this full-size one hasn’t quite clicked with customers in the segment – it needs a little more fine-tuning to be able to compete with the best.
The Teutonic Competitor
The colossus of the segment is the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure. Not because it is large, but because it is the segment leader. It has everything going for it – a low center of gravity thanks to its boxer twin engine, a decently high horsepower figure, a world of accessories (including an automatic gearbox!), and a reputation for reliability that surpasses all the others except maybe the Africa Twin. However, to some, it is a little too good at what it does. Its clinical precision can rob it of emotion on occasion, which is why riding it every day might not exactly make it feel like a vacation.
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Why The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally Is The Adventure Motorcycle That Makes Riding Every Day Feel Like A Vacation
The Multistrada has grown from a single motorcycle to what is nearly a range of motorcycles that cover all sorts of needs for the ADV customer. They range from a premium but value-driven midsize offering to a borderline insane track tool that is disguised as an adventure bike. The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally is the best option among all the various Multistrada options available today if you want a continent-crossing motorcycle. It has the engine, the service intervals, the tank range, the features, and the sheer breadth of ability to make any journey comfortable. Not only that, it has theater to it as well, so even the commute feels like you could simply take a ‘wrong turn’ and head for the horizon. The Multi V4 Rally won’t complain if you did that, that’s for sure!
Freedom Has A Price – And It Is Roughly $31,995
The Multistrada V4 Rally is priced at just under $32,000, which is a very high price when you consider what the competition’s base price is. It is a little misleading, however, the Multistrada V4 Rally is a fully-loaded variant, and if you tried to spec the (similarly premium) competition up with features that the Ducati has, you will end up with a similar price. The Multistrada V4 Rally is also one of the most powerful examples in its segment, with as much tech as anyone. If you’re looking for value, it is present – just not in the traditional way.
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Granturismo V4 Engine Is A Quantum Leap Ahead
Ducati’s Desmodromic engine used to power the entire range, but now it is limited to a few models: mainly the Panigale V4 and the Multistrada V4 RS. All other models in the Ducati range have now moved to more mundane valve springs, and so it is with the Granturismo V4 engine. The power and torque figures stand at 170 horsepower and 89 pound-feet, which are enough for any situation, even when fully loaded. This power and torque also combine with good tech for fuel efficiency; it has rear cylinder bank deactivation that helps it save fuel when not required. A six-speed manual gearbox and standard two-way quickshifter are present, and a chain is chosen to drive the rear wheel.
Granturismo Engine Has Very High Tech Innards
The Granturismo engine has variable valve timing on the intake valves, a counter-rotating crankshaft, and a ‘Twin Pulse’ firing order that gives it a much broader spread of torque. It also features a semi-dry sump, which makes it a compact engine. We would also like to point out the side-mounted radiators that help keep them away from stones thrown up by the front tire when ridden at speed off-road. It now has industry-leading intervals for the dreaded valve check intervals, which is a massive win.
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Double-Sided Swingarm Is Now A Standard For Multistrada Chassis
Unlike the various engines in the Multistrada range, there is only a single type of chassis, and that is an aluminum monocoque frame that uses the engine as a stressed member. The subframe is a trellis-type one, and the swingarm is a double-sided one in the V4 Rally. This is done to give it more strength and less weight.
Fully adjustable electronic suspension is present, and the rear preload is electronically adjustable. Travel stands at 7.9 inches at both ends, which is more than the travel available on the regular Multistrada V4. A 19/17-inch rim size combination is used for the spoked tubeless wheels. The Multistrada V4 Rally has some of the largest brakes on any production bike. There are twin 330mm front brake discs with Brembo Stylema radial calipers and a radial master cylinder, while at the rear, there is a 265mm disc with a Brembo two-piston floating caliper.
Massive Fuel Tank Gives It Great Range
The Multistrada V4 Rally’s extra suspension travel gives it a really high seat height; the standard seat is 34.3 inches in the low position! Ducati has not released details like the length and width of this motorcycle, nor does it mention the ground clearance. But we are confident that it will be enough for anything you want to tackle because of the semi-dry sump nature of the engine. The fuel tank capacity is an absolutely monstrous 7.9 gallons, so even with the high horsepower figure, you will get massive range out of this. The curb weight is a claimed 525 pounds, which is standard for the class.
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Equipped Well Enough To Make Every Day Feel Like A Holiday
The Multistrada V4 Rally is one of the most expensive Multistradas, and as such, it gets a premium set of features. The 6.5-inch TFT display is larger than standard compared to the other, more basic Multistrada V4s. It also has a standard navigation package, which is something that is otherwise an option. Other standard features include LED adaptive cornering headlamps, rearward-facing radar for blind-spot monitoring, forward-facing radar for active cruise control, along with standard heated grips and seats.
There is a by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU, so you get access to Ducati‘s entire electronics suite. The engine and chassis orientation, when combined with the electronic suspension, makes it a very easy bike to ride, no matter the situation. One of the highlights of the electronic suspension is the way it lowers itself automatically at walking speeds and minimizes the preload when the bike is on the side stand, so that it makes it easier to stand it upright.
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Rallying Cry For Ducati
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally stands out among its peers by being a great mix of Italian Soul, KTM-like performance, BMW-like technology, and almost Honda-like reliability. It makes every ride feel like you’re headed out to explore – and that is why it makes riding every day feel like a vacation.
Sources: Ducati USA