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First Look: 2022 Ducati Multistrada V2

The V-twin gets a new name, plus a comfier seat and a five-kilo diet

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With the introduction of the new V4 and V4S lineup, you might be thinking Ducati is abandoning its traditional V-twin motorcycles. Not so. Like the Panigale, the evergreen Multistrada soldiers on with the company’s trademark 90-degree twin, albeit only in the middleweight segment.

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Renamed the V2, the new Multistrada retains the same 113-horsepower 937-cc Testastretta 11-degree V-twin as the outgoing 950, but it now meets the stricter Euro5 emissions standards so we know it’s going to be around for a while. Besides a new quick-shifter that allows for clutch-less up- and downshifting, the V2 weighs some five kilograms less than its predecessor, so there might be a little more sprightly performance.

More importantly, it will be more comfortable. The seat, says Ducati, is flatter, narrower, and comfier, which will be a big bonus since one of our few complaints when we last tested the former 950 was the rider’s perch. Said seat is also lower to the ground, making the V2 more accessible. The footpegs have also been relocated for a more relaxed riding position.

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The chassis, however, remains unchanged from the previous model. That’s not such a bad thing, since the base model still sports a fully-adjustable 48-mm inverted fork and monoshock, while the upmarket S gets Ducati’s electronically-controlled Skyhook Suspension EVO.

Dual four-pot Brembos handle the braking duties up front, while a two-piston caliper works on a 265-mm single disc in the rear. Both are, of course, controlled by a cornering ABS system.

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Other high-tech features include backlit handlebar switchgear, cruise control, full LED lighting, and multiple driving modes. A full line of accessories including saddlebags, travel case, and centre stand are available. The Multistrada V2 will be in Ducati dealerships before the new year and will start at $16,995, a relative bargain considering that it costs $15,295 south of the border.