A completely redesigned Multistrada V2 for the mid-displacement crossover market is the lightest in its category.

Ever since its release in 2003, the Ducati Multistrada has been a mainstay in the Ducati lineup, and touted as one of the most capable and sporty touring bikes on the market. This winter, I found myself sweeping the bike through the mountainous roads near Valencia, Spain, to test out the heavily revised 2025 Multistrada V2 S. 

Sometimes bigger isn’t always better: This phrase has become a regular part of my vocabulary over the past few years while watching brands create bigger and more powerful motorcycles with little thought for the usability of the large machines to the average rider. The phrase became all too clear as I took in the first few corners with the new V2 S: The immediate nimbleness and power of the bike seemed to be paired together seamlessly, offering an intuitive and abundantly capable platform. 

As mentioned, the 2025 Multistrada V2 has been completely redesigned, with a massive weight loss of 18 kg, bringing the total wet weight (with no fuel) to 199 kg on the standard V2 model and 202 kg on the S model. Consider the approximate 14 kg of fuel to fill the 19-litre tank, leaving you with a total weight of around 213 to 216 kg. Most of that weight loss is due to the new aluminum monocoque chassis, which replaces the steel trellis frame. 

SUSPENSION

The Multistrada offers 170 mm of travel front and rear, with the ability to fully adjust the front and rear suspension. A newly designed double-sided swingarm attaches to the nearly horizontal rear shock that is placed on the left side of the motorcycle. On the standard model, you’ll have to fiddle with your adjustment manually, while the S model is equipped with Skyhook electronic suspension allowing you to adjust your suspension while riding. I found the suspension easy enough to adjust on the fly on the S, but finding the button on the top of the right grip while riding is a slight hindrance.

Ducati has also included a minimum preload lowering option with the Skyhook suspension. This is activated using the same suspension button to adjust, but here’s the thing: it will only lower the bike a mere eight millimetres. Ducati has said that, with luggage and heavier rider weight, the lowering feature may go lower than that. But let’s face it: most of us who are looking for less distance to the ground tend not to carry the weight to allow this feature to go past the standard 8 mm. 

For perspective, Harley-Davidson’s Adaptive Ride Height feature lowers up to 50 mm, while BMW’s version lowers up to 30 mm. One might have expected to see Ducati introduce its lowering system to offer a more comparable lowering distance to the…