VOLUME ISSUE JULY , P105
active fork has been utilized
in the Multistrada range from
the very early days of Skyhook,
but the 2023 edition is a far cry
from that crude unit seen on
the first Multistrada twin-cylin
-
der machines.
The Rally takes things a step
further by upping front suspen
-
sion travel by 1.18 inches and
the rear by 0.79 inches, with
a new fork-position sensor to
help keep things under con
-
trol. There's also 9.25 inches
of ground clearance, as well
as 30 percent more preload
adjustment range on the shock.
Compared to the V4 S the
performance gap in suspension
isn't overly noticeable, but hav
-
ing the extra ground clearance
is a win in anyone's book. There
is a bit of extra agility in the
Rally over the V4 S in the form
of spoked wheels that weigh a
claimed seven pounds less—
again, another win.
Even though these differ
-
ences will make for a better off-
road machine, the Rally is more
akin to a long-distance touring
bike than a rock jumper. There's
7.9 gallons of fuel capacity on
offer, up a very healthy 2.1 gal
-
lons over the stock V4 S.
That puts the V4 Rally in the
same dimension against the
bike Ducati has long said is
the one it's aiming at for class
supremacy—the BMW R 1250
GS Adventure.
One of the nice features is
the 1.5 inches taller and 0.78
inches wider windscreen and
its new side deflectors. At 6'1"
tall, I've always had problems
with screens, especially when
I'm wearing an ADV-style
Oh, Colorado. How pretty you are.
