It was nice meeting you and chatting outside the Ducati Austin MotoGP party. Great video here and thanks again for sharing your experiences and thoughts!
Thanks for the very informative review/comparison! Much appreciated. I have the V4S and have been considering the Pikes Peak... especially since I've done some competitive hill climbs with the bike. I got a take off set of the OEM alloy wheels (mine came with heavy spoked wheel like yours) and put them on my V4S with Dunlop Sportsmart TT tires (have to order them from Europe but they're an "R" compound DOT legal street/track tire that comes in the 19" size). The V4S really rips with the sticky tires but Pikes Peak is always tempting me...
Good comparison by someone who has the best gauge 👍 I wouldn't go off road, the Pikes Peak looks nicer and is sportier, but still comfortable, that would be my choice . The Desert X is a proper dual sport for easier off road....good choice to have 🙂
Great review. I'm leaning towards the Pikes Peak...have a 2014 Multistrada Touring I bought new. My local dealer has a Pikes Peak on the showroom... thinking of doing the upgrade. Long service intervals (valves), latest technology, 17" front wheel, Full Ohlins... beautiful livery. Seems like a no brainer. 😎
100% on the heated grips and seat. I have 5K miles now on my PP and my only gripe is at what is now an almost $32k bike it should absolutely come with them. Other than I that I find this to be one of the best all round bikes I’ve owned or ridden. One thing I highly recommend is replacing the OEM Pirelli’s with Michelin Power 5. Raised the ride quality and cornering to another level. I also have a 2023 Desert X now with 800 miles on the clock. The Desert X fills the off road void that the PP doesn’t fill for me. BTW, the Desert X is amazing on the road for a bike with knobby tires and a 21” front wheel. Ducati does it again!!
Thanks Yuri ( hopefully spelling your name correctly) for this video! It was a very useful post. I had a v4 Streetfighter but needed more legroom. Test rode a V4S and really liked it. But liked how livelier the Pikes Peak seemed to be in review. Your review helped my decision. I’ve had my new Pikes Peak for a week and it’s a dream.
Really appreciate your video. I own a 1250GS which I commute and ride weekends with but got a call from a dealer about the PP becoming available. My only gripe with the GS is that it feels boring sometimes and I spent the last 20 years on sport bikes and at Laguna doing track days. I’m done with the sport ergos but miss that aggressive riding at times. Was really on the fence this last week. Thinking I’m leaning towards the PP and coming back to a GS in 10years or so.
Yep, I've had GS's...most recently a 2020 GSA and a 2019 regular GS1250. I liked them both for sure, but the PP is much sportier and for me scratches the performance itch enough.
Ive been looking at both bikes… however I’ve found a V4S just like yours fully loaded with super low miles, practically like new, for less than 20k, still under warranty, so I’m leaning towards it. My racer nature wants the pikes peak, I don’t do OffRoad, my riding is strictly road, and I enjoy sporty riding in the twisties… I have a friend that takes his V4S to the track, he says it’s plenty sporty, but of course the PP is at another level. but at the same time it’s hard to justify the price difference if I were to go with a new PP vs the slightly used V4S. Great comparison though… much appreciated.
Yeah, the S is still very capable and fun to ride. I just road a Rally for 3000 miles in Europe and it rides very similar to an S of course. It was a blast, we road hard and fast and never wanted for more bike. But the PP will turn in quicker, rides differently because of the Ohlins and is just more sporty, it cannot be denied. I just did a 2800 mile ride on my Desert X with 800 of those dirt and with very aggressive dirt tires. I'm looking forward to hopping on the PP and feeling the difference from a fresh view now that I'm accustomed to the X.
Nice comparison, I noticed the bigger extra lights on the crash bars of the V-4S who makes those I like to add them on my V-4S 😊.Very true The PPeak steers a lot faster more sporty
The lights are Clearwater. They work very nicely and were easy to wire up. There's a lead that's for a GPS so I just tapped into that so that lights come on/off with the bike. I mounted the dimmer switch and on/off toggle to the left of the left fork leg in the dashboard.
Excellent video. Thank you for NOT going into all the specifics as that is boring and we all just want to know the difference in how they ride. I currently ride a 2023 BMW RT which I love, but am not a huge fan of the engine. I've been thinking of trading up to the Pikes Peak as I ride with a couple of guys who have Panigale's and LOVE the sound of that V4!
Thanks! The V4 is a fantastic engine, there's no doubt. 3 weeks ago I rode 3000 miles in the UK, Grand, and Spain on a V4 Rally and it was incredible. Not that the Rally is so much better than any other V4, it's just confirmation about how good the motor really is. I've got well over 20,000 miles collectively on V4 Multi's (I know there's plenty of people with much more) and that's enough to make me realize how good it is. I just picked up a Desert X and that bike is great too, including the motor. But there's obviously a massive power difference between the two and it is very obvious all the time.
Ive ridden the S as a demo, but couldnt guage much in a short urban ride. I liked your review, because Im waiting on a Pikes Peak to arrive for me in Australia. Very reassuring to hear your comments on what they feel like. The seat padding is different between the two, which is something you didnt mention, so it must be ok for you. The vibration, or buzz in the S handlbars, I did notice straight away. Hope the PP is better as you say. A GS of course almost has none, but I like to ride something different . Cheers, and thankyou for your input.
Yep, you're right the seats are also different...I guess as you say it must not be much of an issue for me because I completely forgot about it. I have done longer days on the S, about 800 miles, but I would do that on the PP with no reservations. I also forgot to mention the quick shifter...the PP is noticeably sportier there too. It shifts quicker for sure. I don't mind the one on the S, but the PP has a more sporty character.
Hi, Can you guys mention how the seat padding is different and which you prefer and for what reason, if known... I customize my own seats sometimes and will likely have to cut down the pillion pad as my passenger doesn't like the feeling of sitting up high, getting wind and to lower the center of gravity for the twisties.
New sub, thanks for your thoughts! Got my V4S 15 days back and enjoying the experience. My last bike was the Triumph Street Triple RS so miss the sharp front brakes. My bike has only run ~400 kms so maybe they need to bed in some more. Cheers
I think you'll find that the brakes don't really get any sharper on the V4S, even after bedding in. They're plenty powerful and all, but I think they are purposely not aggressive. I've heard that a change to Panigale pads will bring up the initial bite and overall feel...might be worth a try down the road for you.
Nice and rare comparison. For sport-touring-I'm interested in the luggage differences, mount brackets, total liters possible, etc. Why Ducati design teams didn't add in a lowering bracket for the exhaust can so a full bag would fit on the right side is short sighted. Sport tourers need 100+ liters of two-up storage so these bikes are lacking in this aspect. I hear the Gps mapping feature has niggles too. The front end nose section has a vented area of plastic on the 4S but not on PP, so wondering if you know why? Some earlier reports a year ago were bothered by stalling at stops and surging around 3-4k rpm, two owners reported there's were fixed with an Ecu update but it took many weeks for the factory to get the patch out and dealers (who had no clue what to do). One Nor Cal dealer is still claiming these things are normal or due to Calif emissions or "hey, its a motorcycle, it vibrates". . But they also had Triumphs on the floor with fluid leaks underneath saying that is "normal, just needs to be ridden in" adding they "can't possibly make a warranty claim to the Triumph factory"... So the info you provide is valuable here. fyi, I ride every bike off road as needed, but we use EXCs for long BDRs and single track vacations.
Thanks. Yeah I do not use the Sygic nav on the Multi's. Too restrictive and too cumbersome. I just use my phone for nav, and link the bluetooth to the bike so that I can control music on a basic level with the bike controls (volume, stop, start, skip). I've had no issues with stalling or surging. I have a total of about 20,000 miles across 3 V4 Multi's now and have not experienced anything but perfect operation in regard to fueling and running.
Thanks for this comparison , Looking forward to the PP After i have given my v4s back to the dealer. Coming Directly from Sardinia with my v4s where it Works perfect , i just can imagine how this PP would perform there???? … i will See it soon ☺️
Thank you for your comparison. There is not much of it out there (real world, real owners). I am with the GS doubt also... but you don't mention the huge difference in the gear, the quick shifter... I tried the GS (I have a Ducati) and it didn't feel smooth at all. It is the reason I am almost ruling out the GS. Thanks again
LOL, I just replied to another comment below and mentioned I got got to talk about the quick shifter! I realized it after I published the video...the answer is yes, the PP definitely shifts more quickly than the S. The shift algorithm is noticeable more sporty...I don't find the S to be bad or lacking in regard to the shifting, it's just that the PP is quicker. In comparison to a GS, both are quicker and smoother shifting. To me the GS seems more deliberate, with a longer shifter motion needed, and the entire process takes longer. But really, to me, I didn't mind the GS quick shifter...it's only when compared to the Multi's that it feels a little bit dated. I've noticed that all quick shifters, regardless of brand, only truly work smoothly at mid-higher RPM's. So very low RPM I usually use the clutch anyway to smooth out gear changes.
@@juancarlosdelcastillotamay5407 For me, no, I wouldn't rule it out only on the quick shifter. I don't think the GS quick shifter works horribly, it's just not as smooth as the Duc. GS's are great bikes, they're just much different than the Multi's and I prefer the Multi's.
Amazing reiview , comparison, coming from somone who has both and the way explained the differences in handling ,that was the highlight for me, as i currently own a tracer 9 gt which is very nimble ,sporty , has the 17inch wheel so the pikes peak would be the bike for me , does it have the rear cylider deactivation?
Thanks! Yes, it does have rear cylinder deactivation. The new Rally has an enhanced version of the deactivation and I've spent about 3000 miles on one of those too. The Rally rides pretty much identically to the V4S.
9 месяцев назад
Thanks for the video. Obviously you really know your bikes. I also own a V4S and a V4 PP. I wonder what is your setup of the suspension of the PP. In Touring and in Sport mode. Also the preload settings you are satisfied with. Both regarding fast riding on twisty roads. Cheers.
Thanks! So I moved to a Rally now and that suspension is closer but still not the same as the S, with a little more travel. I find it to actually be the smoothest of all 3 on the freeway. For all of them, my Touring mode I made the suspensions comp/rebound in the softest setting. This I use just for sitting on the highway and covering miles. Then for Sport I set them to the second stiffest setting, "Hard" if I recall the name correctly (one down from "Hardest"). I find it to be plenty controlled for any on-road activities and I generally ride pretty quickly. For preload, I'm all over the place. When on the track or twisties with the PP, I usually crank up the preload as far as it goes. But I can't honestly say I feel a huge difference in responsiveness or steering. I know some people have dropped the forks 5-10mm on the PP, but honestly, I can't understand why. I find the bike to be very planted, yet very responsive on the front end. But I'm just one guy and we all have our choices. The Rally is so damn tall that I really never adjust the preload, but I haven't loaded it down for a big trip yet so I just keep it in Auto.
9 месяцев назад
@@TouchUpDirectYes the rally is a whole more touristic bike. But I’d prefer the v4S. It is still more sporty. But if you already own a PP it is a very good choice the Rally obviously. Thx again for your experience. I agree it is planted. My concern is entering a corner hot, and slightly gas down for deacceleration the chasis seems to get nervous. Not so when I gas out. So I wondered may be there should be a way to finesse the suspension. Thanks for your nice and informative reply. Ride safe buddy. 😊
Thanks! Really informative video from someone who made some serious miles instead of just test driving. Did you ever try the BMW s1000xr 2020 >? Even though its a very different engine I think its the best competitor to the Pikes Peak.. The XR is my current bike btw..
@@urithatcher8950 understandable.. Even though my XR is way smoother than the Multistrada, V4 is more versatile. That’s why I’m looking at Multistrada v4 videos 😂 probably trading my XR next year for the pikes peak.
I had washed your video like three times or so, but I do have a question, what suspension settings you used for touring and urban? Thanks for the good info:)
For Touring I'm pretty sure I set it to softest front/rear. Urban I really don't use so I don't recall. I have a Rally now too and set the suspensions to softest in Touring and in-between medium and hardest for Sport. The Rally seems generally more soft than the S or PP, perhaps due to the slightly longer travel.
Could you please let us know what dealer you bought it from? Also, I have a 2020 BMW 1250 GSA that I do like for the torque, etc, but do not take it off road. My plan when I bought the BMW was to sell my 2015 Aprilia 1200 Caponord, but just love the Caponord and have not sold it. I wish the BMW was geared higher like my Caponord. Since you have owned both the PP and the BMW, is the Ducati geared higher? In other words, do you find yourself in 6th gear much? I did test drive the BMW S 1000 XR and did not like it since it did not have the low torque of the GSA plus I really needed to do shift a lot on that bike. Do you need to shift more on the PP to keep it in the power band than the GSA? I suppose I need to take a test drive on a PP. I think I could be happy with just the PP and sell both the GSA and Caponord. Thanks again for your review of these two bikes. 👍🏻Very good review.
Thanks! Yep, purchased from Ducati Beverly Hills. I buy a lot of bikes there. So the V4 Multi's are geared pretty low in my opinion. When I first got my S I was supposed at the RPM's they turn, and if memory serves the PP may be geared a touch lower. Don't hold me to that though, I don't recall for certain but OI'm sure the website would say. So they do turn a lot of RPM's, but the power is very, very flexible. The V4 makes good power everywhere and it really does not care what gear it's in. And then there's a strong pull on the top end too. The GS always feels nice and likes to be lugged and seems to always make nice power. The Multi is WAY different feeling, but also isn't fussy about being lugged, but once on the top end is much, much faster. The mid range and low end do not lack at all though. It's a wonderful motor really. I'd definitely recommend a test ride.
Thanks. I can't speak precisely on the relative reliability, but I can say that I know for a fact, that as of around 2015 Ducati placed huge resources and priority into raising the bar on their quality and perceived quality. (Look up Francesco Milicia interviews and you'll find some mention of this). I can also say I've ridden V4 Multi's a total of about 20,000 miles now and have had no issues. Not a single issue, not even minor. I was also just on a trip in Europe with 8 other V4 Multis' where we covered 2500 miles in about 5 days and no-one had any issues. I would expect the same performance from any BMW as well, and I do have a decent amount of miles on 1250 GS's. They were also completely trouble-free.
That's so hard to answer! Probably the most fun/ridiculous to ride is the 1299SL. It may be the most beastly production motorcycle ever made. 400lbs wet, 200HP to the rear wheel and I'm not even sure of the torque, but it's a LOT. But for all the time the V4PP is great. Comfy, sporty, all the latest electronics...it's hard to beat. I just picked up two Paul Smart Sport Classics last night, so they'll be fun to tinker with.
@@TouchUpDirect oh man those are nice congrats ! Man I’d love to see your collection I worked at a Ducati dealer in chatsworth and always thought about trading in my h2 for the new v4r we had a 1299 SL also sold for like 55k
Is having both a reasonable option ie are they different enough? I have a ktm sas and considering a pikes peak as well as I think they will be completely different bikes, as having ridden a v4s is very close to the sas ignoring engine characteristics?
They're different enough to serve two different purposes for sure. But for me I'll only keep the S if I put more aggressive 50/50 tires on it and do some off-road adventuring. And I may do exactly that, I'm still deciding. But no matter what, a Multi is a LOT of motorcycle to do any substantial off-roading on, so that's what's giving me reservations.
@@TouchUpDirect ok I get that, thanks for your reply for me its more using the sas for long trips and touring and a pp for blasting about as with arthritis in my hands I have to have a comfortable riding position but still fancy something that's more racy 😊
@@kevh8685 oh, yeah for sure the PP can be ridden hard. It really stays so composed it’s amazing. The geometry with the smaller front wheel makes it turn so quickly and flick very easily, it totally hides its weight. Like I mentioned in the video, I did a full day at Laguna and it was great. Yes, in that setting it shows its weight compared to a Panigale…but it’s still really fun and very comfortable. I was able to run comfortably in mid-pack of the A-group, just for reference. Not setting the world on fire, but also not holding anyone up…that’s says a lot in regards to its sporty nature.
That's a good question...obviously they are much different. For my particular current use the Multi is a better fit because of the better comfort, more wind protection, top case and increased fuel range. But I commute 100 miles per day, so those things are weighted very much in my usage. If my commute was 20 miles the SF would probably suite me well...I definitely like the power, handling, and rawness of the SF. I'd just carry a backpack and make do in that case. But for the now the convenience factor outweighs the increase in fun.
I have a 32 inseam. No, I'm not perfectly flat foot, but this never really bothers me...it's just something I rarely think about. Although I do understand it is important to some for sure.
Wait, you need to actually see me ride the 12,000 collective miles to believe I did ride them? Or you prefer to have some garbled up GoPro footage of me riding around LA to prove....what exactly? Seems like odd requests, but everyone likes something different! Thanks for watching!
@@TouchUpDirect yes you’re correct. I do apologise. The more I watched this review the more I actually enjoyed it. I was way too quick to comment. You are absolutely spot on about reviews being done on boring LA roads. Again my apologies
@@Chris-vq5vr Thanks for saying that and I'm glad you found it useful. FWIW, I did consider riding footage, but really Im not too good at all the setup and whatnot...I just don't have the patience. I realize it limits the audience of viewers I'll reach though. But I also know that I have quite a few years and miles of riding and if I can help inform a decision someone is making, then great! Personally I find all the "professional" reviews to be largely thought-free, cookie-cutter, and practically useless. Anyway, thanks again for watching!
You must tell me your wiring strategy for your Clearwater lights. I know they don’t offer any kind of canvas system. Is it just a generic wiring harness that goes 100% on the horn and the brights?
Ah geez, that was like over 2 years ago! To the best of my recollection I added the on/off and dimmer switches to small holes I drilled on the inn fairing liner. Then I tapped the GPS lead so that lights would come on/off with the bike, plus have a short delay before powering off.
95% of the guys buying these big adventure bikes will never see the dirt. 1 out of 7 of 'Stradas being purchased are Pike's Peak models, which is bonkers. The S model will save you $5k and it also comes with side luggage stock -- you can get it with 17" wheels, add all the accessories you want and still save money compared to the Pike's Peak and get way more accessories.
Neither of these bikes are Adventure bikes, the V4S can go off-road but in reality it’s too big and heavy . Get a Desert X if you want a genuine Adv bike…or a KTM 890, 790…
