Hotter than a shot of espresso, the Ducati Multistrada V4 was recently named “Best Motorcycle of 2021” by Robb Report. With the power of an Italian superbike and the technology of a spaceship, the V4 is paving the path with a new high-tech radar system that allows for blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control.
Now, I always assumed that the folks at Robb Report are more interested in caviar than Klim gear, but they sure hit the nail on the head when highlighting Ducati’s craftsmanship, extraordinary attention to detail, and relentless pursuit of perfection. Between the industry-leading technology and the 1158 cc V4 Granturismo engine, which is the same engine found in the Panigale V4 superbike, the Multistrada is nothing shy of stellar.
The Multistrada is the multitool of adventure bikes and pretty darn good at whatever sort of riding you throw at it. When it comes to technology, the V4 is now radar-certified in North America. This certification will enable North American customers to use Ducati’s advanced rider aid system that manages the unique Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD) systems.
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The ACC controls braking and acceleration automatically to maintain the rider’s distance from other vehicles. “Here’s how the ACC works,” according to the Robb Report, “just set your cruise control to, say, 75 mph, for example, and the radar distance to perhaps level three (of four), giving you plenty of space to the car in front. As you gradually close the gap on a slower vehicle directly ahead and get to within a given distance of the bumper, the Ducati slows to match its speed with the one in front and stays there, thanks to radar telling the bike’s ECU to gradually close the throttle bodies and apply a touch of brake pressure.”
The BSD technology, housed under the tail light, can detect and report vehicles approaching in your blind spot, namely the area not visible either directly by the rider or through the rear-view mirror. The BSD system monitors traffic behind the rider and displays a warning via LEDs positioned in the rear-view mirrors. If the user activates the direction indicator expressing the intention to change lane, the BSD flashes the LED signaling a potentially dangerous condition.
I’m eager for Ducati to incorporate an on-board espresso machine, but in the meantime, I guess we’ll have to settle for a suite of cutting-edge safety technology. All 2021 Multistrada V4 S models are equipped with the radar hardware and the customer has the choice to upgrade and activate the technology by their dealerships beginning July 1, 2021.
