While Jay Leno’s collection of motorcycles typically leave his friends wondering if he’ll actually make his destination - Jay’s two-wheelers are more of a vintage variety - he recently took a spin on Ducati’s newest Multistrada V4. Jay doesn’t own a newer Ducati, but likes the story of the company and their success after having been on the edge of business collapse, as he called it. On the newest episode of Jay Leno's Garage, he talks with Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock, gives a detailed walkaround of the bike, and then hits the road for a ride.
The Concept Of The V4 Multistrada Was To Rule Many Roads
Having one motorcycle for many uses is a desire that looms in the minds of many motorcyclists, and if there’s just room in the stable for one horse, which do you choose? Bikes are typically better suited for one mode, either off-road, touring, city riding or sport track riding. But at Ducati, the concept of the new V4 Multistrada, or which translates to “Many Roads” was to rule many roads, according to Chinnock.
A host of Bosch 6-axis IMU-supported electronics are standard with the Multistrada, with four riding modes - Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro. Modes can be changed easily through the use of the 6.5-inch TFT display menu. The preloaded display offers four preset settings that can be adjusted using a button on the left cluster.
Choose The Mode That Fits Your Day
Engaging Sport mode brings the Marzocchi Skyhook suspension taut, allowing you to duck the Multistrada into corners while leaning into angles that would normally cause some difficulty. The throttle response becomes crisp, which brings out the natural soul of Ducati.
Opting for Urban or Touring mode will relax the Multistrada, with each softening the chassis to better suit the bike for riding on city streets, battered back roads or interstate highways. The new Adaptive Cruise Control is adjustable for three distance levels as the ACC maintains the distance to vehicles in front, decelerating and accelerating as needed to maintain the distance. Commuters can benefit from the Blind Spot Detection illuminates an LED light on the rearview mirror to warn riders of incoming traffic.
Enduro mode will crank up the suspension, along with lowering the PSI of the Rally tires, making the chassis stable enough to handle the sand and terrain.
No Commercials For Ducati And Jay Was Glad To Help
Ducati's dealerships are pretty sparse, and they don’t advertise like most other manufacturers. The brand now has the backing of Volkswagen Group after a transaction by in 2012, but their reputation for excellence is widely known among motorcycle enthusiasts. So the company relies on getting the word out about the latest advances and what the new models have to offer still comes from word-of-mouth, and from promotional opportunities like appearing on a celebrity’s YouTube channel.