Ducati Multistrada V2: an 890cc bike built for city rides and highway touring

Mention an adventure bike and most people picture something big and heavy. But for someone who wants a bike that handles daily city use as well as highway touring and light off-roading, the middleweight ADV segment is the best fit. In this category, Ducati's Multistrada V2 offers a strong combination of performance, comfort and ease of use.

The bike has the company's light 90-degree V-Twin engine. The 890cc motor produces 115hp of power and 67.9lb-ft of torque, paired with a 6-speed gearbox and a bi-directional quickshifter. The lower gears have a slightly shorter ratio for better acceleration, while sixth gear is longer for relaxed highway cruising. The bike does not have Desmodromic valves, which keeps maintenance costs lower.

On the chassis front, it has an aluminium monocoque frame and a steel-trellis subframe. The light chassis makes the bike's handling more agile. It has a wheelbase of 61.9 inches and a rake angle of 24.3 degrees, which lets it change direction quickly through corners and makes it feel less unwieldy than larger ADV bikes in city traffic. Suspension duties are handled by 45mm adjustable Marzocchi inverted forks and a Sachs monoshock.

The bike is also premium on features. It comes with electronic aids such as cornering ABS, traction control, cruise control, wheelie control and engine brake control. It also gets multiple riding modes, a 5-inch TFT display, tyre pressure monitoring, heated grips and front fog lamps. The design is aggressive, and its fairing and aerodynamic deflectors reduce wind blast on long rides.

On price, the Ducati Multistrada V2 starts at 16,995 dollars. It is certainly more expensive than rival bikes in the segment, but its light chassis, comfortable ergonomics, strong engine and premium features let it handle everything from daily commuting to weekend touring.