Ducati Multistrada V4 vs 2021 BMW R 1250 GS vs Harley-Davidson Pan America: Spec Comparison

Recently, the Harley-Davidson Pan America was launched in India. And in July, the updated BMW R 1250 GS and the Ducati Multistrada V4 further populated the segment.

The newest entrant in the premium adventure motorcycle segment is the Ducati Multistrada V4. The Italian motorcycle maker has launched the Ducati Multistrada V4 at Rs 18.99 lakh and the top of the line variant, the Multistrada V4 S, at Rs 23.10 lakh.

The flagship Ducati Multistrada V4 competes with the already popular 2021 BMW R 1250 GS. Earlier this month, BMW Motorrad updated the R 1250 GS with more features. Interestingly, despite the additional features, the German motorcycle continues to retail at the same price as before.

The Harley-Davidson Pan America also competes in the same segment as the BMW R 1250 GS and the Ducati Multistrada V4; however, the American ADV motorcycle is priced more aggressively than the other two.

Following is a specification and feature list comparison of the three premium adventure motorcycles:

Engine

All three motorcycles get similar capacity engines but with very different layouts. The R 1250 GS has a boxer-twin engine, the Multistrada V4 – as the name suggests – comes with a V4 engine, and the Pan America gets a V-twin motor.

	Ducati Multistrada V4	BMW R 1250 GS	Harley-Davidson Pan America
Displacement and Engine Layout	1,158cc – V4	1,254cc – Boxer-twin	1,252cc – V-twin
Power	168bhp at 10,500rpm	134bhp at 7,750rpm	150bhp at 8,750rpm
Torque	125Nm at 8,750rpm	143Nm at 6,250rpm	128Nm at 6.750rpm
Gearbox	6-speed – chain drive	6-speed – shaft drive	6-speed – chain drive

The power outputs of the Pan America and the Multistrada V4 are somewhat similar. The BMW R 1250 GS is a little shy in the power department in comparison to the other two; however, it has the upper hand in terms of torque figure.

The BMW is the only one in this comparison that utilises a shaft drive to send the power to the rear wheel. The other two ADVs use a traditional chain drive.

Cycle parts

The BMW R 1250 GS and the Multistrada V4 offer an option to upgrade to (tube-less) spoke-wire wheels. The Harley Davidson Pan America gets cast alloy wheels as standard, with no option to upgrade to spoke wire wheels.

The BMW R 1250 GS gets a single-sided swingarm, while the Multistrada V4 and the Pan America come equipped with a dual-sided swing-arm. 

 

	Ducati Multistrada V4	BMW R 1250 GS	Harley-Davidson Pan America
Front suspension	50mm Fully adjustable USD	37mm Fully adjustable USD, Central Spring Strut	47mm Fully adjustable USD
Rear Suspension	Fully adjustable mono-shock	Fully adjustable mono-shock	Fully adjustable mono-shock
Front Brake	Twin 320mm disc	Twin 302mm disc	Twin 320mm
Rear Brake	265mm disc	276mm disc	280mm disc
Front Wheel	120/70 R 19	120/70 R 19	120/70 R 19
Rear Wheel	170/60 R 17	170/60 R 17	170/60 R 17

Dual brake setup at the front is a common feature amongst the three. The higher variants of the three motorcycles offer upgraded electronic suspension.

Electronics

A TFT screen for instrumentation and smartphone connectivity is common to all three motorcycles. The rider aids include IMU-based wizardry, which is also common to all three. Other features on offer are hill-hold function, traction control, and wheelie control. Pre-set riding modes are also there in all three.

The BMW R 1250 GS now gets adaptive headlamps, a feature found in the Harley-Davidson Pan America as well. The Multistrada V4 is offered with adaptive cruise control. 

Pricing

The Harley-Davidson Pan America is the most affordable ADV of the three. The prices start at Rs 16.90 lakh. The Pan America Special is priced at Rs 19.99 lakh. The entry-level BMW R 1250 GS is positioned above the other two motorcycles. The MY21 updated model gets a sticker price of Rs 20.45 lakh, which is the same as that of its predecessor. The 2021 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure has seen a nominal price hike of Rs 5,000 and now retails at Rs 22.40 lakh.

This makes the top-spec Ducati Multistrada V4 S the most premium offering in the segment. With the kit on offer, the Ducati Multistrada V4 and the V4 S seem to be value-for-money propositions, at least on paper. However, any definitive judgment can only be justified post riding the bike. So, stay tuned for the first ride review of the India-spec Ducati Multistrada V4.

All prices mentioned in the story are ex-showroom.

Also Read:

Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 launched in India

Updated BMW R 1250 GS launched at Rs 20.45 lakh, price unchanged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zkFFuZAQhc