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Ducati V4 Granturismo Engine Debuts w/o Desmodromics

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After a bit of teasing, we finally get to know the details of Ducati’s newest engine, the V4 Granturismo. This is the four-cylinder motor that will power the new and upcoming Ducati Multistrada V4 motorcycle.

The engine is based off the Desmosedici Stradale motor that is found in the Panigale V4 and Streetfighter V4 motorcycles, but with some obvious and core changes to suit it for touring and ADV riding uses.

Perhaps the headline feature of the V4 Granturismo engine is its long service intervals (60,000 km, quoted by Ducati), which is due in large part to the touring-focused motor using a spring-valve system, rather than the typical desmodromic system that Ducati is so famous for utilizing.

To help tackle the seismic move for the Italian brand, they say that the lessons learned from perfecting the desmodromic valvetrain allowed Ducati to make a spring-valve system that could go for such a long duration without adjustment (about 50% farther than the circumference of the Earth).

Still, this simple change is perhaps the biggest news to come so far about the upcoming Multistrada V4, as the desmodromic valvetrain has long been a sacred cow for the Italian brand.

Moving ahead, we know from teased and leaked info ahead of the launch that the V4 Granturismo engine will come in an 1,158cc displacement (83 x 53.5 mm), with peak power at 168hp (125 kW) and peak torque found at 92 lbs•ft (125 Nm) @ 8,750 rpm.

Ducati nerds will note that this is a 2mm over bore from the Streetfighter V4 engine configuration, and that the 14:1 compression ratio is the same as the Streetfighter V4.

The redline is notably lower though on Ducati’s provided dyno charts, with the V4 Granturismo spinning under 12,000 rpm, which is likely due to the loss of the desmodromic valve system.

As we guessed, the motor also features the ability to disable the rear cylinder bank, which Ducati says will help the Multistrada V4 lineup manage heat and fuel consumption more effectively.

The engine itself weighs 147 lbs (66.7 kg), which is 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) lighter than the Testastretta 11° DS motor found on the current generation Multistrada 1260.

Ducati also says that the V4 is more compact in most dimensions when compared to the outgoing v-twin motor – 85mm shorter and 95mm shallower, though 20mm wider.

True the engine’s racing pedigree and Ducati lineage, the V4 Granturismo engine has a counter-rotating crankshaft, close-ratio six-speed gearbox, and will ship with an up/down quickshifter.

The V4 Granturismo engine is of course the centerpiece to the upcoming Ducati Multistrada V4 motorcycle, which will debut on November 4th. So, stay tuned.

Source: Ducati

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