"None of the bikes missed a beat", the V4 only had an electrical fault that required a reset at the factory, the engine warning light came on, the handlebar grips came loose and the quick shifter broke. Oh Ducati. Never change. ♥️

I race, i road test for mcn, i commute, spent every day buzzing around the moterbikes, but touring for me is the best thing u can do on a moterbikes ❤️❤️❤️🔥. Indeed

That’s a big trip on a V4! I only did a small tour with mine, around 300 miles. Hit traffic in a town, stop and go for an hour. The heat was unbearable and it started to bog and overheat. It was supposed to replace my 2017 gsxr 1000 but after having a flawless 1000 mile journey in 24 hours on my gsxr. I gave the win to the Suzuki and sold the v4. I would say it is debatable considering people saying that it’s better for street use now. I think it is, but just by a little. This bike is one hell of a track monster and so beautiful that I think most people are trying to force that peg. The desire to ride this beautiful machine all the time just keeps persisting even if the experience just isn’t as rich as other bikes(unless you are doing 150+mph pulls). This was my experience in the last four Ducati’s I have owned. Riding a machine of passion... good times!

I rode Ducs about 20 yrs ago. Good to see they haven't changed the plastic reservoirs and that the clutch fluid still turns black instantaneously.

Nice to see an 848 Streetfighter on the trip. I’ve had one for 3 and a half years and its the best bike I’ve ever had.. I’m on it everyday and it doesn’t miss a beat!

I have to take my hat off to you for doing this trip on a Duc. I see you visited my neck of the woods in Croatia. That highway with long sweeping corners down to Grobnik is nice if it's not raining. Rijeka to Split is also a riot, you just have to watch out for Interceptors ;) I just wanted to add that I agree about your statement on Touring. I have done some track days back in a day, commuted to college for 4 years, etc. But the most memorable is my cross-country ride on my Blackbird, from NYC to LA and then to Laguna Seca up 101. This was in 2013, last year for MotoGP held at that amazing track. It was a pilgrimage, revelation, and utmost joy. Two wheels, One Love :)

100% agree!

Hello Mr. Neeves. I’m sure that you are being diplomatic and even toned in your critique of the bike, but let me help you out with a few, true real life experience. I sold my 2016 BMW S1000RR to purchase the Speciale. I agree with the few things that you mentioned: 1) fuel range anxiety (my fuel light comes on at 85 miles); 2) The heat is akin to sitting on the surface of the sun (even after the full Akro exhaust install); 3)Due to the extreme attitude of the subframe, you are pitched forward creating painful fatigue of the shoulders, elbows, and wrist; 4) and yes, the quick shifter has a mind of its own, focused mainly on not working at all!; List continued: 5) the kickstand is inaccessible; 6) Useless non-folding mirrors; 7) The dim and shallow beam of the head lights limits the bike to DAYLIGHT USE ONLY; 8) the extended windscreen creates horrible wind buffeting with limited wind protection; 9) the Speciale’s seat lack of grip, as if treated with Castrol synthetic oil; 10) In order to adjust the shift lever, you have to remove the entire rearset from the bike; 11) DUCATI forgot to install “Neutral” in the transmission; What really has me upset is that the person that I sold my bike to, will not accept an even trade for my speciale. He refuses to give me my RR back. My Speciale is up for sale to get what ever I can for it. One of the worse mistakes that I have made in my 20 years of bike experience.

I bought my 2012 cbr1000rr new and never had one issue and it still rides as new as it did when I first bought it. No heat issues and butter smooth and comfy for a superbike. However, it lacks the character my former Ducati I had BUT I trust my Honda and Yamaha bikes more to keep me riding and with cheap maintenance.

Big props on doing such a long run on a sportsbike. I was in croatia myself this year on my new Multi 950. We also did the coastal road E65, and it really is an amazing ride, especially the southern part that's really twisty!

In 2016, I rode my Ducati 899 from Phnom Penh to Hanoi. Through Cambodia to nearly Siem Reap, turn right up into the mountains on the Thai border, then up through the middle of Thailand, in what seemed to be continuous driving rain - even rode through a wash away (localized flood). Across into Laos and up into the mountains again - then down again for a side trip to Vientiane for a new visa, then back up again to cross into Vietnam, down the mountains to the coast. And on day 8, a 4 hour sprint into Hanoi. Temperatures always over 30c often more than 35c - 8 days, 2,500km and 4 countries - and my 899 never missed a beat.

Thanks Michael, what a lovely review full of information and great content. Thanks for all the very useful information. Keep it up mate.

You did that entire trip on BST Carbon Fiber Wheels, that's insane! But glad to hear they held up to the road and didn't crack or anything. I've always been weary about putting carbon fiber wheels on the road, with potholes and such.

I'm collecting my V4 on Saturday.A one owner,standard model done in speciale colours.Nice to hear it's not a crippler over longer distances.Presumably that's without the comfort seat they offer for it too? The Italians have always made beligerent,fiery bikes and to hell with comfort and conformity.Hopefully they're relenting a bit and we might even get a sports bike with cruise control and heated grips one day! :-)

Here here, after track days, touring is number 1 the best thing you can do, so many places to go!

I don't want to come across as a fanboy but i do enjoy this fellas work and have done for some years. Wild horses couldn't get me to buy a ducati but i appreciate his enthusiasm.

Love the very last sentence ....... ''touring is the best thing you can do on a bike'' - after trips to Belgium, France, Germany, Spain + several Scotland trips with a bunch of great mates I can wholeheartedly agree.

If that is not having fun and enjoying life, I don't know what it is. :-) Very very nice video. Thank you Michael and Friends.

Wonderful video. Well put together. Nice pics and vid's of the countrysides, nice narration to accompany what happened on the trip, and appreciated how you displayed your gear you took for the trip. ps: I own 3 Ducati's (916 bored out to a 955 full race kit; and two 998R's both never homologated and in full Euro specs. There is absolutely nothing on earth like a Ducati!!). Keep up the great vids brother and I am subscribing as a result of watching just this one video. All the best!

Great video! I'm hoping you have enough footage of that trip to offer us a longer version of that story. And Michael is one of the best moto journalists out there.

2:10 Jesus that is a busy track day at Mugello!

thx 4 this next great review! For me u r by far the BEST motorcycle reviewer out there! Always looking for new videos from you. I`m lucky cause the B500 starts right in front of my front door ;=)

Epic review of the bike mate, was also good to meet you and your brother in Switzerland for coffee, Touring is a life changing experience for anybody who rides, well worth doing for the heart n soul

Wow, now that's a review! Looks like a great trip, thank you for sharing it with us

Hope you've enjoyed my Croatia! That road is amazing.

One of these days I'm gonna take a badass trip like that

Great video. Shame you had rain. The weather was glorious for the Moto Guzzi Festival around Como/Mandello del Lario. Road from St. Moritz down to Chiavenna is amazing, especially the Maloja Pass.

Man, I really love the way the multistrada looks. I think it's the best looking bike in the group. And I own a hypermotard 939sp.

I've got the BST 5 spokes on my Multi... really fantastic wheels - yes they're excessive for a road bike... but I'd do it again given the chance and the spare change.

Great video as always. Dream bike and trip for me. Cheers from North Carolina.

Great review as always....MCN awesome work ...I enjoy you a lot 👍👍✊✊✊🔥🔥🔥

Italian electrics... Somethings never change. And just wait until it's out of warranty... Each of those "must swap out an entire unit as these have no servicable parts " cost a small fortune. You have been warned.

Wooow you had a dream trip..i wish i can make trips like this....

I would love to come to Europe and do what you and the guys have done. My 1198 has the same quick shifter issues etc.... Somethings never change. Thanks.

You are truly living the dream

Sport touring bikes have become uncommon now, so I’m really happy to hear the Panigale V4 holds up very well. I would buy this any day over something like the Tracer 900 GT or even the Ducati SuperSport 939.

Outstanding. Enjoyed watching this 👍

0:30 ahhh look at those 2 beauties... the v4 which I dream of owning and the Dacia Logan which is my dad's car that he'll give me after i get my license in a couple of months... ahhhh look at them both in the sun... such stunning pieces of art

I agree with touring on a bike. It's magic!

Great Video hello from Boston USA ... thanj you

Living the dream.

So jealous of you guys over in Europe, our roads over on Aus don’t even scratch the surface... this trip you did is it something you made up on the go or did you follow a set route taken by many before? I would love to one day ride or even drive through Europe

As a shorter rider I prefer the ergonomics of the older Panigale L2. The reach is shorter making me more upright without laying over the fuel tank, the seat/saddle is slimmer/narrower making it easier to flatfoot. But the v4 is so smooooth...

Great job Michael. It looks like you had a brilliant trip. I always enjoy your contributions to MCN. Are you still racing?

Brilliant review. Bags of info - will watch again for the tips. But tell us more about those motorway passes. Perhaps in the paper.

Great review! Man I want a life like yours!!! 🏍👏👏👏

Thanks a lot micheal neeves for the long term review after alps trip

over 2000mi on a Panigale, your chiropractor must love you haha. I think I would prefer a Multistrada for a trip like that.

Enjoyed the video - well done! But you mention a lot of rain, but saw no rainsuit in your backpack (because it would have taken up half of it). How'd you manage that?

Really great trip, thanks for thr recap

This was a great overview, thanks!

would be good to see a route map of this trip

Nice one cheers Neevsey .

what a trip! fantastic!

Great video, thanks for sharing all that info.

Respect

was thinking about the V4 in the streetfighter S the whole time

Fantastic journal! Couple of questions though. How much of an issue is/was the 110 mike fuel limit in practice and totally separate question carbon wheels first or some exhaust changes to improve heat related comfort?

Perfection. 👍

Fantasic looking bike! And wow - what a trip! Damn - I wish I had mates like this! None of my friends ride.

Helluva trip!

On my review I thought it was the best bike I have ever ridden for its purpose. Only comfort and price are the painful bits.

Although I love the Panigale, on a trip like that I prefer the Multistrada or the 1000XR. You Michael Neeves are one though guy doing mileage like that on a super sports bike.

I did take it to the track, however, the quick shifter was so unreliable, with cutting the motor off and not advancing too the next gear, or not working at all, that I was not able to gain confidence with the bike ( even after switching off the DQS, I had clutch fade, requiring bleeding the clutch between sessions- I forgot to mention this problem in my list above). Also, I didn’t feel comfortable with the thought of bouncing my $50,000 bike (after fees, taxes, title, etc...) down the track. I will admit: there is a steep learning curve when going from an in-line 4 to a V4 motor configuration. The level of confidence and comfort that the BMW S1000RR provides right out of the box, does not translate to the Speciale.

87,000 km or 54,000 miles on a 2012 R6 and zero issues. How many "beats" would this V4 miss by then?

Great video and looked a fantastic trip. Completely out of my price range and tbh even though I have a Ducati desert sled I wouldn’t risk the electrical woes of any of the bigger Ducatis if I could afford one. You hardly see any European bikes in endurance racing: wonder why. Also read that Kawasaki have 3750 service intervals. 7500 for a powerful v4 is too long given the revs they maintain and relatively low amount of oil they carry. Is the bike yours or an mcn one? Keep up the good work

thanks for a great video. :)

Great great review! 👏

Great vid as ever.

Mike you can be a tourist guide too😂

The best part is touring on any bike!

Excellent Video, would be good if you put all the kit and ride recommendations in the description and links to check them out. Keep up the great work MCN the best!

@mcn @Neeves Back up, back up, you glossed over the most important story - packing cubes. Please continue, it's about time you did some talk about practicalities of touring kit. I know people that take so much crud with them, but you still got to think smart, don't want 15 stones in your rucksack all day

Neeves, I agree that touring is the best but is the V4 the bike you would do it on for the most fun exp? If no what would you take ?

Brilliant review and great experience . Love seeing a sportsbike being used like this for touring. Question - what make of rucksack did you use again , and was it comfortable on such a long trip. I will not ask how you managed to pack your MSN leathers though - ha . I had an 899 but would never would had considered such a ride , do you believe V4 is more comfortable. Great report

I love sports bikes. Always have. But I’ve had to get a Diavel due to my back not loving sports bikes anymore lol. (Diavel is great by the way! Best bike I’ve owned) What I find funny with sports bikes (guilty of this myself by the way) is any hint of country road, you’re downshifting for corners and trying to drag knee! Meanwhile, the guy in front on a touring bike like the multi or the BMW GS’s, they’re just cruising round at the same speed and not coming close to death at all 😂 I think all sports riders are very guilty of this 😂

Good video

Great, my kinda trip.

02:59 does the Check Engine Light default to "on" for all Ducati's when touring? Only last month I went touring on my 796 Monster: CEL came on 30 minutes after leaving my house. 2300 miles/one week later I got back home and the light never came on again... xD

What helmet make and model does Multistrada guy have? Like it a lot! Thanks in advance for the answer.

Hey I’m curious how do you guys prevent your bikes from getting stolen on such a long trip??

Oh, look at that chain 😍 What is the chain lube that you use?

Damn. Just randomly watching this video and there's Dave. Hope he is found soon.

What's those riding jeans called? It actually looks nice. Thanks

ooh, now i want one

Still not convinced with the V4. I prefer the 1199/1299style. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s definitely design/fairing related.

Eight thousand mile grundies?! Might want to wash them in dot 4.

The engine light was on!?

Why is the check engine indicator on?

So what do I have to do to enjoy my life like these guys?

Some trip

Fantastic review! And you visited my hometown (Rijeka) along the way! I am considering replacing my 17’ s1000rr with V4S in few months, how would you compare the two?

Im not sure if ducati is paying for all the positiv comments over all social media. If you talke to people in real life i get a different story told. But as someone already told, no brand is perfect and ducati will fix all the problems they have with the bike. And dont but it on the track if you want to have it for longer. Anyway, its still a nice looking bike if this is worth all the money.

Are Ducatis not too hot for long rides?

I have heard from numerous riders heat from the Ducati engine is an issue.

Alguno sabe el portamatriculas que marca es ? No se cual ponerle a mi ducati panigale v2 , gracias !!!

“ S L 4 years ago (edited) "None of the bikes missed a beat", the V4 only had an electrical fault that required a reset at the factory, the engine warning light came on, the handlebar grips came loose and the quick shifter broke. Oh Ducati. Never change” When you spend this much on a bike, it should work flawlessly in the rain……….

What an incredible trip the real Indiana Jones the mother of all wonderful trips.

Was that a check engine light at 2:45?

what tank bag is that on the ducati v4s ?