This weekend, we look at four escape vehicles to suit riders of all proclivities. The mile-munching Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally leads the charge, followed by the new Husqvarna TE 300 Pro and FE 350 Pro enduro bikes. A custom Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 street scrambler from Japan completes the set.
2026 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally
Motorcycling is in a weird era where major marques are trying to convince us that the best motorcycles for overland travel are large, fast, and expensive, with tech features up the wazoo. Most hardcore overlanders I know prefer simpler bikes that are easier to repair on the side of the road, and that cause less financial and emotional damage when they fall over. But if your idea of long-distance bike travel involves easy weekend getaways with more asphalt than dirt, a big adventure bike is just the ticket.
Enter the new Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally. Updated for 2026 and touted by Ducati as “the ideal companion for long-distance travelers,” it sports a mammoth fuel tank, top-spec running gear, and more electronic rider aids than you can shake a stick at.
Ducati’s four-cylinder 1,158 cc Granturismo engine powers the Multistrada V4 Rally, delivering 170 hp with 60,000 km [37,282 miles] between valve clearance checks. It’s packaged in an aluminum monocoque frame, matched to a tubular steel subframe and a double-sided aluminum swingarm with a higher pivot point than before.
The V4 Rally rolls on 19F/17R laced tubeless wheels, and is propped up on Marzocchi suspension with Ducati’s proprietary Skyhook semi-active system. Now with 200 mm of travel at both ends, the electronic suspension setup handles everything from automatic preload adjustments to on-the-fly changes that react to your riding style and the surface you’re riding on. An evolution of the previous Skyhook system, it also comes bundled with auto-leveling and auto-lowering functionality (where the bike lowers itself at crawling speed) for increased accessibility.
Brembo Stylema brake calipers are hooked up to Bosch ABS and a linked braking system (which can be switched off). The rear disc also gets a bump up to a 280 mm unit.
Other changes include a 30-liter [7.9-gallon] fuel tank, a larger windshield, redesigned deflectors for better rider and passenger coverage, and new footpegs. The LED headlight cluster includes a daytime running light and adaptive cornering lights, while the 6.5” full-color TFT dashboard packs in everything short of a video player.
On the tech side, you get a quick-shifter, switchable rider modes, and a dizzying amount of functions, all of which are informed by 70 sensors via the ‘Ducati Vehicle Observer’ algorithm. Radar-controlled adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, and forward collision warning are available as part of an upgrade package, negating the need to pay any attention to the road while riding.
Aesthetically, the new Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally looks heaps better than some of its competition, while maintaining that signature Multistrada quirkiness. For 2026, it’s available in traditional Ducati red and a new green livery with gold wheels, in levels of trim ranging from basic to fully kitted with luggage at the ready. [Ducati]
New Husqvarna TE 300 Pro and FE 350 Pro
KTM’s recent financial griefs have created doubt around the future of its child company, Husqvarna Motorcycles. But, like KTM, the Swedish-born bike brand continues to persevere—as evidenced by releases like the new Husqvarna TE 300 and FE 350 ‘Pro’ models.
It’s an open secret that Husqvarna’s bikes are just re-skinned KTMs—but there’s a secret sauce that makes them far more desirable. The Pro designation ups the ante with unique graphics and a handful of upgrades for the two-stroke TE [below] and four-stroke FE [above].
The Pro models trade Husqvarna’s signature white, blue, and yellow palette for grey bodywork on white frames. The plastics are adorned with graphics designed exclusively for these models.
Built to be competition-ready machines, the TE 300 Pro and FE 350 Pro feature updated WP XACT closed cartridge forks and WP XACT rear shocks, both fully adjustable. They also get radiator fans for optimal cooling under high-stress conditions, simplified radiator caps, and fuel line protectors.
The Pro designation adds factory race-spec wheels to the mix, built with Excel rims and CNC-machined hubs, plus Galfer discs and a Supersprox rear sprocket. You also get front and rear brake guards, a clutch slave cylinder protector, ODI grips, a ribbed seat cover, and a set of frame protectors. The bars are premium ProTaper models, and each bike has a pull-strap affixed above the front fender. [Husqvarna]
Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 by Ask Motorcycle
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 is quite a looker in stock form, but the owner of this particular bike wanted something a little wilder. So he hit up Ask Motorcycle’s Rad Yamamoto—who answered by turning the 701 into a neo-futuristic scrambler that looks like it rolled out of an anime film.
One of the client’s requests was an all-encompassing aluminum body—but before Yamamoto-san could fabricate that, he had to contend with the bike’s chassis. A new aluminum subframe was built, and both the battery tray and air box were radically redesigned.
Once that was sorted, Rad shaped a full set of body panels out of 5052 aluminum alloy, giving the bike its distinctive vibe. A Husqvarna enduro headlight sits up front, with a plexiglass cover over it and a carbon fiber ‘beak’ below it. There’s more carbon fiber trim under the tailpiece, with bright red upholstery adding contrast.
Rad also created new carbon fiber fork shrouds for the 701, plus radiator protectors that host auxiliary lights. “The side-mounted fog lights were inspired by the taillights of the new Land Rover Defender,” he explains, “while the front lip was inspired by the underside of a space shuttle.”
Refreshing and highly imaginative, Ask Motorcycle’s Svartpilen 701 is the perfect sci-fi-inspired escape vehicle. [Ask Motorcycle]
