Two Ducatis open this week’s proceedings. One is the new Ducati Multistrada V2 adventure bike, while the other is the last custom motorcycle that the legendary XTR Pepo will build on commission. We also feature the new Dust Moto Hightail electric dirt bike and a highly creative custom Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 from India.
2025 Ducati Multistrada V2 Ducati has just pulled the covers off the latest iteration of their mid-sized adventure touring bike—the 2025 Ducati Multistrada V2. The changes are subtle and numerous, but the Borgo Panigale marque is making serious headway into dream-touring-bike territory.
First up is the light massaging of the front end to improve aerodynamics—but the improvements are for rider comfort rather than speed. The shape of the adjustable windscreen has been improved, and cutouts in the side of the front fairing channel fresh air to the rider’s legs. The headlights and daytime running light are inspired by the latest-generation Panigale and Multistrada V4, and the beak has been slightly shortened.
The Multistrada’s ergonomic upgrades really catch our eye. A new monocoque aluminum frame has been designed, using the motor as a stressed member. At a mere 199 kg [439 lbs] dry for the base model Multistrada V2, and 202 kg [445 lbs] for the upgraded Multistrada V2 S, it’s the lightest bike in its class.
The Multistrada V2’s running gear includes 45 mm Marzocchi forks and a Sachs rear shock. Both are electronically adjustable with 170 mm of travel. The rims are aluminum numbers, with a 19” hoop up front and a 17” at the back.
Semi-active Ducati ‘Skyhook’ suspension has been added to the Multistrada V2 S, along with a clever system that lowers the bike down a few inches at the press of a button. This, along with different seat positions and thicknesses, means the lowest seat height is just 790 mm. The low weight and seat height options will suit a wide range of riders; now if only other manufacturers would follow suit.
Interestingly, Ducati has lowered the engine capacity from 937 cc to 890 cc, but power has been increased to 115 hp (over the previous model’s 113 hp). The new V2 also sports variable valve timing with a shorter first and second gear, with the valve timing helping optimize performance, power delivery, and fuel consumption.
In typical Ducati fashion, there is also a full suite of electronic goodies that come with the new Multistrada V2. This includes a new dashboard design, five riding modes, and cruise control. The dashboard has a USB socket, and the taillight will flash under heavy braking. Cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, and engine brake control are all in there as well.
Ducati is making great strides in usability, approachability, and liveability (with 18,000-mile valve check intervals). If you’re in the market for an adventure touring bike, the Multistrada V2 is really hard to walk past. [Ducati]
Ducati Monster by XTR Pepo While this motorcycle looks outrageously good, it serves as a cautionary tale to its builder—the legendary XTR Pepo—about big dreams and unpaid bills. The bike has been 95% complete since 2022, but it has remained that way, thanks to Pepo’s customer going dark and leaving the Spanish builder in a precarious financial position.
Instead of the bike languishing in his workshop though, Pepo has decided to show it off in its current state.
The bike originally started as a 1993 Ducati Monster 900, but there’s not much of the Monster left. The front forks were swapped to a set from a Ducati 1098, while a fresh set of OZ Piega forged aluminum wheels were bolted on. The clip-on bars, fork clamps, and rear sets are from S&P, and the Aviacompositi dashboard is protected by a custom windscreen.
In typical Pepo style, the bodywork is all carbon fiber and is supported by custom aluminum bracketry. Super-twin endurance racers served as inspiration for the build, hence the incredibly lithe fairing and seat. The carbon tank is modeled on a Ducati 749R and the seat is perched on a modified subframe.
The fully adjustable rear shock is from YSS and the rear wheel hugger is a carbon XTR Pepo item. The brake setup features Discacciati rotors and a rear Brembo disc—but that’s all there is since the client ghosted Pepo before his grand plans for the front brakes could be realized.
The engine received a thorough clean after it was dismantled, and the internals were blueprinted. The heads were ported and the engine was reassembled with high-compression pistons, a lightweight flywheel, and a slip-assist clutch.
A Silent Hektik ignition system was installed, along with K&N pod filters throwing air and fuel down a pair of 41 mm Keihin FCR flatslide carburetors. Hot air exits through a Wolfman two-into-one exhaust, with a Spark megaphone muffler poking out the right-hand side of the custom belly pan.
A race-inspired livery was laid down by Artenruta Painting, Pepo’s favorite paint shop. As it stands 95% complete, Pepo has shaved almost 41 kilos [90 pounds] off the weight, while increasing power to 80 hp at the rear wheel. All signs point to the bike being an absolute track day weapon for the road—if it ever gets finished.
Given the difficulties Pepo faced throughout the build, he’s decided to put customer commissions on an indefinite hold. Reading between the lines, we hope that means he’ll still build bikes of his own design to sell after the fact. With Pepo’s track record of building stunning bikes, that would be a good consolation. [XTR Pepo | Images by Jose Martin]
Dust Moto Hightail Straight out of Bend, Oregon, USA comes the Dust Moto Hightail—a brand new, all-electric dirt bike built to take on the likes of the Stark Varg. Dust Moto has set its sights on building an approachable, performance-oriented electric dirt bike, and the Hightail is their first attempt. And what an attempt it is.
With a wheelbase and seat height two inches shorter than the average 250 cc motocrosser, the Dust Hightail’s compact design is the first box an electric dirt bike should tick. The seat height still towers at 890 mm, but that’s still a lot lower than the average dirt bike. Mitigating the tall seat height is the sub-100-kilogram [220-pound] weight, which is over 18 kg [40 lbs] lighter than the Stark Varg.
The design is on trend with the current crop of electric motorcycles. But what we especially love, is how Dust has retained all the design elements that make a dirt bike a dirt bike.
The high front fender bleeds into modern, angular bodywork that makes it look much more like a traditional motorcycle than an e-bike. A 21” front wheel is paired with an 18” rear, and the front and rear suspension systems both feature compression and rebound adjusters.
The 4.4 kWh battery has enough juice for around two hours of hard riding (or about 35 miles), while the electric drivetrain pumps out 42 hp and 60 Nm of torque. Using an 11:1 reduction, the motor converts that 60 Nm figure to a claimed mind-bending 660 Nm limit at the rear wheel, which is more than most cars.
There are four different ride modes available, which are displayed (along with speed, battery percentage, and estimated ride time) on the small screen in front of the seat. To cut down on trackside charging, the battery is swappable and can be changed out in under a minute—faster than fumbling around with a jerry can.
Made in the USA and priced at $10,950 it’s not exactly a cheap exercise—but there’s no way a petrol dirt bike could match the Dust Hightail’s low running costs. Then there’s the added benefit of being able to get up to shenanigans without alerting the neighbors. After all, who can put a price on fun? [Dust Moto]
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 by TNT Motorcycles This brushed aluminum creation is the latest release from Naveen Nandal and the team at TNT Motorcycles. Commissioned by Royal Enfield themselves, it’s an essay on transformation. The total project time included over 500 hours of meticulous design, 3D modeling, and final fabrication.
Starting with a factory-fresh Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, the TNT team stripped the bike down, discarding the forks, bodywork, rear subframe, and swingarm. Up front is a set of girder-style forks that retain the factory headlight and nacelle, which sit above a handmade aluminum front guard and a beefy 150-section tire.
Inspired by the Continental GT café racer, the custom aluminum fuel tank features hand-crafted ‘wings’ that tie in with the fork legs. Behind it is a CNC-milled seat pan (made from aircraft-grade aluminum) that is home to a custom leather seat and an integrated brake light.
The bike’s pièce de résistance is the single-sided swingarm and custom rear suspension, which were also CNC-machined from aluminum. The chunky swingarm carries a massive 240-section rear tire, while the waspish rear end floats over it.
The double-rocker rear suspension system was hand-made from hardened steel, with the unique setup positioning the rear shock longitudinally across the frame. Not only is it visually striking, but it’s a lovely bit of functional design too. The engine is mostly stock; air is sucked in through K&N pod filters with a custom stainless steel exhaust enhancing both performance and sound.
The Shotgun 650’s aesthetic is as striking as its engineering. The mix of raw aluminum, matte teal-green, and black paint is bold, yet subtle.
Naveen describes the bike as a tribute to Royal Enfield’s legacy, blending tradition with modern innovation. The custom touches, like the aluminum bash plate and the reimagined dashboard, embody this philosophy well. He’s nicknamed it ‘Parivartan,’ which is Hindi for ‘transformation.’
It’s a fitting name for a remarkable creation that celebrates Royal Enfield’s evolution. [Source]
