Just had my first spin out on my new MTS V4 Rally Radar, traded in my V4S and sadly the issues with Connect seem worse. Not sure if it’s the bike or the new App update issued last month - I’m running latest iOS and all my apps are up to date. The Sygic map is effectively blank other than the small direction/next turn box in the top left corner and distance to go etc. given the cost of these bikes, you’d think Ducati would sort it properly once and for all. Safe to say the Ducati Connect app is utterly hopeless.

I’m now on my 4th Multistrada and was hoping that on the V4 they would have finally sorted out all the issues which plagued previous versions and apps. Initially it was encouraging, it paired the phone and headset fairly easily and I managed to get the Ducati Connect app working and could see my music, play a track, skip tracks (couldn't seem to turn the volume up or down on the bike but I guess I can do this on the headset). This was all in the garage before riding. First time I rode the bike it told me there was a problem with the phone, I stopped relaunched the app, got it working and started the music but as soon as I rode off the same error message although now I had music playing and no way of stopping it (unless I turned the headset off). It tells me I need to leave my phone unlocked and on whilst using the App, but this seems incredibly old fashioned, and wasteful and would be drawing power from the phone the whole time (I'm not even sure that is possible with an iPhone 13 to leave it 'unlocked') The whole Sygic app seems pants, I didn't manage to get this working on the bike and I'm certainly not going to subscribe to it in order to get access, which it seems to be telling me I need to do after my free trial runs out. I was hoping it might be a good option to use for short trips when I didn't want to mount the Sat Nav. Why can’t Ducati just pay the licence fee and get Apple CarPlay, then we could use any navigation app we wanted. Looks like I will revert to my Garmin Zumo XT.

There is only one Sygic navigation option in the app. I think there should be a motorcycle navigation system on the motorcycle. If there was an option to use, for example, Calimoto or Rever, but Sygic is not navigation for a motorcycle. If the application could at least record data about the ride, for example the angle of inclination of the motorcycle, G acceleration, TCS, ABS, when the motorcycle will be serviced, etc. I really don't know what this application is for. I recommend getting some information from, for example, BMW.

In general the updates have made it more useable and whilst connection issues seem fixed most of the time it still locks up while in nav and always at the worst possible moment. The nav has zero ability to replan the route with traffic or diversions and also tries to return you in a loop to the original route rather than find a new one. The mirroring does not produce anywhere near as clear a map as the Sygic stand alone app either. I also have problems with the phone function as it loses volume and won’t allow the boom mic to function, so utterly pointless for calls. For info it’s an iPhone 13 with a Cardo freecom x4 all fully updated. Shame you didn’t just add apple car play as many others have now done though the offline mapping isn’t available

Takes ages to connect. Can’t switch from the little-known map app to anything else. Every time you turn the bike off, or move the phone away from the bike, you have to start the whole ridiculously long process again. Truly, truly awful app, on an expensive bike. Can’t even play music properly.

The app freezes in nav mode, causing the rider to be ‘abandoned’ by it - in a busy environment this is extremely dangerous. Even worse when it drops out of nav mode altogether, you have to pull over and reboot!The ‘glovebox’ compartment for the phone is too small making it difficult to retrieve the phone with gloves on - and it’s door is constantly coming undone, another distraction.. The app has appalling functionality, clunky, slow and the onscreen response to toggle switch inputs are haphazard and inaccurate. Brand new bike, latest version of the app, iPhone - no excuse! - even when I stopped and turned it off, it then started telling me (onscreen) that it was repeatedly dialling my own mobile number! But ‘recent calls’ list on my phone showed no such activity, so it had to be an app function issue! This apps flaws are serious and a very dangerous distraction, I can genuinely see law suits arising from it - it should be withdrawn and rebuilt now.

Regardless of how difficult it may be to set this up and get it running, I would like to point out the poor app design/user experience for the following: Why have Ducati used very small black text on a red background which is incredibly hard to read, for all the important info?!?! Please change this to white and increase the font size! Also having to leave the phone unlocked the whole time to use the app makes the phone run hot and is a security risk.

Spend £k20 odd on the best bike Ducati have ever built (MS v4s plus plus) and No 1: I am forced to use Cygic which I find cumbersome , seems to lack locations data and is generally not as good as my beeline despite costing 25 quid a year for the pleasure!!! No 2: the Ducati connect app is unreliable, a pain to connect to the bike, and once finally connected drops the connection a few miles into the journey for no apparent reason!! Infuriating!!! Couldn’t be bothered to stop , take the gloves off and start all over again so abandoned it. Also having the phone permanently connected in the cubby hole causes the phone to over heat. At this rate I will not only have a useless sat nav system , I will also have a knackered phone. Very poor, Ducati. Very very poor!! For the sake of the people investing a lot of money in your brand, have the decency to fix the useless junk pronto!!

The new V4s Multistrada is a fantastic bike but the riding experience is let down by the unreliability and distractions created by this app. By way of background, I am using an iPhone 6 (latest IOS version) with a Sena headset which work properly with Apple Maps, Google Maps, Spotify and all other bike apps that I have tried. My issues with Ducati Connect are: - Phone having to be permanently unlocked when app being used is a big security concern - Frequently will not connect the WiFi to phone with “invalid credentials” messages. Seems to happen most often on my driveway at start of journeys unless I turn off home WiFi. Connects more reliably if I stop journey once away from home - this is not acceptable. - Almost no volume on Sygic app to hear audio navigation instructions when riding at more then walking pace. - Bike dashboard has completely locked on one occasion when using Sygic and had to stop journey, turn off ignition and restart everything. - Sygic has also refused to deliver journey route one another occasion again needing a complete restart of everything. Please can you let new owners know when further fixes are scheduled to solve these issues. I suggest that in the meantime Ducati should not promote the app further on social media.

The previous reviewers have said all that needs to be said yet Ducati have not offered any satisfactory solution. When riding a motorbike you need your equipment to work consistently without unwarranted interruptions and distractions. This system is not fit for purpose and could compromise the rider safety. Ducati must address this and address it fast.