Ducati’s Wild Child Breaks Cover

Ducati has finally pulled the wraps off the DesertX in the concluding episode of the World Ducati Premiere, two years after the Italian marque introduced the concept at EICMA 2019. This is perhaps the most engaging and purpose-built adventure motorcycle to come out of Borgo Panigale, and here’s all the dope on this bike:

The Ducati DesertX was conceptualised as a modern-day rendition of the Paris-Dakar rally bikes from the 1980s. Be it the dual-LED projector headlight with LED indicators, the auxiliary fuel tank, or the rally-style vertically oriented TFT console, every bit of the bike wants you to venture beyond the tarmac.

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The concept showcased at EICMA was based on the Scrambler 1100. But for the production bike, Ducati has used its 937cc Testastretta V-twin engine that already powers the Multistrada V2, Hypermotard 950, Supersport 950, and the Monster. Of course, for the DesertX, the engine has been tuned differently to produce 110PS at 9250rpm and 92Nm at 6500rpm. The bike features shorter first five gears for off-road useability and a longer sixth gear for highway touring.

Supporting this wild engine is an all-new steel trellis chassis built to take a beating. It is suspended on a fully adjustable 46mm Kayaba fork and monoshock offering 230mm and 220mm of travel, respectively. Ducati has entrusted the braking duties to twin 320mm front discs (paired with Brembo M50 monobloc calipers) and a 265mm rear disc with a Brembo caliper.

The ADV runs on 21/18-inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli Scorpion STR tyres. Of course, all this translates to a tall rally-style seat height of 875mm.

Putting down all that performance is a suite of electronic aids, including multi-level ABS, traction control, wheelie control, engine braking control, and a bi-directional quickshifter. The Ducati DesertX gets four power modes: Full, High, Medium, and Low, along with six riding modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, and Rally. The last two are new from Ducati and dial down power or electronic aids depending on the selected mode.

You can toggle between these settings on the new 5-inch TFT console. The console’s vertical orientation is meant to aid visibility when straddling, something you might find yourself doing on the DesertX more often than not. It is compatible with the Ducati Multimedia System to allow phone call/message alerts and turn-by-turn navigation. You can switch between Standard and Rally display modes, the latter displaying information in a way reminiscent of Dakar bikes. The navigation is on top while the speedometer and tachometer are moved to the bottom.

Another rally raid-inspired feature on the Ducati DesertX is the 8-litre auxiliary fuel tank (offered as an accessory). With the help of a secondary pump, the fuel is transferred to the 21-litre primary tank once it hits reserve. Other accessories for the DesertX include multiple crash protection kits and panniers with a combined capacity of 117 litres.

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The Ducati DesertX will arrive in the USA and European markets by mid-2022. It has been priced at USD 16,795 (roughly Rs 12.70 lakh). In India, we can expect the bike to be priced at around Rs 16 lakh (positioning it similar to the Multi 950), however, we still are almost a year away from the bike arriving on our shores.