Sand, dunes and spectacular jumps, in a scenario that couldn’t be clearer than this. Of all Ducati motorcycles, there has never been one like the new DesertX, which aims straight at enduro enthusiasts, the real one. And it does so with a technical sheet that leaves no room for uncertainty. The front wheel measures 21 inches and the rear 18 inches, forming the off-road pairing par excellence. The line, on the other hand, is a modern interpretation of the maxi-enduro lines of the Eighties and was defined by the Ducati Style Center following the criteria of essentiality and sturdiness. At the center of the steel trellis frame is the liquid-cooled 937 cc twin-cylinder Testastretta 11 ° with desmodromic distribution, which delivers 110 hp at 9,250 rpm and 92 Nm at 6,500 rpm.
Never in the production of Borgo Panigale had anything like this been seen, although the arrival of the DesertX is not a bolt from the blue. A nice taste of its forms had already been seen at Eicma 2019, when it was presented in the form of a concept. Having received the appreciation of the public and professionals, the Ducati technicians began to work on the series product, managing to contain the dry weight within 202 kg, which should define an intuitive and communicative driving dynamics, transmitting confidence on any kind of road. The suspensions are also excellent, both fully adjustable and signed by Kayaba: 46 mm upside-down fork with 230 mm of travel and rear mono with 220 mm of useful travel. The ground clearance of 250 mm confirms the off-road attitude, as indeed the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, with sizes 90 / 90-21 and 150/70 R18.
Of course, the braking system is also top notch. All Ducatis are equipped with ABS Cornering (which can be deactivated) and the Desert X is no exception. The two 320 mm front discs are bitten by Brembo M50 monobloc radial calipers with 4 30 mm pistons with axial pump and adjustable levers; the 265 mm rear single disc, also Brembo, is machined by a twin-piston floating caliper, again from Brembo. As for ergonomics, the DesertX has been developed with long test sessions both off-road and on asphalt. And the result is a saddle-footrest-handlebar triangulation that expresses its maximum potential in standing driving, with excellent comfort even in that seat. The result is a motorcycle with an extremely slim fit area and the seat surface positioned 875 mm from the ground.
These are features that are added to the 21-liter tank (expandable to 29), the 120-liter load capacity, the 6 Riding Modes and the 4 Power Modes, not to mention the technological equipment that includes instrumentation with a 5-color TFT display. ”High resolution and full Led lights with double front projector. Now all that remains is to try it, from May onwards, when it will arrive in dealerships with a price list starting from € 15,990.
