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Photo:
Matteo Cavadini / Ducati
The first impression:
The DesertX is only available in one color, in Star White Silk.
A smart choice - the color emphasizes the key design elements, the low 21-litre tank and the dual LED headlights integrated into the windshield.
This brings back memories of the classic enduro bikes of the 1990s.
It's modern at the same time.
A more coherent motorcycle could not be seen this year.
That's what the manufacturer says:
Ducati presented the DesertX in the Olbia region of Sardinia, on bumpy country roads and dusty gravel roads lined with gnarled, resilient cork oaks.
That fits perfectly to describe the rough, down-to-earth nature of the DesertX: »This is not another Multistrada
[touring motorcycle, ed.]
.
No, the DesertX is inherently self-contained.
We started three years ago with just the engine, the Testrastretta 11° with 937 cc.
Everything around it, but also everything, was newly developed,” says Filippo Marri, the responsible project engineer.
The demands on the DesertX - and therefore also on Marri - were high: performance and brilliant driving characteristics on the road, but also outstanding performance in difficult terrain.
The whole thing looks as close as possible to the study that caused a sensation when it was presented at the EICMA in Milan in 2019.
The DesertX is intended to lay the foundation for a completely new off-road segment in the Ducati portfolio.
That's what caught our eye:
we're driving inland from the coast.
The first few kilometers already show: the ergonomics are right;
the driving position and handlebar height are ok.
Only the windscreen - fixed and not adjustable - could be better for tall riders over 1.85 m.
The cockpit compensates for this.
Super tidy with a pretty 5 inch color TFT display.
Together with the Ducati smartphone app, the display can do arrow navigation.
The traffic thins out.
Time to check out the DesertX engine.
It brings 110 hp at 9250 and 92 Nm at 6500 rpm;
the unit makes itself heard massively: 94 db (A) are formally measured when stationary, one is theoretically still suitable for Tyrol, where comparatively strict noise standards apply.
However, that only counts for as long as you don't call on the unrestrained power: with the open intake tract and in the quickshifter power sprint, the four-valve engine swallows the air extremely loudly.
The DesertX rolls on spoked rims and tires in size 21 at the front and 18 at the rear.
So we're on the road with the first Ducati that dares to enter the 21-inch segment.
And it cuts a fine figure: the DesertX cuts through the Sardinian curves and serpentines as if pulled by a string.
If things get tight before the bend, the Brembo brake system comes into action with two disc diameters of 320 mm at the front and 265 mm at the rear.
It bites everything away and is suitable for the racetrack.
Clever electronic systems support these abilities.
Traction control can be set to eight levels;
wheelie control has four levels, engine brake EBC three.
The cornering ABS can also be leveled in three stages depending on the application.
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Furthermore, six Riding Modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, Rally) are offered, which can be freely combined with four power mappings Full, High, Medium and Low, each with 3 power levels.
With a full tank you can realistically travel up to 380 km;
because you sit well, the DesertX is an enticing option for mile-eating touring riders.
The slopes in the interior of the island and especially the routes around Loell, where a special stage of the World Rally Championship WRC is regularly held, are hot, hard and, above all, dusty.
Exactly the right terrain to explore the praised off-road capability of the DesertX.
The two Enduro and Rally modes differ, among other things, in the engine output.
Enduro brings only 75 hp to the rear wheel, reacts softer, is the choice for difficult passages, so to speak.
Rally delivers the full 110 hp: Here the throttle response is linear and direct;
a gas push is enough and the 223 kg light load (full tank) goes on the attack.
Nevertheless, the first real Ducati off-roader can also crawl;
the low center of gravity and the excellent standing position make driving on demanding tracks easier.
In any case, the DesertX showed itself from its best side in the dust near Loell.
One notices immediately that the Testastretta 11° version in the vehicle is tailored to the special dual-use application on road and gravel.
The transmission also plays its part: For the DesertX, it was equipped with a short first and second gear.
Compared to the Multistrada V2, for example, first gear is 14.3 percent shorter.
The Italians have made quite a loud but impressive exclamation point: the modified Testastretta engine, the adapted gearbox, the excellent chassis and suspension behavior are optimally suited to road use.
But they also make an impression when things get really dirty, uneven and challenging.
What you need to know:
As already mentioned, the selection of DesertX is manageable: it is only available in white and the basic version costs 15,990 euros.
Since June it has also been available as a throttled 48 hp version for the A2 driving license.
The accessories, on the other hand, are confusing: Ducati offers several performance, sport, enduro and rally packages.
The 8-liter additional tank is visually interesting, which is attached to the rear and refills the front tank with its own small petrol pump via menu command.
In the online configurator, the price quickly rises towards 25,000 euros.
We won't forget that:
the brakes.
On asphalt they are sharp and speak snappy.
So really good.
However, you pay the price for this off-road: the blocks close too quickly when driving slowly or in narrow passages and are difficult to dose, especially at the rear.
So please use with caution!
Jochen Vorderer is a freelance author and was supported in his research by Ducati. Reporting is independent of this.
