Motorcycle specifications DucatiDesertX 937 2022 Back to the trail of the future

" The project was born in a very creative way, starting from a blank sheet of paper," explains Andrea Ferraresi, director of the Ducati styling center, in the preamble to the ^6thepisode of the Ducati World Première 2022. " We were inspired by the bike we have in the museum. That's how the concept we unveiled in 2019 came about."

The motorcycle to which the Italian designer is referring is, of course, the famous Cagiva Elefant 900 i.e. with which Edi Orioli won the Paris-Dakar in 1990. Cagiva had signed an engine supply agreement with Ducati back in 1983, and this big trail bike, also famous for its decoration in the colors of the Lucky Strike cigar company, was powered by the inevitable air-cooled 904 cm3 Ducati L-twin.

with the Yamaha Ténéré 700 and the return to popularity of medium-displacement off-road trails, the Italian manufacturer decided to offer " a bike that pushes the limits of what you can do with a Ducati". To achieve this, Italian engineers have developed " a new chassis specifically designed for off-road use ", and Ducati's design boss is quick to describe the new DesertX as a "sporting tool". He adds: " It's the first Ducati designed and built to traverse the most demanding off-road terrain, with a 21" front and 18" rear wheel, long-travel suspension and high ground clearance." Unlike KTM, whose origins lie in off-road riding and which has gradually made the transition to a road and speed bike, Ducati will be breaking new ground in 2022 with a bike that is truly designed and developed for off-road use.

w hile Ducati's range already includes the Multistrada 1260 Enduroand Scrambler Desert Sled, it has to be said that, despite some TT attributes and a marketing strategy geared more towards off-road adventure, these motorcycles were originally designed primarily for road use. Despite this, Ducati points out that the DesertX nevertheless remains " comfortable, easy and safe on long journeys thanks to the care taken with rider and passenger ergonomics, aerodynamic design and advanced electronics."

the DesertX's tubular steel trellis frame houses the famous ^937cm3 V2 Testastretta 11° Desmodromic engine. A vigorous, liquid-cooled twin that already powers the Multistrada V2 and Monster. Thus powered, the DesertX offers 110 hp at 9,250 rpm and 92 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm, for a dry weight of 202 kg (223 kg in running order). Despite the 1.7 kg gain on the engine, this is still higher than the weight of the Yamaha Ténéré 700, which stands at 204 kg fully loaded. With 110 bhp for the Italian and 73 bhp for the Japanese, the DesertX will certainly have no trouble carrying off the extra kilos, but they will surely remain noticeable when the terrain becomes more demanding... To adapt the character of its vigorous twin to off-road riding, Ducati has revised the gearbox staging: " ^1st and^2nd gears, in particular, are much shorter than on other models, for greater responsiveness when riding off-road at low speeds ", confirms Perluigi Ziampieri, Ducati R&D Director. All the while, the ^6th gear is long enough for cruising without consuming too much fuel on the freeway. Note that the DesertX is fitted as standard with an up&down shifter for upshifting and downshifting without having to cut the throttle or use the clutch.

despite its minimalist, adventurous looks, the DesertX nonetheless offers an ultra-complete equipment package, with no less than six riding modes - Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet and Sport. Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, Rally - which influence power (110 hp, 95 hp or 75 hp) and throttle response (dynamic or soft). The Enduro mode reduces power to 75 hp, while retaining a dynamic throttle response to make off-roading easier for novices. Rally mode, on the other hand, offers dynamic response and the full 110 hp, so that experienced riders can have unlimited fun. In these two modes only, cornering ABS can be totally disconnected, and braking assistance can be set to 3 levels.

to demonstrate the DesertX's capabilities in action, Ducati took the bike out into the Saudi Arabian desert with two experienced riders, one of whom is five-time enduro world champion Antoine Méo from France. With its series of otherworldly jumps and hellish dune traverses, the DesertX reveals its full potential. The fully adjustable Kayaba suspension with its 230 mm travel at the front and 220 mm at the rear can handle any landing. In its beautiful, almost immaculate white dress, simply zebra-striped on each side by a red-white-gray-black stripe, subtly reminiscent of the Elefant's Lucky Strike decoration, the beauty sends out dreams as the Saudi sand twirls in its path. Its dual headlamp design, with each headlamp encircled by four interrupted segments of DLR LED daytime running lights, imposes a new look that pays perfect homage to that of its illustrious ancestor. It's a look that's inevitably turned towards new horizons, as far away as possible.

this look is signed by another Frenchman who has been working at Ducati's design center for several years, and to whom we already owe the design of the Scrambler Desert Sled and Scrambler 1100. Jérémy Faraud looks back at the genesis of the DesertX's styling: " In the 1990s, I was just a kid, but I still remember the excitement I felt watching the stages of the Paris-Dakar. I could see these big, fast bikes jumping from dune to dune, and it was almost surreal. What all these rally bikes had in common was a high-slung look, often with double headlights. The central volume was slim, while there was plenty of volume at the front and rear. The Desert X is designed like a tool," he confirms , "it's essential and robust Like the Yamaha Ténéré 700, the French designer stresses that " style is guided by functionality, which is why we opted for such a minimalist aesthetic." And yet, as its name suggests, the DesertX may have to operate in very hot conditions, which is why the fairing design incorporates airflow ducts, with hot air from the radiator being evacuated downwards, while passages for fresh air have been provided behind the side guards to ventilate the rider.

as we take a closer look at the DesertX in the many photos provided by Ducati, and watch it in action, bouncing here and there and moving efficiently through the sand dunes, a reminiscence inevitably emerges: the shape of the fuel tank, combined with that of the fork-head fairing that incorporates the double round headlights, is furiously reminiscent of the Yamaha Ténéré 600 model 3AJ marketed from 1998 to 1991. Which is a compliment, make no mistake! The DesertX wanted to pay homage to the illustrious Paris-Dakar racing bikes of the 1990s: the gamble paid off! Here we are, back to the future of trail bikes... and we love it! The best of an era that made us dream, combined with today's technological mastery: yippee!

in true rally-raid style, the dashboard - as on the Ténéré 700 - is positioned vertically, like a road-book scroller. Unlike the Japanese model, however, the instrument panel is far from minimalist, featuring a 5" TFT screen displaying all the necessary information and settings for electronic assistance systems such as traction control, anti-wheeling, engine braking and ABS. Various display modes are available, including a Rally mode which highlights the remaining range and the Trip Master function.

of course , the list of accessories and options is long. Whether it's to perfect off-road equipment or touring skills, the DesertX can be equipped à la carte: one-piece rider-passenger seat, low seat, headlight guard, side protection, reinforced engine cowling, aluminum luggage, heated grips, center stand, etc...

the coolest thing about the list of accessories is undoubtedly the possibility of adding an additional fuel tank at the rear, adding 8 liters of fuel to the 21 liters on offer. When the time comes, the dashboard allows you to transfer fuel from the rear tank to the front, thanks to an additional pump placed in this tank. Able to carry a total of 29 liters of fuel, the DesertX rivals the BMW R1250GS Adventure and Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer, whose huge tanks offer 30 liters of fuel. Enough for a serene adventure! Except that, for the moment, Ducati's specially developed luggage doesn't seem to be compatible with this additional 8-liter tank (see Ducati configurator): too bad.

b e that as itmay , the new Ducati DesertX makes you want to jump on its handlebars. Alas for Ducati, they're not the only ones rushing into this segment. Worse still, the Bologna-based manufacturer will have to share the heritage of the Cagiva Elefant 900 i.e. with the Varese-based manufacturer. Following the example of Ducati, which has turned its Scrambler into a brand in its own right (or as BMW has done in the automotive sector with Mini), MV-Agusta is launching a new brand in 2022 called Lucky Explorer, in reference, of course, to the mythical Cagiva painted in Lucky Strike colors. Two models will be offered: the Project 5.5 and Project 9.5, respectively powered by a 549 cm3 vertical twin from China (QJ Motors) and a 930 cm3 three-cylinder derived from those used in the MV Agusta 800. And that's not counting the arrival of the Aprilia 660 Touareg and the Husqvarna Norden 901... But we won't complain about the choice!

the A2 version of the DesertX will be available from May 2022, starting at €16,290.

M.L. - Manufacturer's photos