Ducati’s Desert X has always been at the more ‘off-road’ end of the adventure bike market. With its 21” front wheel, tall suspension and an Eighties-retro Dakar inspired styling, the 937cc twin has appealed to riders looking for a big and imposing machine capable of handling some action away from the beaten track. If that’s not enough, the new Rally version takes the philosophy one step further, with even more capability in the rough stuff.
The announcement of the Rally version is not a huge surprise. Multiple Enduro champion and Dakar stage winner Antoine Meo rode a prototype in the Iron Road Prolog at this year’s Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, winning the twin cylinder class.
The main differences between the Rally, which will retail at £18,995, and the £14,995 standard Desert X are in the chassis components. The Rally runs on lighter yet stronger wheels, with high-strength Takasago Excel rims, with inner tubes and carbon steel spokes, and while the Rally comes with the excellent, road orientated, Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres as standard, it is also homologated to run the more dirt focussed, Scorpion Rally and Scorpion Trail II rubber as alternatives.
The Desert X’s already tall stance has taken a growth spurt. The fully-adjustable 48mm Kayaba front forks are of a higher spec than the standard model and offer 250mm of travel, while rear suspension travel increases by 20mm to 240mm. The whole set-up has been softened, in anticipation of rough terrain, and ground clearance is up to 280mm – with the seat height coming in at a mighty 910mm, up from the already lofty 875mm of the base bike.
The Rally model also receives an Öhlins steering damper, as well as a host of fancy components machined from solid, including brake levers, gear pedal and steering head. Your extra £4000 also gets you a dedicated livery, named ‘Iron Giant’ in honour of Meo’s Erzberg exploits, while the distinctive high front mudguard completes the Dakar looks and facilitates the use of a split front brake line.
Mechanically the Rally is the same as the model upon which it is based, meaning a 110bhp version of the Testastretta motor, tuned for the Desert X’s adventure bike application. It’s all harnessed by Ducati’s highly regarded electronics package, which includes six customisable riding modes and three different power levels, as well as eight levels of traction control and cornering ABS.
Weight is expected to be 223kg (1kg more than the standard model) with the 21 litre fuel tank topped up, and we’re expecting to see them arrive in Ducati’s UK showrooms from February.
