10 REASONS WE DIG DUCATI’S DESERT SLED

In a world of high-tech, big-bore adventure beasts, Ducati’s air-cooled 803cc Scrambler Desert Sled is something of an anomaly. With just shy of 75 torquey ponies at your disposal, a solid trellis frame, and 200mm worth of travel – plus a whole lot of style – it’s easily the most off-road worthy Scrambler in the rapidly growing, rebooted Scrambler genre. We’ve been Ducati Scrambler fans since its inception, but the Desert Sled was possibly the Scrambler we wanted back then. So we figured we’d take a look at just why it’s such a rocking mini adventure weapon. Here are 10 reasons we dig it…

1. IT’S GOT HISTORY

The original 1962-1976 Ducati Scramblers were cobbled together from street-legal models and featured “narrow-case” engines with lightly altered frames. They were originally derived from a 250cc Ducati Diana road bike, converted for dirt-track racing (and sales) in America. The new Ducati Scrambler, while sharing the name, is a completely new design first shown in 2014 at the Intermot motorcycle show in Cologne. The bikes appeared in showrooms the following year and come 2017, the Scrambler Desert Sled design was revealed. Brainchild of Ducati Centro Stile and Alex Earle (more on him later), the off-road oriented Desert Sled jacked the travel up and, interestingly, the prototype had a remote fuel cell in the rear, a la the new DesertX!

2. THE VIBE!

With retro-looking scramblers being released by a majority of the big players in the moto world, the Desert Sled looks the most scrambler of ’em all. Even better, the Desert Sled has the performance to match the looks. Travel, power and epic style. Add some gold rims? Sign me up!

3. OFF-ROAD READY

If you inclination is to head into the off-road universe, the Desert Sled is ready. Not content with just looking the part, Ducati started with the chassis, specifically designing it to cope with the stresses of off-road use. That big swingarm is built ready for action too. Add a grille for the front headlight; big, braced handlebars; an off-road focused seat; high mudguards plus a skidplate for when you blow through the 200mm of travel; and it’s ready to go where you want.

4. THAT ENGINE…

2022 marks 50 years of rumbling Ducati twins. The Desert Sled’s 803cc L-twin is a direct descendant of the famed 748cc 90-degree V-twin designed by Fabio Taglioni – a move that took Ducati from lightweight singles into the Superbike class. With the engine being incredibly narrow and a stressed member of the frame, handing was superb and like nothing the Japanese manufacturers could match at the time. Add to this, endless torque and bellowing power, all made possible by the exotic bevel-drive arrangement for the overhead camshafts. Of course, in turn, this led to the even more exotic Desmodromic valve-train, and in its first outing under Paul Smart shook the racing world to its knees at Imola in 1972. Belts replaced the bevel in the mid ’80s, but the V-twins have remained all the way through till today.

5. TECH RIDER AIDS…

While channeling all of the simple, stripped-back ’60s desert vibes, underneath the Desert Sled’s minimalist style lays just enough modern tech to make sure you get where you’re going. Most notably it includes dual-channel Bosch cornering ABS, making trail-braking in corners nothing short of a breeze – on or off-road. Also of note, it’s Ducati Multimedia System ready, meaning sync it to your phone and your in-helmet speakers and you’re good to go, connected!

6. SUSPENSION

You’re not going to head off-road with road-going travel and come home happy afterwards, if you come home at all. And hence, the Ducati Desert Sled comes with adjustable 46mm Kayaba suspension, giving you 200mm of travel up front. On the back, the Kayaba rear shock is pre-load and rebound adjustable through its 200mm of travel and a big ol’ double-sided aluminium swingarm keeps it all in check. Somehow, the wizards at Ducati have ensured that it still handles the tarmac superbly as well.

7. RACE PROVEN

Aside from the obvious track-based racing heritage that Ducati is famous for, the Desert Sled has proven itself under race conditions. Jump back to the epic story we posted recently of Ducati and Fasthouse teaming up to race the Mint 400 Desert Race. With only minor upgrades, the Fasthouse crew sent their sleds through the Nevada Desert to claim the top step of the podium in their first attempt.

8. LOAD IT UP & TRAVEL!

One scroll through Instagram, searching for ‘Desert Sleds travelling’, showcases just how far and wide riders are prepared to take their Sleds. With factory and aftermarket options for luggage, fuel cells and pretty much anything you can think of, there’s not many spots on this planet not attainable upon this versatile ride. Most notably, 22-year-old Henry Crew. He left London on April 3, 2018, aboard a Scrambler Desert Sled, for a charity ride in aid of the Movember Foundation. He then realised, along the way, that his adventure would see him enter the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest person to ever complete a round-the-world trip on a motorcycle, travelling close to 40,000km and reaching specific destinations on opposite sides of the planet. He raised $20 grand too!

9. CUSTOMISABLE

Ducati offers a host of build options for the Desert Sled. From protection, to pipes and luggage. Even better news is that there’s a slew of aftermarket parts available, allowing you to customise your Sled just the way you want it. From parts to full kits, the Desert Sled has a range of manufacturers and builders ensuring the longevity of this platform. Our favourites include the Desert Sleds original design head Alex Earle, whose Earle Motors makes some very dialled swingarm extenders alongside some amazing Sled builds. Unit Garage offers a full off-road kit that includes a smaller more off-road focused tank. Plus there’s a slew of builders making Sleds very special, and that’s a rabbithole of its own…

10. OKAY, HOW MUCH?

By now, we all know the Desert Sled is a versatile ride for day-to-day shredding and off-road missions to escape the city grind. And for 2022, it remains pretty much the same as the prior model, bar a new seat and colour way changes. But how much will you pay to get your hands on one? The latest Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled starts at $20,700, and you can spec it up from there. That’s if you can get your hands on one. Ducati Australia tells us that, aside being their biggest seller, the waiting list is growing!

Head to https://scramblerducati.com/au/bike/desertsled/ for more!