DESERTX RALLY: 5 FIRST-DATE IMPRESSIONS

We finally picked up the headlining act in Ducati’s DesertX range, the new Rally model, for what’ll be a few weeks of getting comfortable on Bologna’s big-hitting and 100% off-road oriented ADV bike. Here’s five takes on what stood out from our first date with the head-turning big Duc on some familiar trails…

1. IT’S TALL, BUT JUST CHECK THOSE LONG LEGS…

KYB’s beefy 48mm closed-cartridge fork brings 280mm of incredibly well-supported travel to the table (versus the 46mm/230mm open-cartridge fork on the standard DesertX). Out back, the fully adjustable KYB shock gets a remote spring preload adjuster so you can load it up, and travel goes up from 220mm to 240mm. All up, this means ground clearance increases by some 30mm (up to 280mm). Of course, all this off-road-ready clearance means you get a seat height in the 910mm region, which is tall in anyone’s language. Thankfully (and due largely to the V-twin layout), the one-piece rally seat (and bike in general) remains narrow, allowing you to get at least one foot down solidly on uneven trail most of the time. Have to say I was really impressed with how capable and reassuring the fork felt (especially once I was past my limits), with its progressive ramp-up swallowing line-choice mistakes without a harsh bottom-out and subsequent buck. Add to the mix an adjustable Ohlins steering damper, and the front-end is very forgiving.

2. ALL THE TORQUE, ALL THE TIME!

While there’s no changes on the engine front compared with the standard DesertX, the 937cc Testastretta 11° L-twin is one very versatile engine. With 92Nm of torque at 6500rpm on tap, the ability to tractor its way out of mud and up climbs is as uncanny as it’s passing prowess on the highway. With service intervals every two years (or 15,000km) and valve clearance checks at 30,000km, it’s a solid choice for those wanting more ride than workshop time too. Thankfully, that 108hp is able to be tamed with six riding modes, ranging from road-burning fun to full off-road response with tunable engine braking, traction control and ABS intervention – or none of it if that’s your vibe. One very trick carbon bashplate keeps all those horses and oil protected too!

3. WHEELS

An off-road-ready adventure bike needs off-road ready wheels, so Ducati moved from the more road-oriented tubeless set-up on the DesertX to the ever popular and dependable Takasago Excel rims – 21” x 2.15” on the front and 18” x 4” on the rear (you can fit the majority of off-road rubber now) – laced onto one-piece billet aluminium hubs with carbon steel spokes. This drops 5kg over the tubeless wheels, which is massive in handling terms. We opted for off-road aimed Pirelli Scorpion Rally Race MST tyres, which feel remarkably solid on the highway and give gobs of traction and feel on the dirt.

4. FOOTPEGS & THAT REAR BRAKE PEDAL…

It’s the simple things that really make a difference, and the now beautifully CNC-machined brake lever – an evolution of the tool-free, on/off road position brake pedal – is superb. A simple twist makes it easily the best off-road positioned and feeling brake, even in the biggest off-road boot when standing. Flip it for the long, sat-down highway haul and it’ll be out of the way for you to relax those calves. The revised footpegs are a big step up in size and offer no shortage of grip. May have already lost the rubber inserts though…

5. STABLE UNDER PRESSURE

Sure-footed and stable off-road and somehow on the tarmac, Ducati has ensured this DesertX Rally model lost none of its famed road-going manners – which is quite a feat, given all that travel under you. Without diving into spec and comparisons, it feels long in the wheelbase (relative to other similar mid-capacity/weight ADV bikes) and is a testament to Ducati working with KYB, and KYB bringing their closed-cartridge tech to a bike beyond the motocross world. Yep, there’s a good backstory to KYB coming onboard.

We’ll get some more kays under our belts on the DesertX Rally and get back to you with the bigger picture very soon. Can’t wait? Read our impressions from the bike’s international media launch in Morocco here.