DUCATI’S DESERTX … IN THE FLESH

If the marketing strategy behind Ducati’s DesertX was to tease and torment us, they’ve done a bloody good job of it. It’s been almost three years since the DesertX first appeared as a prototype machine that wowed the world at Europe’s 2019 EICMA show. Last Christmas, the production version of the DesertX was revealed, confirming Ducati’s first foray into the fast-growing mid-capacity adventure bike market was undoubtedly a serious one. And then last week, Ducati unveiled a display-only DesertX at their Sydney-based HQ to give the local moto media a tantalising gander, touch and feel of the machine we’ll finally get the chance to test in August, just prior to it hitting dealer floors in Oz and NZ.

So, while we hold out for that long-awaited first ride, let’s reflect on what struck us about this machine when we first saw it in the 3D flesh, rather than 2D images in the brochure. Here are the first reactions of Transmoto’s Andy Wigan and Matt Holmes, along with Ducati’s Nick Selleck, from the bike’s recent Aussie unveiling…