The final installment of the Ducati World Premiere 2022 series must have surprised more than one Ducati fan. Anticipated by the concept seen at EICMA in 2019, the Ducati DesertX opens a new, previously unknown segment in the Borgo Panigale manufacturer's portfolio, historically linked to competitions and in any case to high-performance motorcycles. This is how Ducati “opens up” the world of crossover and off-road with the all-new DesertX.
The engine of the Ducati DesertX is not a real novelty since it is the already known V2 with a displacement of 937 cc which already equips the Monster, Supersport, Hypermotard and Multistrada V2. To be precise, it is precisely on the Multi V2 engine that the engineers based themselves. The power and torque figures have been slightly changed: it goes from 113 hp at 9 rpm to 000 hp at 110 rpm, and the torque also goes from 9 Nm to 250 Nm. Interesting torque data are provided by the rev counter: on the Multistrada, the maximum peak reaches 94 rpm, while on the DesertX it is fixed at 92 rpm, a solution which goes hand in hand with the off-road vocation of the motorbike.
The engine counts on all the improvements already seen on the Monster and the Multistrada V2, including the extremely compact and lightweight 8-disc clutch and the gearbox equipped with a drum that runs on bearings to minimize friction and improve the precision and smoothness in the gear change phase also contributing to a reduction in the total weight of the engine by 1,7 kg compared to the previous version. The ratios have been shortened overall in all gears up to fifth to ensure the best off-road behavior.
The layout adopted for the chassis of the new Ducati DesertX includes a new steel trellis frame, which works in combination with a long travel suspension capable of guaranteeing optimal behavior even in the most demanding terrains. The optimization of all components has led to the creation of an efficient machine, with a dry weight of 202 kg.
The saddle is located 875 mm from the ground (a low saddle and lowered suspension are available as options), while the ground clearance – despite the presence of the oil pan – is 250 mm. The suspension group is mechanically adjustable and uses a fully adjustable 46mm diameter Kayaba fork, credited with 230mm of travel. At the rear there is a single shock absorber, also Kayaba brand and still fully adjustable, with 220mm of travel. The DesertX features completely new wheels for a Ducati, measuring 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear: typical off-road motorcycle measurements.
In Borgo Panigale, they thought of original solutions to make their new machine unique. The 5″ color TFT screen has been positioned vertically, a choice dictated by the desire to make information clearly visible even when standing. There are two display modes, Standard and Rally. The first is designed for road driving and displays classic information such as the rev counter, speedometer and gear engaged. The second is dedicated to off-road vehicles and offers the “tripmaster” function, which allows you to manage the odometer using the buttons on the control block to simulate the tripmaster, in fact, used in rally raids to navigate. There is also connectivity with the smartphone to activate various functions such as navigation.
The real gem concerns the tank. In the list of accessories, together with the Termignoni racing exhaust (which increases the torque and power values by 7%) and the rally saddle, an additional eight-liter tank appears. To ensure autonomy consistent with the adventurous spirit of the DesertX without penalizing the dimensions with a tank that is too large, Ducati thought of preparing the rear loop to accommodate a "small" rear tank, like that of the rally motorcycles of the 90s.
Those who like to travel kilometers in remote places will not have to worry too much about the autonomy because – also thanks to the 21 liter front tank – they will have 29 liters of gasoline available in total. How to switch between tanks? Simple, when the fuel level in the main tank drops below a certain threshold, all you have to do is “open the tap” on the additional tank using a handlebar control. In doing so, the eight liters of the rear tank will flow directly into the main tank.
There are six fully customizable riding modes and they work in combination with four power modes: Full, High, Medium and Low. They deliver 110 hp, 95 hp, 75 hp and another 75 hp respectively. Sport mapping delivers all 110 hp and offers the most immediate throttle response. The Touring driving mode delivers 95 hp and, compared to the Sport map, increases the intervention of DTC and DWC. The Urban mapping delivers 75 hp and, like the Touring mapping, offers a smoother throttle response. The Wet version, as the name suggests, is designed for driving on wet asphalt and is credited with 95 hp.
Enduro and Rally driving modes complete the mapping package. The former is the smoother of the two and offers 75 hp, but at the same time offers the quickest throttle response. Rally Mode, on the other hand, is the most extreme: the engine delivers its 110 hp, the throttle response is the fastest available, the DTC is on one of the lowest levels while the DWC is deactivated. In terms of comfort, it should be noted that cruise control is offered as standard.
The new Ducati DesertX will arrive in dealerships in May 2022 at a starting price of 15. Ducati will also offer a 990 kW version which will cost €35 less.
