2023 Ducati DesertX Review Live From the Official U.S. Press Introduction
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Alright folks, good morning and welcome to the official US press introduction of Ducati
00:09 Motor Holdings 2023 Desert X.
00:13 This is a much anticipated middleweight rally style adventure bike from Ducati out of Bologna,
00:24 Italy.
00:25 Ducati has been teasing this vehicle since the 2019 model year when they debuted it at
00:32 the EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy.
00:37 Fast forward to today and there it is.
00:42 Look at it boys and girls.
00:44 It is stylized like the old Kaviga Elephant from back in the late 80s.
00:53 Look at that thing.
00:54 I love that double inset LED headlamp.
01:00 I love the whole proportions and profile of this motorcycle.
01:06 This vehicle rolls on an off-road style 21 inch front and 18 inch rear wheel.
01:15 Spoked aluminum hoops with Scorpion Rally STR rubber.
01:21 Look at this thing.
01:23 Now this vehicle is powered by Ducati's tried and true 937cc Testastretta 11 degree engine.
01:34 This is the same power unit that Ducati uses in many of its other street bikes like the
01:42 2021 Monster, like the Ducati Supersport vehicle that they debuted a few years ago, and of
01:53 course that engine was also used in the Hypermotard a few years ago I believe.
02:00 So this particular engine configuration has some subtle tweaks.
02:03 It also benefits from that new six speed gearbox that Ducati debuted on the 2021 Monster.
02:11 That was a significant improvement.
02:13 The previous gearbox sucked and the new one is much better.
02:17 So good job Ducati.
02:18 This particular vehicle has lower first and second gears.
02:23 The gear ratios are lower and that is better for when you're riding at slower speeds and
02:29 trying to go up and down incline here.
02:34 As you see over there, this vehicle has full suspension adjustment.
02:39 They are adjusting the ride height on the rear shock.
02:42 It's worth noting that the rear shock operates without a linkage.
02:47 So it's direct mount between the steel trellis frame and the cast aluminum swing arm.
02:56 So usually I'm more of a linkage type kind of suspension guy, but so far so good on this
03:02 Ducati Desert X.
03:05 All right folks, we're gearing up for our photo shoot so we can get all the great medias
03:09 and contents to all of you folks out there.
03:13 And after that, we're going to saddle up and talk about this motorcycle while we're riding
03:18 in the cockpit.
03:19 Look at this beautiful surroundings.
03:22 Right now we are near Snowmass, Colorado during the month of August.
03:28 This is peak summertime riding season and what better way to explore the awesomeness
03:36 of mother nature than on a Ducati Scrambler Desert X.
03:41 I'm sorry, a Ducati Desert X.
03:43 This is not in the Scrambler family.
03:46 All right folks, we'll catch in with you in a little bit.
03:49 See you later.
03:50 All right folks, here we are at the official press introduction of Ducati's 2023 Desert
03:58 X and a good old fashioned mechanical key.
04:02 Yes.
04:04 And away we go, guys.
04:12 So Ducati North America is hosting this event in Aspen, Colorado.
04:19 So we have spent most of the day riding around the two lane fire roads and other trails in
04:31 this mountainous region.
04:34 And look how pretty it is, boys and girls.
04:39 We are stuck behind this truck with the Gator John Deere UTV, but we will pass them momentarily.
04:53 Now this bike is all new for the 2023 model year.
05:00 This is Ducati's middleweight adventure bike.
05:04 So this motorcycle is positioned above the Scramblers.
05:11 So the previous kind of middleweight adventure bike, even though it wasn't really an adventure
05:17 bike, would have been the Scrambler Desert Sleigh.
05:23 So that bike is going to remain in Ducati's lineup, but this thing is positioned basically
05:31 almost below the Multistrada V4.
05:35 But unlike the Multistrada V4, which still retains its road focus with this 19, 17 inch
05:44 wheel combo, this vehicle has an authentic set of 21, 18 inch wheels for off-road riding.
05:55 I love street bikes that ride on 21, 18s.
05:58 We've talked about it a bazillion times in our other adventure touring bike reviews.
06:06 These days with the excellent street rubber you can get in 21 inch and 18 inch wheel fitment,
06:14 it almost is a total moot point to not fit your adventure bike with 21, 18 set setup.
06:22 Back in the day, they didn't have good 21, 18 street tires, but now they do.
06:27 So that is why basically all adventure bikes made today should just have 21, 18s.
06:34 I understand why bikes like the BMW GS, bikes like the V-Strom, I get why they don't use
06:41 that setup.
06:42 They have a lot invested into that architecture.
06:46 But if you're building a new bike like Ducati has, 21, 18 is the way to go.
06:54 Now sitting on this motorcycle, I like how narrow it is.
07:00 It's pretty narrow due in part to its V-twin, or I'm sorry, L-twin engine configuration.
07:07 Ducati loves to call their engine configuration an L-twin because it's 90 degrees.
07:13 But realistically it's the same thing as a 90 degree V-twin.
07:16 They just like to use their words.
07:22 So this bike's very narrow.
07:24 I like its proportions.
07:26 You can just tell when you're looking at it, it has really nice proportions.
07:30 The nose isn't too big, it's not too small.
07:33 Tail's not too big, tail's not too small.
07:35 It's just a really nice packaged motorcycle.
07:38 I like this handlebar.
07:40 It is, it's not the beefiest handlebar I've seen, but it still has a nice bend.
07:47 It doesn't have too much of a forward bend.
07:49 It's a little bit swept back, which is nice for street biking.
07:53 And yet it still has a nice width to it.
07:59 These hand guards that are fit on this motorcycle are an option.
08:04 I wish it was stock.
08:10 This motorcycle rings in at just over $17,000 without the accessories like this cool handlebar
08:19 bag and the Barkbuster style hand guards and a couple other pieces of engine protection
08:28 that are beneath the engine.
08:32 Nice cozy seat.
08:33 I like how just the thickness of the seat, it's really comfortable.
08:43 It also has like a nice little scoop in it, so it's really easy to get your butt positioned
08:48 where you want to be in the butt.
08:50 It's not like a typical dirt bike seat where it's just long and it has no position hold.
08:57 So you can scoot far back, scoot far forward.
09:00 This seat, when you're seated in the seat, it really keeps you right in place and I like
09:05 that.
09:06 I could see ourselves logging some serious miles on this vehicle just because it is so
09:14 comfy.
09:17 I do feel a hint of engine vibration through the controls, but I wouldn't say it's excessive.
09:25 You definitely do feel it and it doesn't have, this engine doesn't have the balance harmonics
09:34 of other bikes.
09:37 This engine definitely has some vibration at different RPMs and you really feel it through
09:42 the foot picks in the handlebar.
09:44 I'm kind of used to these Ducati's engines and how they vibrate, so for me it's not that
09:49 big of a deal, but I certainly wouldn't say that this is the smoothest engine out there
09:54 by any means.
09:58 Now powering this vehicle is Ducati's tried and true 937cc Testastretta 11 degree L-twin
10:07 engine.
10:08 Now 11 degree refers to crankshaft rotation and basically it means that both the intake
10:19 and exhaust valves are open for an 11 degree duration.
10:23 When both the valves or all the valves are open like that, that generally just makes
10:27 smoother power.
10:29 So it helps this motorcycle have smoother power when it is going through its combustion
10:36 strokes.
10:37 I like this engine, we've ridden it probably thousands of miles at this point on all of
10:44 Ducati's other bikes like the Monster and the old Hypermotard and the Panigale, or I'm
10:51 sorry the Multistrada V2.
10:53 It's a very nice engine, it has good torque, it's got that old school Ducati feel, like
11:00 we said it vibrates, it vibrates kind of a lot, but again that's kind of that old school
11:05 Ducati feel.
11:06 Look how pretty it is folks, look there's the airport, look how pretty it is, my gosh.
11:16 I love riding these adventure bikes because they take you out to the middle of nowhere
11:21 and you get to see how cool life is outside of the house, especially on two wheels.
11:31 This engine's good for right around 100 horsepower at the business end of the Pirelli Scorpion
11:39 STR tire.
11:43 Now these bike rolls on Pirelli Scorpion STR, that is basically a, I think it's a 60/40,
11:52 it's a little bit more street biased, but Pirelli also makes a Scorpion Rally tire,
11:59 which has a very similar tread pattern to this tire, but it's made for more off-road
12:06 use.
12:07 Still, we've ridden these Scorpion STRs on a bunch of bikes over the years, and I really
12:15 like this tire, it's got a really good compromise between on and off-road performance.
12:21 100 horsepower at the business end of the tire, right around 65 pound feet of torque,
12:27 this engine's got some get up and go, which I like.
12:31 I really like that this powertrain's now fitted with that updated six-speed transmission,
12:38 we talked about that in last year's Monster review video, that new six-speed transmission's
12:46 a big upgrade.
12:48 The old transmission was super sloppy, this one has much more positive engagement.
12:55 The internal gear ratios on this bike, first and second gear, are a tad shorter inside
13:02 the transmission, that just helps this vehicle navigate steep terrain a little bit better.
13:09 You gotta remember when you're riding off-road, you're generally just not going as fast as
13:13 you would if you were on the road, so you want, especially first gear, to be a little
13:18 bit shorter so you can get up those steep obstacles if you're launching up a hill.
13:24 And this bike has it.
13:26 It's also fitted with an electronic quick shifter.
13:30 I love electronic quick shifters.
13:35 The quick shifter operates on the up shifts and on the down shifts.
13:42 Thank you Ducati for putting an electronic quick shifter, that makes it just more fun
13:47 to ride the motorcycle, because you don't have to worry about shifting or letting off
13:50 the throttle.
13:51 You just grab gears and go.
13:56 That's our buddy Jake Zemke with us, he's leading our ride today.
14:03 Jake Zemke is a former motorcycle racer.
14:06 He used to race AMA Superbike, I think he's a Formula Extreme champion, I don't remember
14:14 exactly what year, I want to say 2009 if my memory serves me correct, but he is riding
14:20 with us today here in Aspen.
14:24 Sorry guys, we have this line of vehicles in front of us so we can't be, we can't rip
14:30 and tear.
14:31 There's no ripping and tearing like we would like to, but it's all good because we're just
14:36 sucking in this scenery.
14:39 How gorgeous is it, folks?
14:43 Now this 937cc Testastretta engine is housed inside a steel trellis style frame.
14:54 I love steel trellis frames.
14:56 They always have real good feel and they just work really well, so I'm happy this bike has
15:02 that.
15:03 We have a cast aluminum swing arm hanging off the back of it and it is mated to the
15:12 engine case via, I'm sorry, to the frame via a three-way adjustable shock absorber.
15:20 There is no linkage, but despite there not being a linkage, this bike rides pretty well.
15:26 To be fair, we haven't really ridden on very rough pavement.
15:31 The Department of Transportation here in Colorado does a really nice job with its road surfaces.
15:37 Roads are not very bumpy here and even on some of the gravel roads and two-track we
15:42 rode, they were pretty smooth too.
15:44 So jury's out a little bit on actual performance of that rear suspension.
15:51 It seems to be working pretty good, but we'd have to really ride it down in SoCal where
15:56 the roads get real rough to really give you a good assessment of it.
16:00 Generally, I'm not a big fan of motorcycles that don't use linkages.
16:05 In my opinion, you kind of need to have a linkage.
16:09 You don't need to have one, but when you have a linkage, it gives you the best of both worlds.
16:14 You have good comfort when you're riding on the bumpy stuff and then you have good support
16:19 when you are whaling on the motorcycle.
16:24 Now this vehicle is fitted with a large diameter 46mm inverted fork.
16:33 Just over 9 inches of suspension travel up front, around 8 in back.
16:41 We didn't really ride anything too gnarly, so again, the jury's a little bit out on the
16:46 actual suspension performance, but for the roads we've ridden, it works just fine.
16:53 Alright folks, as usual, this Ducati Desert X is a tour de force in the electronics department.
17:01 We have traction control, we have adjustable ABS, we have adjustable engine power modes.
17:10 Ducati has added another group, general group setting called Rally Mode.
17:17 Rally Mode basically is an off-road based setting, but instead of the other off-road
17:26 setting which it has, the Enduro Mode, Rally Mode gives full power.
17:31 So Enduro Mode gives low power for whatever reason, Rally Mode gives full power, and it
17:37 also has a specific type of traction control programming that allows for some wheel slip.
17:49 So that is Rally Mode.
17:54 It's kind of strange though that Ducati didn't fit any adjustment inside Rally Mode.
18:01 Other motorcycles in this segment that have advanced IMU power traction control have incremental
18:11 adjustment for wheel slip in their Rally setting.
18:17 So that would have been a nice addition.
18:20 To be fair, we haven't really been wailing on this bike where we even really need it,
18:24 but still, just knowing that other motorcycles in this segment have that, Ducati should have
18:30 probably put that, put micro adjustment within the Rally setting for wheel spin.
18:41 Now, even though this is an adventure touring bike, this motorcycle is also equipped with
18:48 cornering ABS.
18:49 So when you're riding in ABS level 3, you have cornering ABS.
18:55 ABS level 2 doesn't have any cornering ABS function, but it allows for front and rear
19:01 ABS, where ABS level 1 is front ABS only.
19:07 You can also always override ABS and have a full manual braking experience with this
19:14 ABS toggle right here.
19:16 You have to press that toggle and hold it for a certain amount of seconds, like we're
19:23 doing right now at a stop.
19:25 Hold the button, release the button, ABS is now off by this indicator light here.
19:32 You want it on?
19:35 No, it's all good.
19:37 Now this dash display is a vertical style color TFT dash.
19:44 I like it.
19:45 The fonts are nice and crisp.
19:47 It's nice and bright.
19:48 There's a lot of information here.
19:51 We've got gear position.
19:52 We've got speed, engine RPM, coolant temp, air temperature sensor.
19:56 I love that.
19:57 Range, we've got 101 miles remaining on this ride.
20:06 This vehicle, the 937cc engine drinks from a 5.5 gallon tank.
20:14 Ducati North America also offers an auxiliary accessorial fuel tank, which you can mount
20:22 to the rear of the bike right there, and then you plug it in.
20:26 There's a hose mechanism you plug in, and it feeds the forward fuel tank.
20:32 So with that auxiliary tank, you have almost 8 gallons of fuel.
20:38 That's pretty neat.
20:54 All right folks, as you know, we are esteemed guests at the official press introduction
21:01 of this vehicle.
21:02 So we are on another company's timetable.
21:06 We can't just ride wherever we want.
21:08 We can't just do whatever we want.
21:10 We can't ride after dark.
21:12 We can't do our normal testing protocol, which we do when we are operating on our own turf
21:21 and on our own terms.
21:23 So that's why this review isn't going to be as robust as many of you are used to when
21:31 you read and watch our content here at Motorcyclist Magazine.
21:39 All right folks, we're supposed to be riding up that green mountain right here, so that's
21:43 going to be sick.
21:45 So we'll tune in to you guys in a little bit and talk about what that's like.
21:50 Going up Glory Hole Park, going up the mountain.
21:56 How neat is this, folks?
21:59 We're literally riding up a ski mountain on Ducati's 2023 Desert X.
22:06 That is pretty neat if you ask me.
22:19 I was just looking at what mode we're in.
22:21 Right now we are in the rally mode.
22:26 And away we go, guys, going up these hills in rally.
22:34 Yes!
22:36 It's a little bit dusty up here, so we will definitely have to mind our manners.
22:44 Standing on this motorcycle, standing, the ergonomics, I would say they're okay.
22:48 I wouldn't say this is the most comfortable motorcycle for standing that I've ridden,
22:53 but it certainly isn't terrible.
22:57 The fuel tank starts getting wider right where my knees pinch the motorcycle through the
23:06 midsection.
23:07 I wish Ducati would have made that fuel tank, the curvature of it, put it a little bit more
23:12 forward.
23:14 But I wouldn't say it's terrible by any means, but at the same time, I wouldn't say the ergonomics
23:21 package is necessarily awesome.
23:23 But you've got to remember, Ducati doesn't have a lot of experience in the off-road world.
23:30 Yes, their Multistrada V4 kicks way more butt than the previous model.
23:37 Yes, that motorcycle feels awfully like a BMW R1200GS, which we've talked about a bunch.
23:47 Now that low gear is paying dividends.
23:50 Second gear was a little bit high back there, so I had to shift into first.
23:54 Now I'm back into second gear.
23:59 We'll notch her down going into this corner, back into first gear here.
24:04 And away we go, guys.
24:10 Now I feel that rally mode traction control kind of kick in a little bit, and it kicks
24:15 in a little bit more than I'd like.
24:17 I hate traction control when I'm riding bikes off-road.
24:21 I want no traction control, no ABS.
24:23 I just want the throttle.
24:25 But it's still neat that Ducati's trying to elevate the sport and apply its technological
24:34 expertise to the off-road segment.
24:40 Just let her eat.
24:48 All in all, still a fun motorcycle to ride on this fire road up the mountain.
25:09 Let's sit down.
25:10 The standing ergonomics definitely aren't my favorite.
25:15 So we're going to sit down.
25:16 To be fair, we're not really riding in super gnarly terrain where we really need to stand
25:21 up.
25:23 So we'll go AMA flat track style and sit down.
25:27 Yes.
25:28 Yes, clean air.
25:30 Thank you.
25:32 It's getting dusted out back there, guys.
25:38 Here we go again getting dusted out.
25:40 There's a car right in front of us.
25:47 That's one of the sketchiest things about riding off-road is just the dust.
25:50 You can't see where you're going.
25:52 Folks, we made it up part of the hill.
25:55 That was fun.
25:56 Dusty, but fun.
25:57 I really do like this engine.
26:01 This engine has good bark.
26:03 And if you've ever ridden a 450 motorbike, you know that you want an engine with good
26:08 bark.
26:09 That just helps you get over obstacles and have that torque when you twist the throttle
26:15 and need that power.
26:17 Now it's nothing crazy.
26:19 The power, even though it's got a little bark, it doesn't hit super hard, which is nice,
26:27 especially when you're riding on this slick, hard pack terrain.
26:37 Shouldn't have went that way.
26:38 Oh well.
26:40 Back down to first gear, boys and girls, so we can get up this hill in two seconds.
26:52 I like this engine.
26:54 It has good torque to climb these hills, yet not so much where the engine feels like it's
27:01 going to get away from you.
27:08 Whoa.
27:10 Here, we're starting to test a little bit of the suspension and feel how it works in
27:18 its action.
27:19 It definitely delivers a nice ride.
27:22 I wouldn't say it's too stiff or too soft, but at the same time, we'd have to operate
27:34 on gnarlier terrain to really be able to give it a better gauge of its actual performance.
27:41 Look we're at top of the gondola.
27:43 How cool is this, guys?
27:44 That was fun, Jake Zemke.
27:46 Look how beautiful it is, guys.
27:48 That dusty wallop of a ride was absolutely worth it on the Desert X.
27:54 Where's the desert?
27:55 Where's the desert?
27:56 All right, folks, we're doing our photos and video passes on this rocky, semi-rocky, little
28:07 two-track terrain.
28:10 It is nice to feel the suspension moving underneath us here.
28:15 All right, there's the photographers.
28:18 Let's get some photos.
28:20 Yes.
28:21 All right, guys, while we're stopped here, let's show you the menu.
28:25 Turn the ignition key on.
28:27 That little Desert X icon comes up.
28:30 Here is the menu navigation system.
28:32 This switch gear here allows us to go through the settings.
28:36 We have the riding modes, rally, enduro, wet, rain, touring, urban, sport, default.
28:43 We are riding in rally.
28:46 We have power set to max.
28:50 We have ABS set to front only.
28:54 We have DTC off because I like DTC off.
28:57 Wheelie control is off too because DTC is disabled.
29:01 We're going to go in engine brake mode two.
29:05 The lower the engine brake number, the more engine braking effect.
29:10 If you want full free wheel slip mode or electronic mode where it keeps the throttle bodies open
29:16 and feeds the engine, you want ABS level three.
29:21 All right, folks, now we're climbing the steep grade.
29:30 Here we go, folks, on the steep grade.
29:35 Whoa, it's steep.
29:38 We did it.
29:39 We're out with the Desert X.
29:49 It's nice being able to ride a motorcycle and go wherever you want, on road or off road.
29:55 You don't have to let where the pavement ends dictate the end of your journey.
30:02 I like that.
30:04 All right, folks, another neat function is right here.
30:08 There is a USB plug for plugging your smartphone or any other gadget you might have on the
30:17 ride.
30:19 We are climbing this hill right now in rally mode in second gear.
30:25 This is our last photo pass.
30:28 There is the esteemed media people making the content for us to share with you.
30:35 Well, folks, this was a pretty fun day of riding on the new Desert X.
30:43 We're going to hit the pavement for a few moments, talk about that, and then wrap things
30:48 up.
30:49 All right, folks, here we are wrapping up our ride on the 2023 Desert X.
30:58 On the road, this bike does very well.
31:00 I like how controlled the suspension action is.
31:07 Ducati has done a real good job of being able to control the pitch of these vehicles.
31:13 I remember the Scrambler Desert X had real good pitch control.
31:22 Those are our friends, so that was allowed, so no one freak out.
31:27 This bike has good pitch control and is a really nice bike on the road.
31:32 This windscreen does a pretty decent job of blocking the elements and these mirrors show
31:39 off what's behind you fairly well.
31:42 This motorcycle has cruise control.
31:46 That's a standard feature.
31:47 However, heated grips are an upcharge.
31:51 I wish Ducati would include heated grips on its vehicles.
31:55 I mean, after all, you're paying $17,000 for this bike.
31:59 Why nickel and dime your customers?
32:00 Just throw in the heated grips and be done with it.
32:04 All right, folks, there it is, a line of 2023 Ducati Desert X middleweight adventure terrain
32:14 bikes.
32:15 It was a fun day of riding this vehicle in the mountains and forests of Colorado.
32:22 Now, what I really like about this bike is its styling.
32:28 I like that it looks like a modern version of that Kaviga elephant bike from the 1980s.
32:36 I like it a lot, yet it has all the modern accoutrement that we want on a new bike, like
32:43 those big monoblock Brembos, big double piston rear brake, and all the electronic doodads,
32:52 and wizardry.
32:53 Now, would I spend my $17,000 on this bike?
32:59 Whoo, this bike is pretty expensive for what it is.
33:05 But obviously, Ducati enthusiasts are into it because literally Ducati North America
33:12 is sold out of this motorcycle for the 2023 model year.
33:16 Isn't that crazy?
33:17 Still, if you want a motorcycle that has good Ducati pedigree, is really good looking, and
33:29 something a little bit unique in the class, especially in terms of aesthetics, I think
33:36 the $17,000 Desert X will be okay for you.
33:41 Well, folks, that wraps up today's review of Ducati's 2023 Desert X middleweight adventure
33:49 touring bike.
33:50 If you like this content, make sure to give this video a thumbs up.
33:53 If you don't, thumbs it down.
33:55 And make sure to surf on over to MotorcyclistOnline.com.
33:59 That's where all of our written content lives.
34:01 We'll see you guys next time.
34:02 Thanks for riding with us today.
34:03 [00:03:50] [music]
34:04 [00:04:00]
34:04 [00:04:30]