Ducati DesertX Adventure Bike Unveiled

Ducati saved the best for last as part of its six-part motorcycle teaser campaign as it pulled the wraps off the new DesertX adventure motorcycle. The 2022 Ducati DesertX takes shape as a production-ready motorcycle after starting life as a concept way back in 2019 at EICMA. The new DesertX brings a retro charm with the go-anywhere capability and there are plenty of likeable elements that make us eagerly wait for its arrival in India. The DesertX gets a charming retro-styled design and Ducati's 937 cc, Testastretta L-twin that is used in the Ducati Panigale V2, among other models. On the DesertX, the engine has a slightly different state of tune, as well as different gearing.

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The Ducati DesertX was first showcased as a concept at EICMA 2019 and stays quite close to the concept

The Ducati DesertX stays quite close to the concept with the twin-pod LED headlamps taking inspiration from the Ducati motorcycles that competed in Dakar in the 1990s. The bike rides on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels with tubeless design. The bodywork also follows close to the Dakar bikes also serves the purpose with two fuel tanks underneath the shell.

Essentially, the main fuel tank has a capacity of 21 litres, while a second rear-mounted auxiliary tank is available with an additional capacity of eight litres. The fuel transfer from the front to the rear tank is enabled when the fuel level falls below a certain point in the main tank. The bike then prompts the rider to switch the fuel source.

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The twin-pod headlamps and styling take inspiration from the Dakar-winning Ducati bikes of the 1990s

On the power front, the Ducati DesertX has swapped the air-cooled motor of the concept for a more practical 937 cc Testastretta 11-degree twin-cylinder engine that also does duty on the Multistrada 950 and the new Monster. The motor develops 108 bhp at 9,250 rpm and 92 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. The motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox with a wide-ratio setup with shorter first and second gears that aid in crawling, while the taller sixth gear aims for better touring ability on the highway.

The DesertX gets two fuel tanks with a main 21-litre unit and an 8-litre auxiliary unit

Suspension duties are handled by Kayaba with 46 mm forks at the front with 230 mm of travel. The rear gets a monoshock with 220 mm of travel. The seat height on the bike is a whopping 875 mm with 250 mm of ground clearance that does make it a tall order. But do expect the option of a lower seat height on the motorcycle as an accessory. Braking performance comes from Brembo with four-piston M50 calipers with dual discs at the front that uses an axial master cylinder.

The 2022 Ducati DesertX 937 cc Testastretta 11-degree twin-cylinder engine that develops 108 bhp and 92 Nm

With respect to the electronics, the DesertX will get six riding modes including Enduro and Rally modes. There's also cornering ABS that can be completely turned off in the two off-road specific riding modes. All controls can be accessed using the 5-inch TFT screen while the electronic aids on the motorcycle include the IMU-assisted traction control, wheelie control, engine brake control, cruise control and a bi-directional quickshifter. Ducati claims a kerb weight of 223 kg on the DesertX  The bike is likely to arrive in India by late 2022.