Ducati DesertX launched in India

Ducati has launched the DesertX adventure bike in India at ₹17.91 lakh (ex-showroom, India). By virtue of its displacement and output levels, it goes up against the likes of the Triumph Tiger 900 and the BMW F 850 GS. For reference, the Tiger is priced at ₹13.7 lakh for the road-biased GT version and ₹15.5 lakh for the range-topping, off-road ready Rally Pro variant, while the Beemer comes at ₹12.50 lakh in standard form, and ₹13.75 lakh in adventure guise, with a large fuel tank.

The substantial excitement around the DesertX is down to the fact that this is the Italian manufacturer’s first serious adventure bike in the modern era. To back up this claim, it comes with a 21-inch/18-inch wire-spoke wheel combo, 230mm and 220mm of suspension travel at the front and rear, respectively, and 250mm of ground clearance. These are impressive numbers that not only dwarf those of the erstwhile Multistrada 1260 Enduro, but are also class-leading on many fronts. The X stays true to its Ducati roots in the frame department, while a traditional trellis frame holds everything together.

Hauling around this purposeful new chassis is a rather familiar motor — the 937cc Testastretta L-twin that does duty in the Multistrada V2, Panigale V2, Monster and Hypermotard 950. Output figures, at 110hp and 92Nm, are a bit lower than on some Testastretta-powered bikes.

The seat is a lofty 875mm off the deck, but that can be brought down to 865mm using an accessory low seat, and an even at 845mm when the seat is clubbed with a low suspension kit.

Also in true Ducati fashion, the electronics suite matches the scale of the suspension travel and ground clearance, with a total of six riding modes on offer, including Enduro and Rally modes dedicated to off-road use. You also get four power modes and a Bosch IMU to assist the electronics in doing their job irrespective of the bike’s orientation.

Everything is controlled by a slick-looking 5.0-inch TFT dash with optional Bluetooth connectivity. Other optional extras include a raft of aluminium luggage units, heated grips, fog lamps and even an 8-litre auxiliary fuel tank. With the standard 21-litre fuel tank, (and all other fluids) topped up, the DesertX tips the scales at 223kg.