Ducati DesertX launch: All you need to know about the Italian automotive giant's latest off-road offering

Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati is all set to launch its off-road-oriented adventure touring motorcycle  'DesertX' in the Indian market on December 12. The off-road bike will rival the likes of Triumph Tiger 900 Pally as well as the Honda Africa Twin in the Indian Market.

The DesertX is focused on 'adventure' and comes with off-road capabilities.  The bike is equipped with a 937 cc liquid-cooled L-Twin engine  which was previously seen in the Multistrada V2. The engine puts out 110 hp of max power and 92 Nm of peak torque.

Ducati has claimed that the engine retains the same specs as the Multistrada V2 engine but is significantly lighter by around 1.7 kilograms and has been geared for greater efficiency at high speeds according to the release.

The offroader weighs 202 kgs and comes with a 21 inch front and 18 inch rear wheelbase. The bike comes with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, with sizes: 90/90 – R 21 and 150/70 R 18 M which are the perfect choice for a truly all-round use of the bike.  The bike's geometry provides a whopping 250 mm of ground clearance to give the rider an unhindered off-roading experience.

The suspension setup consists of 46 mm upside-down fork at the front with 230 mm travel and a fully adjustable single shock absorber at the back with 220 mm travel, developed with the Japanese brand Kayaba (10(B), according to the release.

The bike is packed with a braking setup comprising of 320 mm dual front discs with Brembo M50 monobloc radial calipers, and a single Brembo 265 mm disc at the back with a double-piston floating caliper. The seat height of the DesertX is set at 875 mm and the fuel tank capacity is 21 litres, reports said.

The DesertX motorcycle comes at a starting price of Rs 17,91,000 Ex-Showroom in India.

The bike is equipped with a new-age electronic system, which enhances the bike's riding experience. The bike has new features such as specific settings for  Enduro Riding Mode and the introduction of the new Rally Riding Mode, in addition to Sport, Touring, Urban and Wet mode.

Each riding mode takes advantage of the Bosch IMU to act on the intervention levels of the various controls, the ABS can also be completely deactivated directly through the control block with a dedicated button, but only in the Enduro and Rally Riding Modes, the release said.

Bipul Chandra, Managing Director, Ducati India commented on the launch and said “The DesertX project was born in 2019 when Ducati presented the concept to the public, generating a strong positive reaction from motorcyclists around the world. This important feedback gave us the decisive push to transform that concept into the motorcycle that is now winning hearts around the world. It’s the first Ducati with a 21” front wheel and an off-road prowess like no other and the first lot of motorcycles coming to India is already sold out, which is further proof that the DesertX will mark a new chapter in Ducati’s journey in India.”