Ride this bike into work and you’ll immediately become the coolest dude in the office.You’re not going to buy a Desert Sled for the touring features on the spec sheet. Is the ducati desert sled … 2017 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled Review One nature of the desert is that there will be roads that are long, uninterrupted straight line—paved or not.
Facebook - @BikeReview The Desert Sled is inspired by the custom machines that took the same name in America, which were essentially desert racers. It’s a fantastic looking machine and performs so well in the dirt and on road that I’m seriously considering buying one.But let’s add a little context to that statement. A sump protector helps prevent damage while offroad I consent to allow Adventure Bike Rider to collect my contact information (required)We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Simon Leplaw from Ducati was quick to point out that the Desert Sled is a soft off-roader, and while our local testing ground is a pretty rough example of such, it demonstrated this well.
The Desert Sled also features it’s own seat, a single piece affair with room for a pillion and with a 860mm seat height, while the front mudguard is a new high clearance version, in the off-road theme.Standard features include the 803cc air-cooled Desmodromic L-Twin powerplant, single disc brake front and rear, both Brembo and with ABS as standard fitment, plus an LCD display, interchangeable tank side panels and a huge range of available accessories from Ducati.Engine: Air-cooled, L-Twin, Desmodromic, two-valves per cylinder, 803cc, 88 x 66mm bore x stroke, 11:1 compression ratio, Stainless steel muffler, aluminium tail pipes, EFI, 50mm throttle-bodyFrame: Tubular steel Trellis frame, aluminium double-sided swingarmThe Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled features a reinforced chassis, lengthened swingarm, beefed up long travel suspension and the ergonomics for some great off-road exploring, making it an eye catching option with the performance to match…I are some issues that I’ve not seen mentioned anywhere.Ducati suggest you wear, “proper riding gear!” Think insulated boots so your leg doesn’t burn and riding pants. First off, I’m not intelligent enough to think of a compelling reason to turn down a free trip to Spain to ride any sort of bike. The simple LCD dash is easy to read at a glance So much for a fun bike you could take anywhere and be proud of!Damned shame Ducati and the sales team didn’t mention this before you buy the bike.I live in Florida and this would have been a fun bike to run to a pub, the market, the gym, the beach or just putting around town without having to put on “the special riding outfit!”Quite a lot of bikes feature security systems which work in a similar manner, although there being problems when it gets wet is no good!
2020 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition. For skins, Ducati added Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally STR enduro tire. And this is where the Desert Sled fits in.The beautiful retro looks of the bike (XT500 anyone?) YouTube - BikeReview.com.au
The next chapter in Ducati’s play book is to expand the Scrambler image beyond the company’s own history and link it to a larger movement in the motorcycle world. The only downside is the extra premium you’ll be paying over many of the other Scrambler offerings.Ducati’s Desert Sled is a larger departure from the base Scrambler template than many of the other offerings in the line, incorporating features to make it a more formidable off-road option. You could probably buy separate mounts for the mirrors so you could adjust the lever angle, but then you’re adding another piece of hardware that’s unnecessary for anyone not moving the levers like this, so it seems an unlikely choice as original equipment.
The latter can definitely cause issues, although I’ve had a few bikes in the past which would play up even being rinsed off with a garden hose on low pressure . The term ‘desert sled’ was coined in the Southwest USA and Baja during the 1960s to describe large capacity street bikes which had been customised and modified for use (and racing) in the desert. The Desert Sled is what I call a ‘me’ bike, and not a machine to consider if a happy pillion is one your buying criteria.
have huge visual appeal, plus the level of competence this machine possesses, both on road and off road, has got me thinking of replacing the Ténéré with the twin cylinder Sled.On the launch over in Spain, it proved itself to be a far superior road bike than the Ténéré, with better handling, weight distribution, performance and suspension. Has the potential to become a cult RTW machine.I’d whisk my other half to the shops and that’s about it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
Grip on the road was exceptional, with a quick transition onto the side of the tyre, but great stability once you got there. In fact for shorter trips of one to two hours the Desert Sled is comfortable, however having spent up to six hours in the saddle I would say it’s more orientated towards these shorter trips, rather than long distance touring.I’ve always enjoyed what Ducati have done with the Scrambler, it’s a versatile option and like I’ve already said, harkens back to a simpler time. I couldn’t get the ABS to activate on the tarmac either, with that clear indication of the limit of the front coming into play, while a few quick stops on the dirt were fuss free when the ABS come into play but it would be good to switch it off on the dirt to provide better control.New for the Desert Sled is the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, on spoked wheels, which include a 19in front and 17in rear. You could also consider ‘bar end mirrorsWe didn’t notice excessive heat on this model and we had a few 35c days during testing, although we’re generally riding in motorcycling jeans and riding boots, which provide significantly more protection, especially to your ankles and calves. I’d say I’m not alone in appreciating that either, with this kind of machine proving popular across many categories, and the Desert Sled may be a niche offering within that concept, but it’s a fun and characterful ride.Styling is great, and the finish quality typical of Ducati.