Paying homage to the 1960′ and 70’s off-road bikes of the Californian desert, Ducati has released a new Scrambler that is specifically built to take on rough terrain and desert conditions. The Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled ($Inquire) is 100% enduro, with extra refinements that help make the desert its home.
The Desert Sled maintains the same 803cc L-Twin engine & 6-speed transmission of Ducati’s previous Scrambler, and that is about where the similarities end. The longer swingarm and tubular frame have been reinforced, the triple clamps have been upgraded and given better clearance, and the tires are Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR – specially designed for the sand and rock.
The Ducati team did have to add some weight to meet new emissions standards so the bike is a hefty 456 lbs, but it has already proven in tests that it can withstand jumps, dips, sand, and rocks without missing a beat. If off-road is where you want to go, this is likely the best new bike to do it on. And as an aside; it does pretty good on pavement too!
