Go back to Page 1: Introducing the Ducati DesertX ‘Dakar-Lite’ adv bike

Tarmac Stage

We tested the DesertX on the very roads where Ducati develops its bikes – the twisty sections from the factory in Borgo Panigale, up almost 1,000-metres of elevation to Chalet Raticosa, a combination of fast sweepers and reducing radius, second-gear uphill corners, across a variety of tarmac from horribly broken and rippled, to perfectly paved.

The DesertX has definite long-range potential and is very capable on the road, too. We found the ergonomics to be generally spot-on, contributing to good control and comfort, with no aches after a whole afternoon in the saddle. 

Typically, adventure bikes with long-travel suspension can be quite lazy, but the DesertX exhibited atypical precision when flicking the bike from side to side, without excess pitching. This meant that we didn’t need to turn-in early, to compensate, allowing for enjoyable, precise steering. In wet conditions around 20-degrees Celsius, with riding mode set in Wet, the Pirelli tyres were grippy and confidence inspiring.

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Compared with ‘full-sized’ litre-plus adventure tourers like the Ducati Multistrada V4 and BMW R 1250 GS, the DesertX’s 937cc twin is a bit more buzzy, and runs out of puff past 6,000rpm, even before peak power at 9,350rpm. In other words, if you’re looking to cover longer distances with more tarmac, a big Adv bike will still eat miles with less pain – but the same is true of competing bikes, including the Yamaha Tenere 700. 

The gearbox is generally competent, though the upshifts on the quickshifter were jerky in the first four gears. We found first gear to be a little too grabby, requiring finessing the clutch when the turns were more acute off-road. The spartan styling might not suit everyone, and to really nit pick, one could also point out the odd sized 18-in rear wheel.

But there’s little else holding the DesertX back. With its Dakar-tinged styling, broad spread of capabilities, and a full loadout of technical tricks that help the rider along, it looks like the DesertX could be anything from a long-ranging in-Singapore commuter to a real round-the-world machine. If anything, the DesertX’s is great metaphor, one which shows that Ducati truly has gone from a single-minded maker of fast-moving exotica to an extremely capable, all-round motorcycle maker. 

2022 Ducati DesertX

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