2024 Ducati DesertX Rally First Ride

[Hugh Janus]

Ducati’s DesertX Rally is fitted with larger, longer-travel suspension. (Ducati/)

Not one to stand still for a second longer than absolutely necessary, Ducati has upped the adventure bike ante once again with the DesertX Rally, a high-spec and genuinely race-capable development of the excellent DesertX.

The Rally is truly a DesertX on steroids, a road-legal ready-to-race bike with beefed-up, long-travel KYB suspension and little in terms of componentry and intent to separate it from the machine that won the twin-cylinder class of the recent Iron Road Prologue at the Erzbergrodeo. Its styling cues shift somewhat from desert raider to enduro—note the high-mount front fender—while paintless “mass-colored” plastics and a forged carbon skid plate signal a tougher, more durable machine that is expected to take a few hits.

Two days in Morocco proved the mettle of Ducati's DesertX Rally. (Ducati/)

Like the base DesertX, the Rally is powered by the eminently versatile 937cc Testastretta 11° L-twin, which produces a claimed 110 hp at 9,250 rpm and 68 lb.-ft. at 6,500 rpm. Ducati’s DQS quickshifter is standard, and service intervals are every two years or every 15,000 kilometers (9,321 miles), with valve clearance checks at 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles). On the electronics front, there are six riding modes stemming from four power modes, three levels of engine-braking, eight traction control settings, three levels of cornering ABS, and switchable wheelie control. So plenty to play with.

I’d not ridden a DesertX for six months, but on our two-day test in the wilds of Morocco, the new Rally felt instantly familiar, with easy-to-understand switch gear and those myriad modes and rider aids at my fingertips. In the congested streets of Marrakech, I selected Urban mode, then opted for Sport mode on the asphalt road out of town, and when we hit the dusty trails, Enduro followed by the full-power Rally mode as the pace got hotter. All done, thank you very much, in a moment and on the move with eyes still on the view ahead.

Changing modes is easy and quick, allowing the rider to stay focused on what’s ahead rather than what is on the dash. (Ducati/)

As the conditions change, the Rally pilot can simply switch between the modes by quickly closing the throttle and selecting a mode, tuning the bike’s characteristics to the terrain and the moment. It’s fast and intuitive, and the dash communicates the changes clearly. The six riding modes are Sport (full power), Touring (95 hp with a softer delivery), and Urban (75 hp). Wet mode ups the intervention levels of the electronic aids, while the two off-road modes deliver 75 bhp and a rapid throttle response (Enduro) and full power with minimal intervention from the ABS and traction control, and none at all from the deactivated wheelie control (Rally).

The system is so polished and easy it’s like having an extra control input. On the dirt, input Rally mode for effortless stand-up wheelies and then, for a tricky sandy section, pop it back into Enduro for less power and more support from the traction control and other rider aids.

Rally mode allows for wheelies. (Ducati/)

Everything in the drivetrain, from throttle to gearbox is also on point. A lovely spread of torque blends with the slickest of up-and-down quickshifters, delivering a perfectly metered drive. It’s smooth and willing one minute, and able to land a serious punch the next. Grab a handful of throttle in second gear with DWC removed and the front wheel will climb skyward.

A larger-diameter 48mm KYB fork has 0.7 inch longer travel. (Ducati/)

But the real story of the Rally is not its engine but its chassis, because the quality of KYB suspension units is simply outstanding. Up front a closed-cartridge 48mm fork has 9.8 inches (250mm) of travel (compared to the DesertX’s 46mm fork with 9.1 inches of travel) and marginally lighter springs. The triple clamps are billet aluminum and give 1mm more offset. At the rear, a fully adjustable KYB shock also gets a remote spring preload adjuster. Stroke goes up from 8.7 inches (230mm) on the standard X to 9.5 inches (240mm), while ground clearance increases by 1.2 inches to a total of 11. Seat height goes up 1.3 inches to a vertiginous 35.8 inches, making it the highest perch on any current production bike.

Seat height is tall, but the seat itself is narrow enough to allow shorter riders to get at least one foot down. (Ducati/)

This lofty statistic may put some shorter riders off the Rally. But if you want a bike to work like a racer off-road, these are the dimensions you have to work with. Furthermore, I’m under 5 feet, 7 inches and the altitude of the seat isn’t as intimidating as I expected, mainly because both seat and bike are narrow, which mean I can get one foot securely down while just about reaching the back brake or gear selector with the other, though I did find it difficult to flick up the sidestand while onboard—even taller riders struggled.

On paper it’s also a reasonably heavy bike with a 465-pound wet weight (no fuel) but doesn’t feel it, even when fully fueled. What it does feel like, though, is sensational. Simply, the Rally is one of the best adventure bikes ever ridden off-road.

Some 90 percent of our ride was on dirt ranging from fast open dunes and desert to slow and rocky sections, and the KYB suspension was faultless throughout. It is so controlled it behaves as if on a paved road rather than churning dirt. Like the proverbial swan that’s so graceful on the surface but working frantically underwater, the KYB units take everything you can throw at them and more.

The DesertX Rally’s KYB fork and shock have excellent ground-following ability in the dirt. (Ducati/)

Deliberately provoking the Rally by slamming the throttle shut over humps to agitate the rebound, hitting rocks while on the brakes, and even deliberately landing badly off jumps—the bike soaked it all up. The Rally makes fast, fun dirt riding effortless. It gives you time to scan ahead while feeding back everything needed to know about grip levels. It then responds to inputs smoothly, driving impeccably through power-sapping sand. It makes the rider look, feel, and ride so much better. At 80 mph on a loose surface that would normally be a tense affair on an ADV, you can enjoy the ride.

The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels feature hubs machined from solid aluminum, carbon steel spokes, and Excel rims, with the rear rim half an inch narrower to optimize off-road grip. Tubed Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires are standard while Brembo M50 Monoblock calipers and 320mm discs do the work up front and are supported by a Brembo twin-piston caliper and 265mm disc at the rear, with cornering ABS controlled by a Bosch IMU.

Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally STR tires hook up well in the dirt. (Ducati/)

Comfort remains largely untested as standing up on the new pegs for the majority of the ride was required, spending little time on the new seat. The new pegs are worth a mention, though, as they are wide, solid, and very grippy even in the wet. The gear shifter and brake pedal are both machined from solid alloy and adjustable to suit off-road or on-road use. With the rear brake pedal flipped over into its off-road position it allows you to use the back brake with rare finesse, even in off-road boots.

The DesertX Rally is priced at just under $23,000—$5,000 above the standard DesertX ($17,995). It is however equipped with high-end components, so while the asking price is high, it’s easy to see where the money has been spent. The portrait-oriented 5-inch dash is, for example, pure class and has both connectivity and two display modes: standard and rally, both of which are clear and easy to read. A utility bar for extra mountings like a GPS unit sits above the clocks and is a nice touch.

The vertically arranged dash on the DesertX Rally is excellent. (Ducati/)

Our testbike was (wisely) fitted with full external steel engine covers and the radiator guard from Ducati’s accessory catalog. Importantly for those who plan to ride their Rallys as intended, a couple of days in the desert, with dust and rocks being thrown in all directions, left Cycle World’s test machine still looking like new, with no obvious sign of wear from enduro boots covered in grit rubbing against the bodywork. Even the carbon fiber sump guard appeared unblemished.

A carbon fiber skid plate is standard equipment on the DesertX Rally. (Ducati/)

Of course, our desert-based test leaves us in the dark about the Rally’s abilities on asphalt, but I can already and confidently state it is arguably one of the best road-legal “big” adventure bikes ever ridden off-road—the suspension, perhaps, the finest experienced on non-road terrain.

But this isn’t a radical adventure bike aimed at an extreme audience; the rider aids and modes, along with the friendly power delivery, make it versatile and usable to a wide range of riders. Yes, the seat will be too tall for some and $22,995 is a lot of money, but those are two forgivable flaws. Rarely have we ridden an adventure bike on dirt with so much confidence. And that’s priceless.

Ducati’s DesertX Rally is built to take the abuse of serious off-road riding. (Ducati/)

2024 Ducati DesertX Rally Specs

MSRP:	$22,995
Engine:	Testastretta 11° desmodromic, liquid-cooled V-twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	937cc
Bore x Stroke:	94.0 x 67.5mm
Compression Ratio:	13.3:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	110 hp @ 9,250 rpm
Claimed Torque:	68 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm
Fuel System:	Bosch electronic fuel injection w/ 53mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper and self-servo; hydraulic actuation
Frame:	Tubular steel trellis
Front Suspension:	KYB 48mm upside-down fork, fully adjustable; 9.8 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	KYB monoshock, fully adjustable; 9.4 in. travel
Front Brake:	Radial-mount Brembo Monoblock 4-piston caliper, dual 320mm semi-floating discs w/ Bosch Cornering ABS
Rear Brake:	Brembo floating 2-piston caliper, 265mm disc w/ Bosch Cornering ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Spoked; 21 x 2.15 in. / 18 x 4.0 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR; 90/90-21 / 150/70R-18
Rake/Trail:	27.6°/4.8 in.
Wheelbase:	64.0 in.
Ground Clearance:	11.0 in.
Seat Height:	35.8 in.
Fuel Capacity:	5.5 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	465 lb. (no fuel)
Contact:	ducati.com

Source

[Buckster]

I approve.

[boboneleg]

Anyone want to buy me one , I’ll give it a go