Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1477536
QUICKSPIN I 2023 Ducati DesertX P84 forgotten as this 11° Testastretta laps up rocky hill climbs as easily as the highway passes with more than enough low- down torque for the rough stuff. The electronics help a huge amount here. You can dial up or down as much intervention as you like in terms of trac- tion and power maps, but I found the best performance was attained by just switching off TC and wheelie control. This hints at just how good a base model the Ducati is because you can allow it just to be a big dirt bike, the suspension lapping everything up and not getting tangled up when the electronics start to cut the power. The DesertX is light, agile and su- preme fun when you start attacking your favorite sections of dirt. This is a Ducati, after all, and leans more than just a little towards the sporty side of the riding equation. Once I had the same settings for the fork and shock as Ducati's lead desert-racing rat, Jordan Graham, the DesertX was incredibly fun to experi- ence. The combination of that motor, the dialed-back electronics, roomy ergos, and the dialed-in KYB suspen- sion made for one heck of an afternoon on the Aspen snowfields that were, thankfully, devoid of snow. Slow, rocky ascents were easily tackled, likewise powering back up them. In a style befitting of the great Dakar Rally Lucky Strike Cagivas of the late '80s and early '90s, the subsidiary then Ducati owners Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni also owned, the DesertX is an excellent machine for a first-timer to produce. Yes, it is certainly expensive, and you're paying a premium for the badge on the tank, but when it looks this good and goes this good, it's hard to argue with the price tag. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2023 DUCATI DESERTX ($17,095) ENGINE Ducati Testastretta 11°, L-Twin cylinders VALVETRAIN Desmodromic valvetrain, 4 valves per cylinder DISPLACEMENT 937cc BORE X STROKE 94 x 67.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO 13.3:1 COOLING SYSTEM Liquid FUEL SYSTEM Bosch electronic fuel injection system, 53mm throttle bodies with ride-by-wire system EXHAUST 2-2-1 TRANSMISSION 6-speed ELECTRONICS Riding Modes (6), Power Modes (4), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Engine Brake Control (EBC), Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS), Cruise Control, Full LED Lighting System, Daylight Position Lamp (DRL), Ducati Brake Light (DBL), USB Power Socket, 12V Socket, Self-Canceling Indicators CHASSIS Tubular steel trellis FRONT SUSPENSION KYB 46mm fork, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION KYB shock, fully-adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 9.06 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 8.66 in. FRONT BRAKE Dual M5 Monobloc, 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 320mm disc, cornering ABS REAR BRAKE 2 piston, fixed caliper, 265mm disc, cornering ABS FRONT TIRE Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR 90/90 - 21 M/C 54V REAR TIRE Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR 150/70 R18 M/C 70V RAKE 27.6° TRAIL 4.8 in. WHEELBASE 63.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT 34.4 in. FUEL CAPACITY 5.54 gal. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED) 492 lbs. COLOR Matte Star White Silk