2015 DUCATI SCRAMBLER
FIRST RIDE
P62
ferred to as. For those who may not
know, the name Hare Scrambles
evolved from the practice indulged
in by off-road riders of literally trying
to stay with the erratic, lightning fast
directional changes of a wild hare.
Scrambler was taken up as a slang
term referencing a street-legal bike
modified to handle some off-road
adventuring by fitting knobby tires
and an upswept exhaust. When
Ducati introduced their bike with
Scrambler as the official name it
would be forever associated with
the Italian company.
Ducati continued to evolve the
Scrambler, through the reign of Jimi
Hendrix, and into the '70s before
discontinuing the bike in 1974 as
the demand for larger displacement
street bikes became the allure. The
original Scramblers became collec-
tor's items and Ducati sentimentally
turned the page on this illustrious
chapter.
Fast-forward 40 years to the cur-
rent, seismic shift in the two-wheel
world from modern technology to retro style and
simplicity that is in full bloom. And, once again, as
it was in the '60s, Ducati is set to capitalize on this
hip, lifestyle-driven atmosphere by reintroducing
their iconic Scrambler. Given that the new Scram-
bler shares virtually nothing with its original name-
sake, it's surprising just how much of the old bike's
charm and character the new one evokes. Chalk it
up to the talents of Ducati's designers. The Scram-
bler is an unabashed return to the core experi-
ence of motorcycling; a throttle in your hand, and
a simple, uncomplicated yet spirited bike beneath
you. It's about the essence of riding, as opposed
to managing the often over the top performance
we've come to know with modern sportbikes.
Back to basics. It's a natural move for the Italian
brand, as they understood then, as now, the value
of appealing to a broader spectrum of society than
just the hardcore motorcycle enthusiast.
Ducati graced the new Scrambler with an air-
cooled Desmodromic L-Twin. The 803cc plant has
two valves per cylinder and cranks out a respect-
able 75 horsepower (at 8,250 rpm). Torque rating
is 50 ft-lbs at 5,750 rpm. These numbers propel
The Ducati Scrambler reminds
us why we got into riding
motorcycles in the first place—
for the fun and simplicity.
