FIRST LOOKS
P48
D
ucati is getting serious trac-
tion from its Scrambler range
that saw the light of day just
two years ago, the latest being the
Scrambler Desert Sled, the sixth
iteration in the range.
The Desert Sled is born from
the desert-style machines that
populated Southern California
in the 1960s and '70s—basically
street bikes fitted with different
suspension, larger wheels, off-road-
style tires and the essential bash/
skid plate to shield the engine from
engine-busting rocks and boulders.
The new 2017 version of that
iconic style takes the Scrambler
Icon and uses a slightly modi-
fied frame, spoked wheels with
a 19-incher rolling up front, Pirelli
Scorpion Rally STR off-road tires,
headlight mesh guard, the high
fenders (specially designed for this
version) and, of course, the engine
skid plate.
Set visibly higher than the stan-
dard Scrambler, the Desert Sled's
inverted front suspension now has
a travel of 7.9 inches—a whopping
two inches more than the Icon—and
it also sports a high 33.8-inch seat
height (2.7 inches higher than the
Icon). That should give the Desert
Sled some pretty good off-road
chops, far better than the Icon. It'll
be interesting to see if this bike will
pinch sales off the Icon and other
variants of the Scrambler, especial-
ly given this bike is far more suited
to off-road riding.
Click HERE to see the Desert
Sled in action. CN
2017 DUCATI SCRAMBLER
DESERT SLED
