2022 Ducati DesertX launched in Malaysia - RM112,900

Loaded with technology, the DesertX was is essentially a Dakar bike for the road

Ducati Malaysia today officially introduced the all-new 2022 Ducati Desert X at its flagship showroom in Petaling Jaya, with an asking price of RM112,900.

Inspired by the world of Dakar racing, the DesertX carries a lot of firsts for the modern-day Ducati bike.

Starting from the exterior, the stance itself is menacing with its 21-inch front wheel, 18-inch rear, long-stroke suspension (courtesy of KYB), and an entirely new frame that’s been designed to tackle any off-road adventures as well as long tourers on the open road.

Everything has been designed to withstand the toughest riding conditions, including its engine – the latest evolution of the 937cc Testastretta 11th desmo unit that produces 110hp at 9,250rpm and 92Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. And it’s also 1.7kg lighter.

The kerb weight of the new Ducati DesertX sits at around 223kg, including its huge 21-litre fuel tank. That’s enough to cover quite the distance but if it’s more than what you’re looking for, then it also comes with the optional 8-litre rear fuel tank. This helps to further increase the travel distance by an additional 150km.

On the suspension front, the DesertX is offered with a 46 mm diameter upside-down Kayaba fork with 230 mm travel and Kayaba monoshock. Both elements are adjustable in compression, rebound and preload. The Kayaba monoshock is perfectly married to the aluminium swingarm and allows a rear wheel travel of 220 mm.

Like all Ducati motorcycles, the braking system of this new bike benefits from ABS Cornering functions. The front features Brembo M50 monobloc radial calipers with four 30 mm diameter pistons, axial pump with adjustable levers and double 320 mm discs with aluminium flanges.

At the rear there is a single 265 mm diameter disc with a twin-piston floating caliper by Brembo.

In addition, the new DesertX also has a generous 250 mm ground clearance, which makes it especially suitable for more extreme off-road adventures.

The new DesertX also features excellent load capacity, almost 120 l of volume available including bags and the aluminium top case.

The new DesertX comes with 6 Riding Modes working in combination with 4 Power Modes – Full,High, Medium, Low – that modify the power and responsiveness of the Testastretta engine. The primary new features are specific settings for the Enduro Mode and the introduction of the new Rally Mode, in addition to Sport, Touring, Urban and Wet.

The Enduro Riding Mode, thanks to its regulated power and the specially designed control settings, allows the rider to tackle the most demanding dirt roads with greater safety and makes it easier for less experienced users to ride off-road.

The Rally Riding Mode, on the other hand, with full engine power and reduced electronic controls, is designed for more experienced riders who want to make
the most of the DesertX s off-road performance.

These riding modes also work in harmony with the various electronic controls available: Engine Brake Control (EBC), Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS); Down and ABS Cornering.

ABS Cornering also offers high adjustability and can be set on 3 levels to be able to adapt to whatever the situation and rider skill. In the Riding Modes dedicated to off-road (Enduro and Rally), ABS Cornering can also be completely deactivated via the switch cube.

The dashboard of the DesertX, vertically oriented and positioned to offer clear information also in a stand-up riding position, features a high resolution 5” full-TFT colour display, which is integrated with the Ducati Multimedia System. The rider may choose between two as-standard Info Modes: Standard and Rally.

Premium technological features are also present with the lighting system, which is full LED. The double front headlight has two twin-function poly-ellipsoidal modules with Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and has been designed to ensure excellent visibility, particularly important for a motorcycle capable of travelling in all conditions.