Many adventure bikes are big, heavy, and not exceptionally adept off-road. That’s why most of them spend much more time on pavement than on dirt. Sure, some riders might wander onto gravel roads, but the truth is, even Gold Wings can manage a cottage road.

There are, however, some motorcycles, like the Honda Africa Twin, the Husqvarna Norden 901, and the KTM 890 Adventure R, which are designed to handle more serious off-roading. The makers of those bikes have histories steeped in off-road competition, so it’s not surprising that their adventure bikes are very competent off-roaders.

What is surprising, however, is when an Italian company that has claimed 14 World Superbike championships and two MotoGP championships produces a bike with a heavy penchant for dirt. That company is Ducati and the bike in question is the new DesertX.

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

The DesertX really does look like it’s ready to tackle the Dakar Rally, boasting a rally-inspired fairing, long-travel suspension, and off-road-ready 21- and 18-inch wheel sizes. This might seem unusual for a company that was the first to put winglets onto MotoGP bikes, but Ducati actually has some off-roading lineage, though it does date from a while ago. Back in 1990, Italian rider Edi Orioli won the gruelling Paris-Dakar rally aboard a Cagiva Elefant, a feat he repeated in 1994. Ducati was under Cagiva Group ownership from 1985 to 1996, so the Elefant was therefore powered by a 900 cc Ducati V-twin.

Ducati first revealed a Scrambler 1100-based DesertX concept at EICMA in 2019, though the production bike is an entirely new machine. Its engine is based on the liquid-cooled, 937 cc V-twin that also powers the Monster, Hypermotard, Multistrada V2 and Supersport. Ducati has, however, reworked it for the DesertX, and changes include dedicated ride modes, and shorter transmission gearing from first through fifth of its six gears. It claims 110 horsepower and 68 lb-ft of torque.

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

The DesertX utilises a rigid, steel trellis main frame, and fully adjustable Kayaba suspension that boasts 230 mm of suspension travel up front and 220 mm in the rear. The tall suspension provides 250 mm of ground clearance, but it also makes the bike tall, with seat height at 875 mm. An optional low seat drops that to 865 mm, and if you require an even easier reach to the ground, you can combine the low seat with an optional lowering kit that drops seat height to 845 mm.

A vertically mounted five-inch TFT display is easier to read when standing up while riding on dirt, and also provides a better readout when using the optional Bluetooth-enabled navigation. The display is large and easy to read, and the layout changes depending on which ride mode is selected, highlighting pertinent info for each mode.

Lean-sensing ABS and traction control, wheelie control, adjustable engine braking, cruise control, and a quick shifter are all standard. There are four road modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet) and two off-road modes (Enduro and Rally), as well as four power levels.

The tank holds 21 litres of fuel, but if you travel to more remote locations, Ducati offers an auxiliary eight-litre tank that installs at the rear of the bike, and is switched manually to pump fuel into the main tank when needed.

Our 140-kilometre test loop snaked its way around the mountains surrounding Aspen, and about 85 per cent of it was unpaved; a good portion of that was rough and rocky, and at one point went up to the top of a ski hill. Claimed wet weight is 223 kg, and although the bike is tall, it feels light when lifting it off the side stand. The seat is narrow at the front to ease reach to the ground, and widens considerably at the rear to give broad support. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the seat’s long-term comfort since most of the day was spent standing on the footpegs off road!

It didn’t take long after turning onto dirt for the DesertX to assert itself as more of a dual-sport machine than a ponderous adventure bike. With the aggressive Rally mode selected, the rear end slides easily through corners, and the front wheel lifts effortlessly over obstacles. With elbows up and in attack mode, the DesertX eats up rocks, bumps and ruts without flinching, and keeps a solid, unwavering line, while steering easily around obstacles. It feels like a much lighter bike at speed than its weight would suggest. The front end is solid, and the bike never shook its head, even after the front wheel got pounded by successive bumps at speed. The suspension soaks up big dips and bumps without bottoming with dirt-bike-like plushness.

first ride: 2022 ducati desertx

2022 Ducati DesertX Photo by Gregor Halenda and Scott Rounds

The DesertX most impressed, however, during a steep climb to almost 3,500 metres, along a rocky, switchback-riddled trail that brought us to the top of the ski hill. This is where the shorter gearing became an asset. Admittedly, the gap between first and second is a bit wide, prompting frequent gear changes when slowing for sharper turns, but the bike’s quick shifter made this effortless.

On pavement, the DesertX revealed its Ducati-esque roadgoing roots. At a quick pace it railed though sweeping turns with confidence-inspiring stability, though its tall suspension makes turning transition ponderous, as it swings way up and then back down again into a lean. Due to its 21-inch front wheel and long suspension travel, it prefers a deliberate, calculated approach to cornering, rather than a point-and-shoot, sport-bike style — nail the brakes hard at corner entry and that long travel gets soaked up quickly. Overall, though, it will easily keep pace with sport bikes, especially if the pavement gets rough.

The Ducati DesertX is a serious new entry in the adventure bike category, which is an unusual place to be for the Italian maker of sport bikes. But after thrashing it off road in challenging conditions, it has proven a worthy competitor that feels more like a dual-sport machine than a true adventure bike. It is, however, pricey, starting at $19,695. The Honda Africa Twin retails for $16,999, the Husky Norden 901 for $15,199, and the KTM 890 Adventure R for $15,899. That might make the choice a difficult one, but one thing is for sure: While Ducati might be new to this off-road business, the DesertX will not disappoint, especially if you use it as it was designed to be used — off the pavement and on the gas.

Keyword: First Ride: 2022 Ducati DesertX

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