DUCATI: New fully-loaded DesertX

Ducati’s just revealed a new fully loaded travel-ready version of its DesertX adventurer…

Following in the footsteps of the Desert X and the recently released Rally, Ducati’s added another bike to its adventure stable: the Desert X Discovery.

Kitted out with bags of goodies to make it ‘the ideal travel companion’, the Italian firm is looking to take it to Husqvarna’s Norden 901 Expedition and Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 Explore in the increasingly busy adventure travel motorcycle market. 

It’s exactly the same base bike as the existing Desert X, with the same 937cc 110bhp and 68lb-ft motor, KYB springs, Brembo brakes and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR rubber. But there’s still plenty of good stuff to get excited about.

For protection, it gets some sturdy reinforced hand guards, engine bars and a proper aluminium bash plate, and for comfort it gets heated grips and a taller screen. There’s more, including an all-important centre stand to make it easy to look after the chain and fix any rear wheel punctures by the side of the road or trails, and there’s a pair of chunky aluminium panniers, too, which offer a whopping 76 litres of storage space. It gets a new paint job, too: a sharp black and red scheme that’s very, very Ducati. It looks great. 

Priced at £17,295, it is two-and-a-bit grand more expensive than the standard model – but when you consider all the good stuff you’re getting for your money (and then look at how much it’d cost to spec-up the Desert X), it starts to look like pretty good value indeed.

If you want to know more, visit: www.ducati.com