Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled

Trendy coffee shop wheels transform into jacked-up desert tool. Didn’t expect that, did you?

Blimey. Despite the name and semi-off-road tyres, Ducati’s Scrambler models have so far been about thrumming in the city. Easy to ride, they work best nipping for an overpriced mocha-skinny-frothy. That all changes with the new Desert Sled, though – a high-rise off-road device that looks like an early Yamaha XT500 from some angles. And like a mad Tonka Toy from others. Adopting the name given to stripped-down, knobbled-up road bikes used in US deserts in the 1960s, the Sled is way more than a styling job. The frame is reinforced, as is the lengthened aluminium swingarm, and there’s a larger 19-inch front wheel (like on most big adventure bikes) to roll more easily over obstacles. The fat 46mm Kayaba forks are fully adjustable, the rear shock can be tailored for preload and rebound, and both have a full off-road-ready 200mm of travel. Seat height goes from 790mm to a lofty 860mm. Forks have revised offset and are wider apart (more clearance for gloop), and there’s a single front disc (chosen purely for aesthetics). Pushing the Sled into the wild is the air-cooled 803cc V-twin used in all the Scramblers, with a claimed 75bhp and 7500-mile service intervals. Ducati also have a new Scrambler Café Racer. If this sounds like an oxymoron you won’t be surprised to discover the clip-on-wearing, number-boarded creation with its gold highlights is perhaps trying a bit too hard to be cool.

Bike says: ‘We can’t ever imagine taking the Desert Sled off-road, and it won’t be as good on-road as a regular Scrambler. Still fancy one...’