Ducati Scrambler Sixty2

£4399 to £5995 | 399cc air-cooled L-twin | 41bhp | 25.5lb-ft Tested by: Neil Windsor | Usually rides a Yamaha Super Ténéré

When the Sixty2 was launched it was hailed as being inspired by the youth culture of skateboarding, surfing and pop music to attract young riders in the A2 licence category. So my question was what would it have to offer a man in his forties who’s ridden for half his life?

I’ll admit to having been a little worried the Scrambler would be too diluted for my liking, built to fulfil newbie riders who care more about their hair gel than a saddle’s comfort after several hours of hard riding. But, as is often the case with preconceptions, I was pleasantly surprised by the Sixty2 over my two-week test.

Firstly, I was surprised by its finish – being a similar-looking machine to its 800cc bigger brother, with loads of great styling cues and a classy finish. No part of the bike looked cheap, although I wasn’t a fan of the digital clocks, which looked out of place on such a retro-styled motorcycle, to me. Another thing I didn’t like about the clocks was the lack of info on them; there was no gear selection, for instance. If this bike was as affordably-priced as the majority of the rivals then I could understand why it didn’t have the tech, but the Sixty2 is an expensive motorcycle that costs just £900 less than its bigger-brother Scrambler.

Still, riding the bike helped me to get over that little hang-up as I was genuinely surprised by what the Sixty2 had to offer, not least some decent ergonomics that accommodated my 6ft 2in frame reasonably well. Another great quality was its motor, which was initially disappointing, but I soon learned to appreciate it once I got it wound up. The torque levels were decent and the fuelling was smooth enough, although it was pretty lumpy low down. At higher speeds – around 75mph and over – the bike got really vibey, even though there was still plenty of pace to come from it. It was a trait I got used to, albeit grudgingly.

Most of my journeys on the Sixty2 were travelling sub-50 miles, but my longest stint was a trip of around 90. I went out with some mates who were riding their big sports bikes and found the Scrambler quite capable of keeping up with the other guys, who admittedly weren’t going flat-out, but still at a decent pace.

I had the motor singing all the way and I needed to make the most of the good handling to keep up. The weight feels really low down, which is good for cornering and even better for stability. The Scrambler always felt planted on that hasty ride and it gave me loads of confidence to put it anywhere I wanted in a bend. What didn’t feel so good was the saddle, which left me feeling like I needed a stretch after 50 miles.

This bike’s no tourer, but I had hoped that the seat would be good for longer distances. On a happier note, the economy after that long day saw a respectable return of 54mpg, despite the thrashing it had.

The brakes deserve praise. Both the front and rear Brembos felt powerful and offered fantastic feel – they were just a few of the premium components that helped a little to explain the bike’s cost. This is a great bike, but the price could be a stumbling block for some.