Jekyll & hyde
The big Ducati Scrambler has plenty of character. Two of them, it seems…
I RECENTLY HAD my riding assessed by Rapid Training. I achieved an 8 out of 10 overall. Not bad and it means I’m still competent enough to ride bikes for work. A comment in the summary of my assessment raised a smile; that my riding has ‘a slight Jekyll and Hyde element to it’. Fair comment but I’m placing the responsibility squarely on the Ducati Scrambler’s chunky, yellow shoulders. And here’s why…
Dr. Jekyll will see you now
The first part of the assessment took place on busy dual carriageway. I sat at the speed limit and chose not to pick off the queue of cars. Why? Apart from not
wishing to exceed the limit (officer), the Scrambler is horrible to ride faster than that for the prolonged periods prescribed for national speed limit carriageways. Your body is turned into a sail by the riding position and fighting the subsequent windblast means constant, accidental throttle inputs and a decent test of one’s core strength. It’s one of the worst bikes I’ve experienced for this and a real turn-off. It was observed that this section of the ride was passive. Sedate, perhaps. My nan might even go so far as to say it was nice.
Give it a Hyde-ing
The second part took place mostly on B-roads. Roads in Lincolnshire that I know pretty well and use as a regular playground. Roads that are absolutely the Ducati’s natural habitat and it caused a sharp change in attitude from bike and rider. The big Scrambler soaks up bumps really well. It’s never completely settled, nor ever totally wild — it cascades around in that fun space somewhere between the two. It’s not effortless but that makes it engaging. It’s not precise but it’s not trying to be a track weapon. Big torque, wide bars and a comfortable stance mean it’s easy to get carried away flinging it around the countryside in the baking sunshine. The brakes are spot on, too. The assessor was quite surprised by the significant increase in pace, and was nonplussed by my feeble ‘it’s not me, it’s the bike’ defence. STEVE HERBERT