DU CAT I SCRAMBLER 1100 PRO: FIRST RIDE
Two new variations on the multi option Ducati Scrambler platform.
Ducatihaven’t so much jumped on the Scrambler bandwagon, they’ve stolen it and piled it high with a huge number of slightly varying versions on the same theme.
First the 800, back in 2015, then the slightly uninspiring 400 in 2016 and then the 1100 jostled its way into the loading area in 2018. And, of course, it’s not just one of each flavour. Oh no, you can have an Icon, Full Throttle, Classic, Urban Enduro, Flat-track Pro, Café Racer, Mach 2.0 and the Desert Sled. And that’s just the 800cc range.
Thus far the 1100cc range has boasted nowhere near as many variants, but we now have two new ones to consider – the PRO and the Sport PRO. The blingiest is the Sport PRO complete with fully-adjustable Öhlins suspension, while the 1100 PRO features Marzocchi front suspension and Kayaba rear, as well as a more relaxed riding position. Both models use the same lovely aircooled 1079cc Desmo V-twin, which now meets Euro-5 regulations. Meanwhile design updates include a restyled rear end, a repositioned numberplate and a double-stacked exhaust. Revised fuelling hasn’t meant any loss of sophistication either. From small throttle openings, response is smooth and precise – and with plenty of usable torque available from low in the rev range both PROS are happy and willing to pull cleanly away from slow speeds in a tall gear.
On the road you just keep short-shifting though the smooth gearbox while enjoying dollops of grunt. Ride the torque and the PRO is more than quick enough, especially as it weighs just 189kg dry. A decent rider on a 1000cc sportsbike may be able to show you a clean pair of heels, but the Scrambler PROS are capable of keeping up with most things on the road thanks to their added lightness, agility and that grunty motor.
The Ducati Safety Pack comes as standard on both models and includes excellent cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control, which can be deactivated at a standstill. There are also three rider modes: City; Journey and Active. City mode cuts bhp by ten, offers a soft throttle map and increases traction control intervention. Journey and Active are both full power but have different engine and throttle characteristics and traction control settings.
The PRO’S new double stacked exhaust looks like a classy factory aftermarket item and is a huge visual improvement over the old model’s. Thankfully, it sounds as good as it looks too with a satisfying burble at tickover and a charismatic chorus on the throttle.
On the sportier, Öhlins-clad Sport PRO the bars are much lower and straighter, giving an aggressive stance, especially when compared with the standard PRO model with its traditionally wide Scrambler bars. The Sport’s new ergonomics move you further forward, while bar-end café racer-style mirrors give a sportier feel.
When you really start to push your ride the Öhlins set-up is always beautifully controlled. And, unless you’re a racer, on the road you are going to get nowhere near the limit of the Sport’s suspension. On the PRO, however, the limitations of the Marzocchi/kayaba are never that far away if truth be told.
In reality new or inexperienced riders may prefer the softer ride of the standard model, and if you’re riding a Scrambler hard, pushing the handling boundaries, you’ve very possibly bought the wrong motorcycle anyway.
At the end of the day the Scrambler has been designed by Ducati to be a relaxing ride and if you haven’t ridden the Sport version you’ll find little to fault on the standard PRO.
‘… capable of keeping up with most things on the road thanks to their added lightness and grunty motor’