If you think the new Ducati DesertX Rally looks familiar, that’s because you might have spotted Antoine Meo recently campaigning the prototype of the new machine in the ultra-tough Iron Road Prolog at the Erzbergrodeo 2023.
While the new bike’s Iron Giant livery and high-level mudguard are the first thing you notice, this is by no means a bike with a slap of paint and some stickers. To do that would be foolish given just how competitive this sector is.
2024 Ducati DesertX Rally chassis and suspension
To boost the off-road handling of this already very capable bike, Ducati has utilised KYB for some updated suspension at both ends. The front forks are now closed cartridge items designed to perform more consistently when riding off-road. Externally the forks feature a Kashima coating, but internally, which is where it really matters, the stanchions are coated with a Diamond Like Coating (DLC) which is the same kind of low-friction material used in high-performance racing engines to boost power and engine longevity. The fully adjustable KYB front-end features 20mm longer stroke than the stock Ducati DesertX, increasing front wheel travel to 250mm. The new longer travel forks now house slightly lighter front springs (down from 6 N/mm to 5 N/mm) with a view to improving the feel of the bike on the roughest terrain.
The rear suspension has also been bolstered, with a more heavy-duty piston in the fully adjustable KYB shock. The stroke of the rear shock is increased by 20mm, bringing the total rear suspension travel up to 240mm and unlike the front forks the rear spring stiffness increases from 90 N/mm to 96 N/mm.
Crowning the new rally-ready cockpit of the DesertX Rally is a billet machined top and bottom fork clamp and an adjustable Ohlins steering damper, both of which are only found on the Rally edition of the bike. While the billet clamps may sound like just some blingy add-on, Ducati has used them to tweak the geometry of the new motorcycle to balance with the new longer travel suspension. The new clamps provide an increase in the total offset of the front end, boosting the off-road handling.
All things considered, the updates made to the Ducati DesertX Rally have created a behemoth of a machine, towering with 280mm of ground clearance and a lofty seat height of 910mm.
The braking system on the new Rally is almost identical to the already available DesertX, meaning you have Brembo M50 monoblock calipers with twin 320mm discs (and split brake lines) at the front and a two-piston Brembo caliper and 265mm rotor at the rear. While the front master cylinder is the same as the one found on the stock bike, the rear brake is upgraded to feature a stronger billet machined lever, which is matched with a similar gear lever on the other side of the bike.
2024 Ducati DesertX Rally engine and electronics
The engine of the new 2024 Ducati DesertX rally is the same as found in the stock bike and simply put, why would you want much more than that? 108bhp and 67.8 lb-ft) are quite enough for a bike like this. Like the stock bike, you get a 21-litre fuel tank as standard, with the option to bolt on a further eight litres with the seat-mounted auxiliary tank for extended range.
Like the engine of the new DesertX Rally, the electronics have been pretty much left alone. You still get the same modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, and Rally) and the same electronic assistance like cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, engine power modes, wheelie control, engine braking control, and the five-inch colour TFT dash. The only work done here was re-programming the electronic systems to work alongside the new longer travel suspension and slightly longer wheelbase.
2024 Ducati DesertX Rally price and delivery date
As it stands the 2024 Ducati DesertX Rally will only be available in the new Iron Giant paint scheme and bikes should be landing in UK dealers from February 2024. The new Ducati DesertX is set to have a UK price of £18,995.
2024 Ducati DesertX Rally specs
Engine | Testastretta 11° 937 cc |
Power | 108bhp @ 9,250 rpm |
Torque | 67.8lb ft @ 6,500 rpm |
Frame | Steel trellis |
Suspension (f) | KYB Ø 48 mm fork 250 mm travel |
Suspension (r) | KYB shock 240 mm travel |
Ground clearance | 280mm |
Brakes (f) | Brembo M50 320mm disc (c-ABS) |
Brakes (r) | Brembo two-piston 265mm disc (c-ABS) |
Tyre (f) | Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR: 90/90-21 |
Tyre (r) | Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR: 150/70 |
Fuel capacity | 21-litres (plus eight-litre optional auxiliary) |
Seat height | 910mm |
Weight | 208kg (dry) |
Delivery date (UK) | February 2024 |
Price | TBC |
