Ducati DesertX Rally (2024 – ) review

The DesertX has been one of Ducati’s most unsung success stories of recent times. Initially a concept bike inspired by sister company Cagiva’s 1980’s Elefant Paris-Dakar racer, public response was so positive it went into production for 2022. It has since proven such a hit Ducati has now launched this Rally version with even more dirt prowess. At its heart, Ducati’s well-proven 937cc liquid-cooled Testastretta V-twin is unchanged, as is the retro-modern styling and impressive all-round ability. But there’s new, longer travel suspension, more dirt-optimised wheels and tyres with a high front mudguard to match, one-piece saddle and bespoke livery. The result looks great, goes brilliantly and is one of the most off-road capable adventure bikes you can buy. If that’s important, you won’t be disappointed while everyone else will be better off with the cheaper, more road appropriate standard version.

Little changed from the standard DesertX and no worse for that, except for two significant areas. Another 20mm of suspension travel front and rear and the one-piece off-road saddle combine into a whopping 910mm seat height that proved intimidating even for your 6’ 3” tester. Shaped with off-road riding in mind the seat is also firmer and less comfortable, which will be fine for off-roaders happy riding stood up on the pegs but not as good for longer periods while seated. Otherwise, the bar height and general riding position is roomy and even the small, non-adjustable screen is effective.

This depends, of course, on your definition of ‘practicality’. The base DesertX has already proven itself a brilliant all-rounder with surprisingly good handling, decent performance, reasonable pillion comfort and a combination of urban usability with dirt skill. All underpinned with a genuine sense of class and charisma. True, it’s not as versatile as Ducati’s similarly powered (and cheaper) Multistrada V2 and this Rally version loses a degree of comfort and manageability in the name of capability in the dirt. If you’re genuinely going to take it off-road, by which we mean more than just along a farm track or across a gravel car park, it’s the real deal. That does come at a price, so if you don’t need that ability best to stick with the stocker.

Most of the Rally’s changes over the standard Desert X apply to its suspension and saddle, the powertrain more or less as before. As such it retains the same 937cc liquid-cooled V-twin as proven on Ducati’s Supersport, Multistrada V2 and latest Monster but with further adaptations for off-road use such as lower first and second gears and reworked electronics. Peak power is 110 horsepower at 9,250rpm plus plenty of exploitable torque lower down. This is all supported with an electronics package including six riding modes, of which two are off-road specific. The result is more than decent road performance whichever mode you choose, lots of Ducati V-twin character and far better manners off-road than you might expect. Braking, via the same top quality Brembo monobloc radial calipers and twin 320mm discs, is again no less than you’d expect from a premium Ducati.

On the road there was nothing wrong with the standard DesertX, its combination of sumptuous ride quality and decent off-road ability over-delivering on its 80s Dakar racer styling. The Rally version moves things up a notch, at least off-road. With lighter and more robust off-road-centric wire wheels, and more sophisticated and longer travel KYB suspension front and rear the Rally combines extra ground clearance with impressive compliance and control. Yes, it’s tall and a little intimidating at first but its steering is controlled, intuitive and consistent and the grip from standard Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR is far better than its knobbly tread pattern suggests, while more Tarmac-orientated Scorpion Trail IIs are also an option.

At just shy of £20,000 the Rally is over £4,000 more than the standard DesertX and very much a premium Ducati, even though it ‘only’ has a 937cc engine. That’s not much less than Ducati’s updated Multistrada V4, for example. But that mid-level performance works to the DesertX’s advantage when it comes to running costs, and it won’t have the same hunger for consumables such as tyres, chains or brake pads, nor cost as much to fuel and insure as its 1,200cc stablemate. That said, if used as intended you can expect these consumable components to have a hard time. But since when was running a £20K off-road Ducati likely to be cheap?

Although the Rally is a new version of a model that’s only two years old there are, as with the standard bike, plenty of reasons to have confidence in its durability. The days of ‘fragile Ducatis’ have long gone with service intervals now better than most rivals. Second, its 937cc Testastretta V-twin is long-proven and has also been continuously refined in the other bikes it’s used on. To sum up the DesertX Rally is above all a premium machine bristling with quality components such as KYB suspension, Brembo brakes, Excel rims and even an Öhlins steering damper.

As with the standard DesertX, the new Rally version comes with a four-year, unlimited mileage warranty covering all parts and labour. As with all recent Ducatis, its service intervals are impressively wide, too, with the standard oil service due every two years or 15,000km/9,000 miles and the more involved and expensive Desmo valve adjustment service every 30,000km or 18,000 miles.

The standard DesertX already shone in this department and the new Rally is at least as good, if not better. Which it should be, given the premium. The 5.0-inch TFT dash, sophisticated electronics, quickshifter, LED lights and suchlike you get on the stock bike are joined by those lighter and stronger Excel wheels, uprated suspension components, off-road specific parts and more. All very credible but don’t kid yourself you’re getting Multistrada levels of creature comforts like radar cruise, heated grips, adjustable screens and other luxuries!

While many adventure bikes like to give the impression they’re truly off-road capable few actually are. The DesertX Rally changes that. With its dirt-orientated upgrades to the already excellent and capable DesertX package the result is one of the best adventure off-roaders and right up there, if not beyond, the likes of KTM’s 890 Adventure R, Triumph’s Tiger 900 Rally and Husqvarna’s Norden 901. All this with a Ducati class, the V-twin character and 80s Cagiva Explorer vibe those others can’t match. If you want an adventure bike, fancy a Ducati, and NEED genuine off-road aplomb, the DesertX Rally delivers – and then some. Everyone else can save themselves four grand and go with the stocker!