The DesertX Rally's finally here, lucky boy Chad's been to Morocco to ride the new mid-weight adventure bike from Ducati, is it worth £19K? He's going to find out with 2 days playing in the Sand Dunes. #ducati #desertx #rally
Chad's real nice with a sportbike but he can't Dakar. Now Chris, Chris can definitely Dakar. Too bad he missed this launch. Can't wait to see what he can do with this thing.
Thanks for the review! I think the Rally's suspension would be wasted on the average rider, so to save money I'd buy the base X and tune/respring the suspension to my weight. And while I love Chris's reviews in the Welsh forests, I also appreciate Chad's perspective. I hate dakar sand as well. I love hardpack, rocks, forests, mud. But I try to avoid deep sand. So It's nice to hear from someone who feels the same way. Not everyone has to adore deep sand, I know my bikes don't. It gets everywhere.
Great test of an incredible machine, but my biggest take away from your video was watching how you corner, on the tarmac, specifically your elbow position, shoulders and where you're looking - I put these to the test this past weekend and my on road cornering improved drastically - thank you to you guys for an incredible channel.
Hi Chad, haven’t heard you being so impressed with a bike for longer than I can remember. Even at 6’2”, I’ll struggle with the height as I do with my off-road only bikes with trick suspension. Interested in giving this one a ride purely based upon your opinion. At least it possible will enable me to leave the car and bike trailer behind to go and explore off road with a street legal machine as everything else on the market is purely a compromise. As I’m fortunate enough to have bikes for specific situations. Track/race, touring, off road. This just might at least make my CFO happy as I’ll be able to reduce the number of bikes I have. Great review. 👍😎
Great video as always. This looks an awesome bike. I have decided on the std Desert X, albeit a used one. I will do a few mods to make it mine, but the standard bike is plenty capable enough. I reckon it's one of the best looking ADV bikes out there by some margin...👍
@@BikeWorldTVshow it's good to hear your review & feedback about this bike after using it on a long ride. It seemed you really like it. Yah, it's quite understood that if you consider a Ducati. You should expect for a pricy bike. However #Ducati have still something to improve in their next year's Desert X. Like the unavailable heated Grips, quite smaller Windscreen, Weight of the bike which is a bit too much, it's low front Fender on the non Rally base model & the chosen stock Tires which could have been at least closer quality to Scorpion Pirelli all terrain tires. If all of those would be corrected. This bike would be Terrific. Especially if you replace the exhaust with an aftermarket one. I guess the height of the bike is just enough because it's used after all into different terrain especially in rough roads. For some who can't able to reach the floor with their two feet. It's fine I think they could just adjust height into their preference. There are also some taller guys who wants this bike so it makes it even. Anyway, opting for shorter is way difficult as it makes their leg cramp in a long ride. On a side note why is this bike's red bar frame is bulging at the tail end. It really upset the looks which isn't normal to an adventure bike or it's rivals. Yes, it helps a bit when you need to yank the bike, but the Factory can able to put it on the side or maybe not. It doesn't matter anyway.
Good review again Chad. Only thing though … last review sounded like you were working for the Triumph marketing dept and this time Ducatis. Chris has always been objective and hasn’t gushed too much about a new bike until he’s put it through its paces at home.
I would love to see a drop test with max fuel capacity with every manufacturer. Could it be timed? I'm just saying... Great review and nice-looking bike!
Even worse, dropping it without the crash bars (which are a weighty extra) puts a hole in the tank. The Aussies at MAD TV covered that during the launch there. Still a nice bike though.
I am 5 feet 10 inches in height. Can I ride on this high and monster bike? The only power to compete with KTM 890 Adventure R (2024 model or 2023 model both).
Not worth 19k to me, although its cool that you can account for that additional cost in the upgrades they've made, more or less. Left feeling even more impressed with the new KTM 790 Adventure (my bike, so complete bias). Manageable seat height, very comparable electronics (all the pros you've mentioned the KTM has too), closer difference power wise than others in the budget adventure class...only real practical downside is the suspension imo, which wouldn't cost me 9k to upgrade. Oh, and the looks, I guess ;-)
Lovely looking bike but stupid price and it's not the only bike you can change modes on the fly my Honda ATAS and my Triumph Scrambler 1200XE can both do it. Those press bikes are probably the only ones that will go off road🤣 Ducati are really taking the piss with the price of their bikes. I think the new BMW F900GS will do them all when you test them all together off road in the UK.
Unless you’re planning on launching it at speed into big hits and jumps, all that suspension travel is pointless. I’d sooner have a lower bike with really top quality suspension with less travel. But nobody makes that bike… so it’s buy a lower bike, and then spend lots of $ on a custom suspension. Oh well…
Why send someone to ride and review bike like this in terrain like that who can't and doesn’t like riding in sand! Seems a bit counterintuitive to me? Where's Chris to do this bike justice?
Things are changing, because the UK market is shrinking manufactures invite less and less people to the launches, Chad is our man. Chris will be riding one very soon here in the UK.
None of this truly matters. You'll have to deal with the Ducati ownership experience which won't be as enjoyable as owning a Japanese bikes. It will run hot, it may have problems, dealer service will be expensive, parts availability and speed to obtain will not be comparable. T7 has plenty of power offroad. Future classic.
When the extremely capable, reliable and very popular Yamaha Tenere 700 (Rally or World Raid) is about HALF THE PRICE and probably just as good offroad (where 70 HP is more than enough)... well, no thanks Ducati, really.
Agree. I love Ducatis, my first was a Paso 750 in 1990 and then I get two Multistradas in the recent years, but the price of this Desert X it’s madness to me. They think they’re the Ferrari of motorbike, but they are not. 😅
I find it hilarious when poor people try and justify their poorness by comparing a Ducati with a bike half its price. The Desert X was never aimed at poor people like you. It’s aimed at those with what’s known as, disposable income.
I have a tenere and if you actually want it to perform, you have to dump money into the suspension. 3k off the bat. I have the Ohlins kit and it’s a game changer but it still doesn’t compare to the 48mm KYB. The T7 is a great bike, it’s simple, less expensive and most likely easier to maintain, but the ergos are a little weird. Performance wise, if you’re actually planning on running the bike hard, the DX rally does not compare. It’s just better.
I love the original Desert X. When I saw this new version last year, I felt the same about that too. The cost is part and parcel of Ducati Life. You gotta pay to play.
