See Traction eRag's 25 minute vid of Ducati DesertX abuse! ua-cam.com/video/iDtu6J6g718/v-deo.html KNOWN ISSUES? You have to remove the fuel tank to clean your air filter. Up to a 45 min job. 😒 Ducati still uses a timing belt on this bike. And desmo heads (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve). Some viewers believe these are outdated design features. Peter Mansbridge has a good report on electronic issues, mud and overheating, and things he thinks Ducati need to change. ua-cam.com/video/xm_kgRz6kRs/v-deo.html Quite a few owners get a lot of buffeting from the windscreen - as with most bikes with a non-adjustable windscreen this can depend on your height. ------------------------------------------- Will this bike kill you? If you try and ride it like this... probably. 😂 I'm actually a bit concerned with all the marketing that shows pro level riders doing crazy stunts on big adventure bikes. But I did think this sort of bike abuse by my Canadian cousins was acceptable to establish the credentials of the DesertX. Just don't try and ride it like this! Need serious protective gear for your DesertX? Check out outbackmotortek.com for torture-tested gear. They kindly supplied the DesertX to us for several days of riding, despite Traction eRag's repuation at bike wreckers lol. Remember to keep an eye on this pinned first comment. If we come across any issues we post our long-term comments here. Thanks to Tomas Sykora for the faster riding footage made available under Creative Commons. We forgot to film on more open tracks and dirt roads so his video came in handy... "Ducati Desert X & KTM 950SER Pleasure ride" ua-cam.com/video/nhHJXoFsrHU/v-deo.html
I've had my X since last September. I've added engine protection bars, rally seat, spots, soft panniers etc. I am astonished at the all round agility on and off road, it switches faultlessly from one environment to the next. I previously owned a 2017 Africa Twin, the X blows it out the water. It makes me feel more confident as a rider, its supremely comfortable and as for the looks, in my opinion nothing short of stunning. It's the bike you turn around to look at after parking her up. I'm 62 and I very much doubt that a better bike will arrive before I have to downsize due to decrepitude.
@crosstrainingadventure I'm planning a test ride of the 1200 Rally Pro to compare, I've heard comments about the top heaviness but we're all built differently so I'm going in with an open mind 👍
It is an extreme positive that the settings stay where they where when you power off the bike. More manufacturers need to allow this. Thank you Ducati for listening. Most all riders will see this as positive thing when offroading.
@toltod absolutely. Nothing would be more frustrating than having to go through the settings every time if you just turned your bike off for a second during an off road ride.
@@dirkmohrmann8960 Yeah, that's a problem. I'm on an old man bike now but I used to ride adventure bikes and the option to keep your rider settings would be a boon. The only thing this bike is missing for the price is electronic suspension so you don't have to manually adjust stuff between terrain
💯 this. Not having the settings stay is a deal breaker for me. One reason why the AT is not an option. But having ridden it, the DX is better in every way, except maybe the parts supply availability. Ducati is kind of awful in that department.
Pre-ordered and received a year ago. Love the bike. The gap between 2-3 is because 1 and 2 gears were lowered for offroad use, while the rest of the ratios were retained for street use. The 'one guy' did not know what he was riding.
Barry - I am pleasantly surprised. That bike seems more than capable to stay up with the competition. That rider is really freakin good !!!! Never thought Ducati would enter this "arena"... Cheers
We were too... we assumed a road-oriented manufacturer wouldn't nail it on their first attempt! The Traction eRag guys have done a long vid where they chat with the rider who is a hard core enduro racer in Canada. ua-cam.com/video/iDtu6J6g718/v-deo.html
As a Desert X owner who has ridden nearly all of the competition, I agree. It carries its weight better than nearly all of them, save the 890 AR. The only time you really notice it is picking it up after a spill. And even then it isn't as bad as other bikes. Even my Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE felt more top heavy.
Best have a chat with Peter Mainsbridge who rode one of the first DDX brought into Oz Barry. Peter took that bike from East to West ( Byron bay to NW Cape). A few little issues including a detour to Adelaide for an electrical issue. Most of the dealer network has been road orientated, but have quickly adapted to the Audi off-road bike.
I have 2 Ducatis, a Desert X and a Multistrada v4. 6,000 miles each, no problems. Best motorcycles I ever had for now. Also, Ducati's owner is Audi and for several years now, so not only Italian design and engineering.
That's great news, Pedro. A few owners have mentioned they don't like the poor access to the air filter, what do you think? It wouldn't worry me too much as I always try to avoid riding in everyone's dust.
I was there too after several Ducatis but my Desert-X experience has me almost finished with the brand. Random not starting issues and Ducati resisting covering them. A broken rear rim from a pothole on the way home from buying the bike ( nearly $3k!), and an annual maintenance light that requires the dealer to reset for more $, has pissed me right off. Other notables are fasteners made of cheese with threadlocker. Hard to believe this is the same company that made the tank which was my Multistrada 1200.
I've had it for a year, 18k. Used both off-road and on the road plus trips in pairs with suitcases. the bike runs well but I'm afraid that in the event of a fall it won't be as sturdy as my old 990adv (and I hope not to try it) but it has a major flaw: on fast off-road terrain the handlebars snap despite the steering damper
Iv had one for a year now , love it so far. Only down side is the damn airfilter location. But the electronic settings are amazing. The looks are what swayed me to this rather then the 890r but id say the 890r would have the edge in dirtbike territory. As far as on road the desertx has the edge. So confortable imo and handles amazing
I had my eyes set on a T7, largely because im big on reliability through simplicity, which yamaha lives by... but... The desert X is really giving me second thoughts on that, it seems that little bit better in every quantifiable way, as well as in a lot of the non-quantifyable ways. The hard part to get over for me is the reliability, or lack there of. It's said about Italian cars that they are built to be as absolutely perfect as a car can be, once. After that its non stop emotional highs and lows as you work your way through one problem, enjoy it for a bit, then right into another. I manages to talk myself through that with a car recently, where i bought the thing I really wanted, knowing full well it would break regularly, so I would just have to get over it if i were to do the same with a bike.
I've owned two Ducatis: a first gen multistrada was fairly reliable, second gen multistrada developed new issues faster than I could solve or repair them and some known issues had NO solution at all. Never again. Sticking with Japanese brands for the remainder of my riding years....well except for the Stark Varg I have on order. The Varg is a simple machine though with all parts available to order directly from Stark, full repair videos available and the company has a right to repair mentality.
You definitely want an adventure bike to be reliable. At least with the engine you can look at all the road models where it's been tested and refined over the years. But things like electrics might be different to the road bikes? As with almost any model, it probably pays to wait one or two years and see what all the owners are reporting.
Italian cars in general and Ducati motorcycle reliability is apples and oranges. Not saying that you don't raise legitimate things to consider. But assuming that anything Italian regarding cars automatically carries over to their motorcycles in general and Ducati specifically. And yes, the Japanese motorcycle brands will always be the reliability kings.
I'm a fan of your content; your journeys are captivating. 🌄 How about discussing your tactics for handling fatigue during those long rides and keeping yourself in peak condition? Can't wait!
It's on the list and I've been compiling a few things in recent months. 😊👍 I saw you posted on the Aussie adv Facebook page and added something there...
Love my DesertX. Have 2 dealers 30 minutes away. 6000 miles of mixed off-road and have only used up some tires, brakes, and a new air filter. Threw on a stiffer rear spring and it takes me anywhere - rides like a sport bike and a big dirt bike all at once :) smiles for miles. I’d say it’s only weak spot is the windscreen that buffets like crazy for most owners. I came off a Tiger 900 Rally Pro and it isn’t even a fair comparison. DesertX is more stable off-road, better in the twisties, and looks way better.
Good to hear it rated against the Tiger which helps to justify the higher price! Are there any adjustable aftermarket windscreens yet? And how did you go changing the air filter? Some owners say access is poorly designed.
The screen is a strange affair, as I said I test rode the Norden 901 before the X and the buffeting from the standard screen was atrocious. The optional high screen looks like the top of a wheelbarrow ! I am 6' 6" tall and the standard screen on my X is REALLY working for me and I wear a peaked ADV helmet. Weird !
That sucks. I've included that in the known issues section of the pinned first comment. Seems common with bigger adventure bikes. My brother had to remove the fairing and tank to access the V-strom air filter if I remember correctly. 😒
@@crosstrainingadventureI can confirm that’s correct! At least on my old 2015 1000 model. Almost the same process just to top up the coolant as well. Absolutely ridiculous!!!
@@atticushexcel9567 The Tenere, right? Hey, at least you can change it's oil and air filter easily with a spanner and an allen key. I just hate how anti consumer companies are becoming. Soldered in hard drives in phones and laptops, farm equipment with software locks...It's disgraceful.
@@crosstrainingadventure desmodromic heads. Ducati came up with it back in the day as traditional valve train kept breaking valve springs. It uses another cam instead of a spring to pull the valve closed. It’s rather complex and very expensive to check clearances. Excellent back in the day, but metallurgy has come a long way.
Thanks, there's a good Wiki page on it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve Disadvantages Before the days when valve drive dynamics could be analyzed by computer, desmodromic drive seemed to offer solutions for problems that were worsening with increasing engine speed. Since those days, lift, velocity, acceleration, and jerk curves for cams have been modelled by computer[6] to reveal that cam dynamics are not what they seemed. With proper analysis, problems relating to valve adjustment, hydraulic tappets, push rods, rocker arms, and above all, valve float, became things of the past without desmodromic drive. Today most automotive engines use overhead cams, driving a flat tappet to achieve the shortest, lightest weight, and most inelastic path from cam to valve, thereby avoiding elastic elements such as pushrod and rocker arm. Computers have allowed for fairly accurate acceleration modelling of valve-train systems. Before numerical computing methods were readily available, acceleration was only attainable by differentiating cam lift profiles twice, once for velocity and again for acceleration. This generates so much hash (noise) that the second derivative (acceleration) was uselessly inaccurate. Computers permitted integration from the jerk curve, the third derivative of lift, that is conveniently a series of contiguous straight lines whose vertices can be adjusted to give any desired lift profile. Integration of the jerk curve produces a smooth acceleration curve while the third integral gives an essentially ideal lift curve (cam profile). With such cams, which mostly do not look like the ones "artists" formerly designed, valve noise (lift-off) went away and valve train elasticity came under scrutiny. Today, most cams have mirror image (symmetric) profiles with identical positive and negative acceleration while opening and closing valves. However, some high speed (in terms of engine RPM) motors now employ asymmetrical cam profiles in order to quickly open valves and set them back in their seats more gently to reduce wear. As well, production vehicles have employed asymmetrical cam lobe profiles since the late 1940s, as seen in the 1948 Ford V8.[7] In this motor both the intake and exhaust profiles had an asymmetric design. More modern applications of asymmetrical camshafts include Cosworth's 2.3 liter crate motors, which use aggressive profiles to reach upwards of 280 brake horsepower.[8] An asymmetric cam either opens or closes the valves more slowly than it could, with the speed being limited by Hertzian contact stress between curved cam and flat tappet, thereby ensuring a more controlled acceleration of the combined mass of the reciprocating componentry (specifically the valve, tappet and spring). In contrast, desmodromic drive uses two cams per valve, each with separate rocker arm (lever tappets). Maximum valve acceleration is limited by the cam-to-tappet galling stress, and therefore is governed by both the moving mass and the cam contact area. Maximum rigidity and minimum contact stress are best achieved with conventional flat tappets and springs whose lift and closure stress is unaffected by spring force; both occur at the base circle,[9] where spring load is minimum and contact radius is largest. Curved (lever) tappets[10] of desmodromic cams cause higher contact stress than flat tappets for the same lift profile, thereby limiting rate of lift and closure. With conventional cams, stress is highest at full lift, when turning at zero speed (initiation of engine cranking), and diminishes with increasing speed as inertial force of the valve counters spring pressure, while a desmodromic cam has essentially no load at zero speed (in the absence of springs), its load being entirely inertial, and therefore increasing with speed. Its greatest inertial stress bears on its smallest radius. Acceleration forces for either method increase with the square of velocity resulting from kinetic energy.[11] Valve float was analyzed and found to be caused largely by resonance in valve springs that generated oscillating compression waves among coils, much like a Slinky. High speed photography showed that at specific resonant speeds, valve springs were no longer making contact at one or both ends, leaving the valve floating[12] before crashing into the cam on closure. For this reason, today[when?] as many as three concentric valve springs are sometimes nested inside one other; not for more force (the inner ones having no significant spring constant), but to act as snubbers to reduce oscillations in the outer spring.[citation needed] An early solution[when?] to oscillating spring mass was the mousetrap or hairpin spring[13] used on Norton Manx[14] engines. These avoided resonance but were ungainly to locate inside cylinder heads. Valve springs that do not resonate are progressive, wound with varying pitch or varying diameter called beehive springs[15] from their shape. The number of active coils in these springs varies during the stroke, the more closely wound coils being on the static end, becoming inactive as the spring compresses or as in the beehive spring, where the small diameter coils at the top are stiffer. Both mechanisms reduce resonance because spring force and its moving mass vary with stroke. This advance in spring design removed valve float, the initial impetus for desmodromic valve drive.
Every one of the manufacturers thinks we want a 400+lb monstrosity. Yes, the bike is capable, but a smaller bike is easier. A less complicated bike is easier. XR650R at 350lb is a great bike. The KTM 690 is probably the best true dual sport money can buy at this time. Really, we can thank the government for the emmissions standards we have to comply with for all modern bikes. We are back in the 1970s where the european parallel twin is king. Although now I suppose the engines are Chinese 😂
Personally I'm with you. I don't want anything heavier than the DR650 for our type of riding. That could change in the future if I head more into road riding and avoid rougher tracks. But I'd still try to stay fairly light... e.g. a T7 with some mods to get under 200kg.
I always assumed the power-off reset was a regulatory thing for markets where ABS is mandatory for road bikes (like Oz). Be interesting to know if the DesertX is legal for sale everywhere as-is. If it is, the other manufacturers have run out of excuses. As for the safety thing: I've lost count of the number of times I've heard a vlogger say "oh shit ABS is on" and proceed to have an extremely sketchy moment off-road. One day there'll be a death or severe injury directly linked to "surprise" ABS, a family in a litigious mood, and the manufacturers will have to have a serious re-think. OTOH, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "wow, ABS saved me on that one" on or off road. Not disputing the benefits of ABS as a default, but a novice rider on their cruiser who has no idea what to do in low traction situations is hardly in the same category as someone hitting the loose stuff on their dual sport.
I'm not sure how it varies from country to country... if at all. But I figure the ideal would be having the choice of making it always revert to default, or stay where you last had it. Even if you had to agree to some legal disclaimer on your dash when you made your choice.
😂@such comments. Abs always on in off-road and it saves my azz constantly, just grab brakes, no need to think about modulation. The only time I turn it off is if I feel goofy and want to do some slides with rear brake
@@crosstrainingadventureI’ve got mine, had it for a month.. the mods are being added on a monthly basis… waiting for late spring to hit the Vic High Country🤘🏾😉
I once helped a mechanically illiterate brother out cleaning the air filter on his voluptuous Multistrada after riding the Bolivian salt flats. Spent hours getting the job done because to my surprise the bloody thing sits under the fuel tank so everything had to be removed. It that's still the case with this new beauty then "listening to riders" my culo.
Suzuki V-stroms are pretty bad as well, sections of the fairing need to come off too. 🤔 Poor design in my opinion. We've included this in the pinned first comment.
Bad air filter design, unfortunately common on quite a few bikes. 😒 I think you have to take some of the fairings off too with a V-strom 650. I'd already added this issue to our pinned first comment.... KNOWN ISSUES? You have to remove the fuel tank to clean your air filter. Up to a 45 min job. 😒 Ducati still uses a timing belt on this bike. And desmo heads (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve). Some viewers believe these are outdated design features. Peter Mansbridge has a good report on electronic issues, mud and overheating, and things he thinks Ducati need to change. ua-cam.com/video/xm_kgRz6kRs/v-deo.html Quite a few owners get a lot of buffeting from the windscreen - as with most bikes with a non-adjustable windscreen this can depend on your height.
Most of us gumbies will never approach the limits of modern motorcycles. Manufacturers know this, and provide all the performance and wiz bang they think customers will pay for. Ducati offers this in spades all over. Unpopular take, serious off road machines have traditional spoke wheels because pressures will be adjusted, perhaps needing rims locks and if nothing else, traditional spoke rims are cheap and easy to replace. Tubeless rims are road going conveniences. I believe this bike has all the chops to be a great off-road machine, but unfortunately like many euro options, it’s targeted at pavement pounders.
The T7 was really cheap when first released in Australia. But they were so in demand I think they understandably jacked up the price over the next few years.
Cashing in. Hadn't even heard of that model. At that price you would really want that upgraded suspension to work well lol. www.yamaha-motor.com.au/discover/news-and-events/news/motorcycle/2022/february/tenere-700-world-raid
Yeah nah. If money was no object I’d still buy the Tenere and build it up to suit my needs. Shame the manufacturers are still ripping us Aussies off on price. Tenere 700 pre Covid was $16500. 4K less than now and the same price as the rest of the world gets them for NOW. When they first arrived I was offered one for $15800. Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to buy it at the time. I can’t wait for the novelty to wear off and all the cashed up newbies find something else to spend their money on. Hopefully then the greedy dealer network will actually have to do their job and compete for sales again. Rant over.
I get really jealous of the low prices over in the US! But I don't think manufacturers set different prices for Australia, it's usually set by the national distributor who is independent of the brand (in most cases, different with KTM). Then the dealer can choose to provide a discount. I'm sure some dealers are greedy. But all the ones I know so all the proper pre-sales prep and say the small profit margins make it barely wortwhile much of the time. Then there's exchange rates, we had quite cheap bikes for a while when our dollar was on par with the US. It's lost a third of its value so prices have gone up over the past decade. And of course economies of scale and freight distances kick up our prices.
Great ! Now, given that the avg Joe can barely master ANY technique on a $5000 250 cc bike..... lets convince everyone that they need $25,000 1000cc bike to learn on.. you'll be so cool. 😂
Actually I have no idea how yanks pronounce it. 😂 Apart from the nasal Aussie accent, du'cah'ti is how it's said in Europe and most countries in the world... although more emphasis on the second syllable in Italian. You won't catch me saying 'zee'. 😗 I've looked into the etymology of it all and 'zed' definitely came first!
Hope you're well chief. Can't help but think this is a ripoff of the Africa Twin that has electronics that don't work. I don't know what's wrong with the Italians but they don't seem to understand electronics.
p.s. I am not shitting on them for their lack of beauty when it comes to engineering beautiful engines. It's just that I've had a fair share of Italian tech and it seems they haven't bothered to change much since the 70's... might be due to their curriculam.
Judging by the electric issues with Betas maybe it is just an Italian thing? lol If I was going to buy a big adventure bike like this I'd go for reliability with something Japanese every day... the Canadians felt the same way. But of course there'll be guys who simply love the boutique nature of Italian stallions.
@@crosstrainingadventure I thought Beta's were Spanish? Lol... had no idea about that... But can attest. Even in the 80's and those who owned Alfa's would know.
@sspirito3130 The electronic package on my DX only enhances the pleasure of the ride and makes the jump (sometimes literally!) from road to dirt seamless. Mega impressed with the technology and find myself laughing out loud at its handling.
See Traction eRag's 25 minute vid of Ducati DesertX abuse! ua-cam.com/video/iDtu6J6g718/v-deo.html
KNOWN ISSUES? You have to remove the fuel tank to clean your air filter. Up to a 45 min job. 😒
Ducati still uses a timing belt on this bike. And desmo heads (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve). Some viewers believe these are outdated design features.
Peter Mansbridge has a good report on electronic issues, mud and overheating, and things he thinks Ducati need to change. ua-cam.com/video/xm_kgRz6kRs/v-deo.html
Quite a few owners get a lot of buffeting from the windscreen - as with most bikes with a non-adjustable windscreen this can depend on your height.
-------------------------------------------
Will this bike kill you? If you try and ride it like this... probably. 😂 I'm actually a bit concerned with all the marketing that shows pro level riders doing crazy stunts on big adventure bikes. But I did think this sort of bike abuse by my Canadian cousins was acceptable to establish the credentials of the DesertX. Just don't try and ride it like this!
Need serious protective gear for your DesertX? Check out outbackmotortek.com for torture-tested gear. They kindly supplied the DesertX to us for several days of riding, despite Traction eRag's repuation at bike wreckers lol.
Remember to keep an eye on this pinned first comment. If we come across any issues we post our long-term comments here.
Thanks to Tomas Sykora for the faster riding footage made available under Creative Commons. We forgot to film on more open tracks and dirt roads so his video came in handy... "Ducati Desert X & KTM 950SER Pleasure ride" ua-cam.com/video/nhHJXoFsrHU/v-deo.html
I've had my X since last September. I've added engine protection bars, rally seat, spots, soft panniers etc. I am astonished at the all round agility on and off road, it switches faultlessly from one environment to the next. I previously owned a 2017 Africa Twin, the X blows it out the water. It makes me feel more confident as a rider, its supremely comfortable and as for the looks, in my opinion nothing short of stunning. It's the bike you turn around to look at after parking her up. I'm 62 and I very much doubt that a better bike will arrive before I have to downsize due to decrepitude.
Great to hear, Pete. Have you had a chance to ride the 890 or Triumph and make a comparison?
@crosstrainingadventure I'm planning a test ride of the 1200 Rally Pro to compare, I've heard comments about the top heaviness but we're all built differently so I'm going in with an open mind 👍
@@crosstrainingadventuresay a thing to me. Probably you came in europe for holidays in 2 and you came back in 3 to home?
How is suspension comfort compared to the plush africa twin?
@Speedytrip The DesertX has excellent suspension and can easily be adjusted for pillion, luggage or riding conditions.
It is an extreme positive that the settings stay where they where when you power off the bike. More manufacturers need to allow this. Thank you Ducati for listening. Most all riders will see this as positive thing when offroading.
Our guys had mixed opinions on this. The ideal would be having a choice to set it either way.
I love that it remembers my last setting. If I need to change you hold the button for 2 seconds and can change it while moving anyway.
@toltod absolutely. Nothing would be more frustrating than having to go through the settings every time if you just turned your bike off for a second during an off road ride.
@@dirkmohrmann8960 Yeah, that's a problem. I'm on an old man bike now but I used to ride adventure bikes and the option to keep your rider settings would be a boon. The only thing this bike is missing for the price is electronic suspension so you don't have to manually adjust stuff between terrain
💯 this. Not having the settings stay is a deal breaker for me. One reason why the AT is not an option. But having ridden it, the DX is better in every way, except maybe the parts supply availability. Ducati is kind of awful in that department.
Pre-ordered and received a year ago. Love the bike. The gap between 2-3 is because 1 and 2 gears were lowered for offroad use, while the rest of the ratios were retained for street use. The 'one guy' did not know what he was riding.
Barry - I am pleasantly surprised. That bike seems more than capable to stay up with the competition. That rider is really freakin good !!!! Never thought Ducati would enter this "arena"... Cheers
We were too... we assumed a road-oriented manufacturer wouldn't nail it on their first attempt! The Traction eRag guys have done a long vid where they chat with the rider who is a hard core enduro racer in Canada. ua-cam.com/video/iDtu6J6g718/v-deo.html
Great brief, to the point review which gives you the most important takeaways! Nice!
Glad you enjoyed it! It's always a bit painful to wade through a 15 minute video trying to find that one bit of info you want lol.
04:00 other riders stated they felt the bike was less top heavy than other bikes and felt it has a lower center of gravity.
As a Desert X owner who has ridden nearly all of the competition, I agree. It carries its weight better than nearly all of them, save the 890 AR. The only time you really notice it is picking it up after a spill. And even then it isn't as bad as other bikes. Even my Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE felt more top heavy.
@@newenglandscrambler2262 Thanks for chiming in with really good feedback!
Best have a chat with Peter Mainsbridge who rode one of the first DDX brought into Oz Barry.
Peter took that bike from East to West ( Byron bay to NW Cape). A few little issues including a detour to Adelaide for an electrical issue.
Most of the dealer network has been road orientated, but have quickly adapted to the Audi off-road bike.
Thanks for that, Michael. I've added this to the known issues we compile in the pinned first comment.
I have 2 Ducatis, a Desert X and a Multistrada v4. 6,000 miles each, no problems. Best motorcycles I ever had for now. Also, Ducati's owner is Audi and for several years now, so not only Italian design and engineering.
That's great news, Pedro. A few owners have mentioned they don't like the poor access to the air filter, what do you think? It wouldn't worry me too much as I always try to avoid riding in everyone's dust.
I was there too after several Ducatis but my Desert-X experience has me almost finished with the brand. Random not starting issues and Ducati resisting covering them. A broken rear rim from a pothole on the way home from buying the bike ( nearly $3k!), and an annual maintenance light that requires the dealer to reset for more $, has pissed me right off. Other notables are fasteners made of cheese with threadlocker. Hard to believe this is the same company that made the tank which was my Multistrada 1200.
@@brucerossonthetubeyou should be able to change the date back to last year and the maintenance icon will go off.
@beer3029 Thanks, good advice. Should I really have to do this, though?
@@brucerossonthetube it's just another way they scam you out of money. I do my maintenance myself, and it worked on my Multistrada and Scrambler.
Guatemala now has Ducati dealer and it's only about 4,000 km's from me. I like what they did with the Sled - maybe we'll see a XX version??
Five day drive? Easy peasy. 😗 I think dealer and parts access is going to be pretty poor for anyone outside of Europe?
I've had it for a year, 18k. Used both off-road and on the road plus trips in pairs with suitcases. the bike runs well but I'm afraid that in the event of a fall it won't be as sturdy as my old 990adv (and I hope not to try it) but it has a major flaw: on fast off-road terrain the handlebars snap despite the steering damper
Snap??? As in they snapped in half lol. There are aftermarket dampers
@@aaronphillips2728 I don't know English...I mean that the handlebars vibrate strongly at high speeds, the bike is not stable
@@aaronphillips2728 it wasn't the plan to pay for another steering damper as the bike has already been paid for enough
Iv had one for a year now , love it so far. Only down side is the damn airfilter location. But the electronic settings are amazing. The looks are what swayed me to this rather then the 890r but id say the 890r would have the edge in dirtbike territory. As far as on road the desertx has the edge. So confortable imo and handles amazing
I had my eyes set on a T7, largely because im big on reliability through simplicity, which yamaha lives by... but... The desert X is really giving me second thoughts on that, it seems that little bit better in every quantifiable way, as well as in a lot of the non-quantifyable ways. The hard part to get over for me is the reliability, or lack there of. It's said about Italian cars that they are built to be as absolutely perfect as a car can be, once. After that its non stop emotional highs and lows as you work your way through one problem, enjoy it for a bit, then right into another. I manages to talk myself through that with a car recently, where i bought the thing I really wanted, knowing full well it would break regularly, so I would just have to get over it if i were to do the same with a bike.
I've owned two Ducatis: a first gen multistrada was fairly reliable, second gen multistrada developed new issues faster than I could solve or repair them and some known issues had NO solution at all. Never again. Sticking with Japanese brands for the remainder of my riding years....well except for the Stark Varg I have on order. The Varg is a simple machine though with all parts available to order directly from Stark, full repair videos available and the company has a right to repair mentality.
You definitely want an adventure bike to be reliable. At least with the engine you can look at all the road models where it's been tested and refined over the years. But things like electrics might be different to the road bikes? As with almost any model, it probably pays to wait one or two years and see what all the owners are reporting.
Italian cars in general and Ducati motorcycle reliability is apples and oranges. Not saying that you don't raise legitimate things to consider. But assuming that anything Italian regarding cars automatically carries over to their motorcycles in general and Ducati specifically. And yes, the Japanese motorcycle brands will always be the reliability kings.
Strongly considering one! Great video!
Go for it!
Beautiful bike! I just wish Ducati would use the more common valve spring setup instead of Desmo to make maintenance a bit easier.
Yes, and possibly scrap the timing belt too. We included this in the pinned first comment with our further notes.
KTM1090R still the pick today long term had a amazing run
Next review, Tuareg 660?
We were actually offered two of them for a week to test them. But they said there was a $3000 excess on each bike if we damaged them. 😢
@@crosstrainingadventure wooooow really? Dang 😫
It was a bummer. We were looking forward to it and then they told us about the insurance thing the day before we were meant to pick them up.
@@crosstrainingadventure did you have a similar insurance cost with the DesertX?
I don't know, you'd have to ask the Canadians. This review was from the guys at Traction eRag.
I'm a fan of your content; your journeys are captivating. 🌄 How about discussing your tactics for handling fatigue during those long rides and keeping yourself in peak condition? Can't wait!
It's on the list and I've been compiling a few things in recent months. 😊👍 I saw you posted on the Aussie adv Facebook page and added something there...
@@crosstrainingadventure thank you!
Please God when I reborn I want to ride like this 🙌🏻
Apparently all of us can. But we'll only stay on the bike for five to fifteen seconds at most. 😗
Seen the wheels are susceptible to damage on the lip with buckled rims not holding air.
Interesting... has it been specific to the DesertX or this style of rim in particular?
@@crosstrainingadventure I think its these design of rims in general.
Love my DesertX. Have 2 dealers 30 minutes away. 6000 miles of mixed off-road and have only used up some tires, brakes, and a new air filter.
Threw on a stiffer rear spring and it takes me anywhere - rides like a sport bike and a big dirt bike all at once :) smiles for miles.
I’d say it’s only weak spot is the windscreen that buffets like crazy for most owners.
I came off a Tiger 900 Rally Pro and it isn’t even a fair comparison. DesertX is more stable off-road, better in the twisties, and looks way better.
Good to hear it rated against the Tiger which helps to justify the higher price! Are there any adjustable aftermarket windscreens yet? And how did you go changing the air filter? Some owners say access is poorly designed.
The screen is a strange affair, as I said I test rode the Norden 901 before the X and the buffeting from the standard screen was atrocious. The optional high screen looks like the top of a wheelbarrow ! I am 6' 6" tall and the standard screen on my X is REALLY working for me and I wear a peaked ADV helmet. Weird !
From a performance standpoint the X is probably a cut above the others in this category. Maintenance and cost of ownership standpoint, it's a Ducati
Imagine having to remove the fuel tank to change the air filter on your big dirt bike.
This bike was made for the Ducatti dealer, not the rider.
Spot on
That sucks. I've included that in the known issues section of the pinned first comment. Seems common with bigger adventure bikes. My brother had to remove the fairing and tank to access the V-strom air filter if I remember correctly. 😒
@@crosstrainingadventureI can confirm that’s correct! At least on my old 2015 1000 model. Almost the same process just to top up the coolant as well. Absolutely ridiculous!!!
@crosstrainingadventure on my norden, just remove the seat, remove thair airbox lid, and take out the filter. The only tool required is me.
@@atticushexcel9567 The Tenere, right? Hey, at least you can change it's oil and air filter easily with a spanner and an allen key.
I just hate how anti consumer companies are becoming. Soldered in hard drives in phones and laptops, farm equipment with software locks...It's disgraceful.
Not one reviewer on UA-cam has mentioned that it still uses a timing belt and desmo heads. Get with the times Ducati!
We've added this to the pinned first comment. I'm not familiar with Ducatis, what is the issue with Desmo heads?
@@crosstrainingadventure desmodromic heads. Ducati came up with it back in the day as traditional valve train kept breaking valve springs. It uses another cam instead of a spring to pull the valve closed. It’s rather complex and very expensive to check clearances. Excellent back in the day, but metallurgy has come a long way.
Thanks, there's a good Wiki page on it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve
Disadvantages
Before the days when valve drive dynamics could be analyzed by computer, desmodromic drive seemed to offer solutions for problems that were worsening with increasing engine speed. Since those days, lift, velocity, acceleration, and jerk curves for cams have been modelled by computer[6] to reveal that cam dynamics are not what they seemed. With proper analysis, problems relating to valve adjustment, hydraulic tappets, push rods, rocker arms, and above all, valve float, became things of the past without desmodromic drive.
Today most automotive engines use overhead cams, driving a flat tappet to achieve the shortest, lightest weight, and most inelastic path from cam to valve, thereby avoiding elastic elements such as pushrod and rocker arm. Computers have allowed for fairly accurate acceleration modelling of valve-train systems.
Before numerical computing methods were readily available, acceleration was only attainable by differentiating cam lift profiles twice, once for velocity and again for acceleration. This generates so much hash (noise) that the second derivative (acceleration) was uselessly inaccurate. Computers permitted integration from the jerk curve, the third derivative of lift, that is conveniently a series of contiguous straight lines whose vertices can be adjusted to give any desired lift profile.
Integration of the jerk curve produces a smooth acceleration curve while the third integral gives an essentially ideal lift curve (cam profile). With such cams, which mostly do not look like the ones "artists" formerly designed, valve noise (lift-off) went away and valve train elasticity came under scrutiny.
Today, most cams have mirror image (symmetric) profiles with identical positive and negative acceleration while opening and closing valves. However, some high speed (in terms of engine RPM) motors now employ asymmetrical cam profiles in order to quickly open valves and set them back in their seats more gently to reduce wear. As well, production vehicles have employed asymmetrical cam lobe profiles since the late 1940s, as seen in the 1948 Ford V8.[7] In this motor both the intake and exhaust profiles had an asymmetric design. More modern applications of asymmetrical camshafts include Cosworth's 2.3 liter crate motors, which use aggressive profiles to reach upwards of 280 brake horsepower.[8] An asymmetric cam either opens or closes the valves more slowly than it could, with the speed being limited by Hertzian contact stress between curved cam and flat tappet, thereby ensuring a more controlled acceleration of the combined mass of the reciprocating componentry (specifically the valve, tappet and spring).
In contrast, desmodromic drive uses two cams per valve, each with separate rocker arm (lever tappets). Maximum valve acceleration is limited by the cam-to-tappet galling stress, and therefore is governed by both the moving mass and the cam contact area. Maximum rigidity and minimum contact stress are best achieved with conventional flat tappets and springs whose lift and closure stress is unaffected by spring force; both occur at the base circle,[9] where spring load is minimum and contact radius is largest. Curved (lever) tappets[10] of desmodromic cams cause higher contact stress than flat tappets for the same lift profile, thereby limiting rate of lift and closure.
With conventional cams, stress is highest at full lift, when turning at zero speed (initiation of engine cranking), and diminishes with increasing speed as inertial force of the valve counters spring pressure, while a desmodromic cam has essentially no load at zero speed (in the absence of springs), its load being entirely inertial, and therefore increasing with speed. Its greatest inertial stress bears on its smallest radius. Acceleration forces for either method increase with the square of velocity resulting from kinetic energy.[11]
Valve float was analyzed and found to be caused largely by resonance in valve springs that generated oscillating compression waves among coils, much like a Slinky. High speed photography showed that at specific resonant speeds, valve springs were no longer making contact at one or both ends, leaving the valve floating[12] before crashing into the cam on closure.
For this reason, today[when?] as many as three concentric valve springs are sometimes nested inside one other; not for more force (the inner ones having no significant spring constant), but to act as snubbers to reduce oscillations in the outer spring.[citation needed]
An early solution[when?] to oscillating spring mass was the mousetrap or hairpin spring[13] used on Norton Manx[14] engines. These avoided resonance but were ungainly to locate inside cylinder heads.
Valve springs that do not resonate are progressive, wound with varying pitch or varying diameter called beehive springs[15] from their shape. The number of active coils in these springs varies during the stroke, the more closely wound coils being on the static end, becoming inactive as the spring compresses or as in the beehive spring, where the small diameter coils at the top are stiffer. Both mechanisms reduce resonance because spring force and its moving mass vary with stroke. This advance in spring design removed valve float, the initial impetus for desmodromic valve drive.
Looks like a real Italian stallion in action Berry ..but me myself and I would probably just stick with the Africa twin 🔥
I know the Canadians liked it, but I would go for something like the T7 every day... if I ever opted for a twin!
Is Kove 450 available down there?
Australia? I'd try googling 'Kove Australia' and see if anything shows up.
good looking bike but too expensive and don't like the belt idea.
Yep, seems replacing it every two years is the go. And keeping an eye on it in between if you really want to play it safe.
way to expensive for offroad ..
I'm 100% with you there. If I ever go for a twin it would be the T7 or something similar.
Every one of the manufacturers thinks we want a 400+lb monstrosity. Yes, the bike is capable, but a smaller bike is easier. A less complicated bike is easier. XR650R at 350lb is a great bike. The KTM 690 is probably the best true dual sport money can buy at this time. Really, we can thank the government for the emmissions standards we have to comply with for all modern bikes. We are back in the 1970s where the european parallel twin is king. Although now I suppose the engines are Chinese 😂
Personally I'm with you. I don't want anything heavier than the DR650 for our type of riding. That could change in the future if I head more into road riding and avoid rougher tracks. But I'd still try to stay fairly light... e.g. a T7 with some mods to get under 200kg.
I always assumed the power-off reset was a regulatory thing for markets where ABS is mandatory for road bikes (like Oz). Be interesting to know if the DesertX is legal for sale everywhere as-is. If it is, the other manufacturers have run out of excuses.
As for the safety thing: I've lost count of the number of times I've heard a vlogger say "oh shit ABS is on" and proceed to have an extremely sketchy moment off-road. One day there'll be a death or severe injury directly linked to "surprise" ABS, a family in a litigious mood, and the manufacturers will have to have a serious re-think.
OTOH, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "wow, ABS saved me on that one" on or off road. Not disputing the benefits of ABS as a default, but a novice rider on their cruiser who has no idea what to do in low traction situations is hardly in the same category as someone hitting the loose stuff on their dual sport.
I'm not sure how it varies from country to country... if at all. But I figure the ideal would be having the choice of making it always revert to default, or stay where you last had it. Even if you had to agree to some legal disclaimer on your dash when you made your choice.
😂@such comments.
Abs always on in off-road and it saves my azz constantly, just grab brakes, no need to think about modulation. The only time I turn it off is if I feel goofy and want to do some slides with rear brake
@@Angry-Lynx interesting, I wonder how many others do the same. It's definitely an under represented viewpoint, but maybe just not talked about much.
All bikes should remember settings.
Looks cool. Also looks like a Yamaha 700.
I must admit I love the styling of the T7. If I ever go for a twin I think it might be at the top of the list... with suspension mods.
@@crosstrainingadventureI’ve got mine, had it for a month.. the mods are being added on a monthly basis… waiting for late spring to hit the Vic High Country🤘🏾😉
I once helped a mechanically illiterate brother out cleaning the air filter on his voluptuous Multistrada after riding the Bolivian salt flats. Spent hours getting the job done because to my surprise the bloody thing sits under the fuel tank so everything had to be removed. It that's still the case with this new beauty then "listening to riders" my culo.
Suzuki V-stroms are pretty bad as well, sections of the fairing need to come off too. 🤔 Poor design in my opinion. We've included this in the pinned first comment.
They should of left the scrambler desert in line. These are way too much for the average dude who drives on fire rounds.
45mins to change the paper air filter, 140nm to torque the rear axle.. not travel friendly at all..
Bad air filter design, unfortunately common on quite a few bikes. 😒 I think you have to take some of the fairings off too with a V-strom 650. I'd already added this issue to our pinned first comment....
KNOWN ISSUES? You have to remove the fuel tank to clean your air filter. Up to a 45 min job. 😒
Ducati still uses a timing belt on this bike. And desmo heads (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmodromic_valve). Some viewers believe these are outdated design features.
Peter Mansbridge has a good report on electronic issues, mud and overheating, and things he thinks Ducati need to change. ua-cam.com/video/xm_kgRz6kRs/v-deo.html
Quite a few owners get a lot of buffeting from the windscreen - as with most bikes with a non-adjustable windscreen this can depend on your height.
🏁🏆
Most of us gumbies will never approach the limits of modern motorcycles. Manufacturers know this, and provide all the performance and wiz bang they think customers will pay for. Ducati offers this in spades all over.
Unpopular take, serious off road machines have traditional spoke wheels because pressures will be adjusted, perhaps needing rims locks and if nothing else, traditional spoke rims are cheap and easy to replace. Tubeless rims are road going conveniences. I believe this bike has all the chops to be a great off-road machine, but unfortunately like many euro options, it’s targeted at pavement pounders.
looks like an rd03
Incredible bike, but had to get a tenere700 because it was half the price.
The T7 was really cheap when first released in Australia. But they were so in demand I think they understandably jacked up the price over the next few years.
How much is it? I paid around 10k in The Netherlands, and the Ducati is 20k here new @@crosstrainingadventure
I think they were a few specials at around AUD14000. Heel goedkope!
@@portierpsy In Australia the T7 World Raid cost the same as a Desert X. It's a joke
Cashing in. Hadn't even heard of that model. At that price you would really want that upgraded suspension to work well lol. www.yamaha-motor.com.au/discover/news-and-events/news/motorcycle/2022/february/tenere-700-world-raid
I’ll stick with my DR, if I’m getting a Duc it’ll be a road bike.
Me too. A fully fuelled DR650 is the heaviest I can handle on our rougher tracks.
And a bloody marvelous road bike it is !!
Yeah nah. If money was no object I’d still buy the Tenere and build it up to suit my needs. Shame the manufacturers are still ripping us Aussies off on price. Tenere 700 pre Covid was $16500. 4K less than now and the same price as the rest of the world gets them for NOW. When they first arrived I was offered one for $15800. Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to buy it at the time. I can’t wait for the novelty to wear off and all the cashed up newbies find something else to spend their money on. Hopefully then the greedy dealer network will actually have to do their job and compete for sales again. Rant over.
I get really jealous of the low prices over in the US!
But I don't think manufacturers set different prices for Australia, it's usually set by the national distributor who is independent of the brand (in most cases, different with KTM). Then the dealer can choose to provide a discount.
I'm sure some dealers are greedy. But all the ones I know so all the proper pre-sales prep and say the small profit margins make it barely wortwhile much of the time.
Then there's exchange rates, we had quite cheap bikes for a while when our dollar was on par with the US. It's lost a third of its value so prices have gone up over the past decade.
And of course economies of scale and freight distances kick up our prices.
This bike is too heavy, expensive, the air filter is ment to be done by a dealer, and the rear end looks awfull.
Great ! Now, given that the avg Joe can barely master ANY technique on a $5000 250 cc bike..... lets convince everyone that they need $25,000 1000cc bike to learn on.. you'll be so cool. 😂
Yep we did a whole video about that recently... riders new to the sport getting sucked in to buying much bigger bikes than they can handle.
If it had the looks and weight of the DR650 I might think about it. But it will never be a DR650.
Many of us would love to see a twin designed with light weight in mind. We covered two in a recent vid... BMW's HP2 and the Aprilia 550.
Du "cah" ti?... Jeebus. C'mon Barry I can understand you probably have a lot of yank views but really. I suppose you say zeeee as well lol.
Actually I have no idea how yanks pronounce it. 😂 Apart from the nasal Aussie accent, du'cah'ti is how it's said in Europe and most countries in the world... although more emphasis on the second syllable in Italian. You won't catch me saying 'zee'. 😗 I've looked into the etymology of it all and 'zed' definitely came first!
Hope you're well chief. Can't help but think this is a ripoff of the Africa Twin that has electronics that don't work. I don't know what's wrong with the Italians but they don't seem to understand electronics.
p.s. I am not shitting on them for their lack of beauty when it comes to engineering beautiful engines. It's just that I've had a fair share of Italian tech and it seems they haven't bothered to change much since the 70's... might be due to their curriculam.
Judging by the electric issues with Betas maybe it is just an Italian thing? lol If I was going to buy a big adventure bike like this I'd go for reliability with something Japanese every day... the Canadians felt the same way. But of course there'll be guys who simply love the boutique nature of Italian stallions.
@@crosstrainingadventure I thought Beta's were Spanish? Lol... had no idea about that... But can attest. Even in the 80's and those who owned Alfa's would know.
Can you tell us more about the list of electronics that don't work in a Desert X? Oh wait...it's just stereotypes and your own prejudices. All good.
@sspirito3130 The electronic package on my DX only enhances the pleasure of the ride and makes the jump (sometimes literally!) from road to dirt seamless. Mega impressed with the technology and find myself laughing out loud at its handling.