Hi!! Crash damage video will be in the very end. I was not filming during the accident, so no video of that 😢 Damage not big, but the bike was put out to service.. Had fun making this video 😊 Enjoy!
Thank you Nemo for interesting review, it is sad to hear about your accident, but it will be new experience with Ducati service, hope everything will be fixed fast and in high quality. Regards!!! Keep going!!!
Labas Tomai! Thank you for being a part of my journey even just watching from the screen. And yes... You know best how lucky am I with the new motorcycles :D Have a great upcoming Christmas and New Year!
Preload and sag frontend, get it right and leave it. For the rear-end, you need to mark the preloads [so many turns clockwise or counterclockwise], one for no luggage, one for small load, then one for full load. Rebound and damping I never see a need to change, once its set. Its set for dirt. 06:40 I think the DESMOS belt maintenance is every 15K and DESMOS valve adjustment is every 30K. Pretty much, a used DX, after its out of warrantee, if the price drops, might be a good bike.
Thanks for the tips regarding a suspension setup. Talking about the belt maintenance it gets done together with the valve clearance at 30000 km, so as an air filter change if you are not in Australia I guess :)
Congratulations on your new bike as it’s one of the best looking one you can get. Also thanks for your honest review of this bike. This is one of the bikes that I am considering but just going to do some trips renting the ones I’m contemplating and then go from there. Probably will be next year before I add another bike to my garage 😊
Thank you and good luck with your choice! Renting before buying one, sounds like a clever and really fun idea :) I wonder what else rests in your garage if you are looking for an adventure one?
Dear Nemo I’m sad for your accident. I hope you didn’t get any injury. After seeing your video I decided to get a DesertX instead a Multistrada V2. I get my new bike just Saturday. Hope to see you again on your motorbike. Regards. Luigi
Hey, Luigi, thanks for the good words! The speed was too low for the injuries but still hurts my feelings. We got away with some bumps and some dents in our egos and wallets. Congratulations on your new bike! I think there is the perfect choice choosing Desert X over the V2. This bike is really something special and really a pleasure to the eyes. Spring is coming so as new plans for travel. The bike should be fixed by the spring and our duo will hit the roads again. A pleasure to have another Ducatista on the squad. Hope to see you on the road one day!
Hi, well done. Your report is perfect and very complete. I’ve owned many bikes in the last years, bmw and ducati. Street and enduro. Six months ago I was so close to buy a desert x, but I didn’t for some of the reason that you explained. Especially price of the accessories, panniers, telephone holder etc. etc. price of some spare parts (if you break the gasoline tank it costs 1500 euro!!!) and for the question of the air filter. I bought a ktm 890 adv R. This is the first report really we’ll done and correct. After all the desert x it’s a very nice bike. Buona strada
I have the T7 World Raid version and I love that bike. I think they are in direct competition with the DesertX. I love the Ducati and probably, I will buy it next season. I hope your bike is fixed and in good condition.
Hi there! Thanks! It’s fixed and if you would search my video playlist- you can find a really fun series of the trip to the NordKapp via dirt roads I just did on it 💪💪 This bike is more capable than I thought.
Thanks for watching. I had a lot of fun buying the upgrades for my next summer offroad adventures. Gonna be fun unpacking and installing all that stuff video in a few weeks.
Dear Nemo thanks for your complete and honest reviewer one thing I noticed Ducati like BMW are really pitching their bike now to the wealthy I’ve been biking for sixty years and boy is it funny to see from cheap transport to glitter toys that bikes have become. I’ve just recommended a dear young friend a Royal Enfield Himalayan after seeing one on a muddy track boy that bike was ok.
Hey, John, Thank you very much. I totally agree with you. Motorcycles used to be a choice if you couldn't afford a car and nowadays it's a money-milking machine from a guy who wants just to travel and they cost a fortune.
I got the crashbars and water pump from ducati because I was afraid to get it out of the dealership without protection... Also got the central stand. Now I found a third party for a tall windscreen, wind deflectors, tramsparent headlights protection and another 3rd party for other protection parts. P.S. also got the topcase frame and got a 58liter(if I remember correctly) topcase from Shad.
It's so good when the aftermarket manufacturers get in the game, cause as I mentioned- the original is crazy expensive, but, arguably the best looking :) Like we say- better safe than sorry, so good for you you have them. If I would have had them, I think, my bike still would have been with me, but not sure about the bicycle rider... I guess it would have hurt him more.
@@nemoltu they are indeed to expensive, the thing is you expect to have been thoroughly tested unlike some third party brands that don't and they end up causing more damage... And yes, you are right, I belive it would be worse fore someone to be hit by the bars. :(
@@avramovskiljupco5220 It feels ok when it's empty and at most I had 10kg in it and had no issues. I also did not lean to much because my top case has no straps inside.
Hearing you talk about cleaning the rear spoked wheels etc...because of the chain makes my happy on my v85tt with a shaft drive. Used to have a honda cb500x and man, that was a pain cleaning afterwards. The oil and crap goes everywhere
Yep, that's one more reason I'm looking for a good solution with the chain lube and I think that the wax-based lube gonna be a way to go. Sad they don't make really good offroad capable bikes with the shaft.
Hi Nemo from Australia; great vid, as always.I guess no bike can be perfect, and manufacturers can try to attain that but it's very difficult. After all is said and done, and after my test ride....I still love the bike; It has that certain something that makes it special....and for that , there is a price to pay !!! $$$$$$$ Regards....
Hey, and thanks again! Yes and yes, as I said in the video this is a bike I would buy again, but, since I still have it, I just gonna keep it :) I think, nowadays most are the looks of the bike that draws our hearts. Cause there are always a few choices, so we just need to choose where our hearts lean toward and we are good to go :) Despite all imperfections.
@@StephenIanDow There is some footage at the end of the video about it. One crazy guy with a bicycle just decided to cut into the blind corner... The speed was too low to get hurt but was enough to damage the bike and put it into service for repairs.
Hi, David, the views are from my last year's trip to Grand Alpine Road (Route des Grandes Alpes). So if you google that you will find it. All that road is really worth riding on and could be set as a travel destination for a week or so. Have fun with your bike when you will get it!
Did you try some wax based lubricant for the chain? I use it on my motorcycle, and it keeps everything a lot cleaner. Dust doesn't stick to the chain/wheel as much, and it doesn't "fly off the chain" as much as oil. The downside is that you have to lube the chain somewhat more frequently. Also, coating the wheel hub with wax makes it easier to clean.
Hey Yves, probably I could google for that, but could you let me know whaT are you using? I think that would narrow down my choices and would leave less margin for error and use the wrong materials. I would love to try it. Thank you for the idea. For the downside you mentioned- some people are never greasing the chain and the longevity of it doesn't get that crazy shorter, but I just don't like the sound of the dry chain.
@@nemoltu I use mostly the WD-40 Bike Dry Chain Lubricant. This one comes in 118 ml. drip container. However, I also use other brands that are only available in North America. I usually get some from my suppliers (I'm an industrial mechanicin the Province of Québec, Canada). I also get some that is in aerosol cans. they're easier to use when it comes to coating the wheel hub or the spokes.
@@yveslaurier950 Thanks for that! I will look for options over here in Europe. I remember I used some kind of oil chain lube on my Multistrada enduro and was not that splashy. Talking about waxing the hub- I think it shouldn't be that hard to find something. As I mentioned- love the idea! Thank you!
Yeah, the Termi full race Titanium exhaust is expensive......but worth EVERY cent IMHO. This cat delete exhaust option includes a Ducati EVO engine tune. Hp jumps to around 120, torque goes up around 7ft lbs across entire RPM range. Instantaneous throttle response, much cooler when stationary, and overall wet weight drops to around 485 lbs. The system comes with a DB Killer endplate that takes under 30 seconds to install or remove, depending on how loud you want the ride to be. This option noticably increase the overall performance of the DDX. The thump, burble, braaap and overrun/deceleration pops are incredible. Even throws 8" blue flames that look 🤯 at night.
After taking a test ride on it i also found that this engine is not the happiest at low revs. it likes to be revved . Other thing is i found that the engine is creating crazy heat around the legs ...otherwise not a bad bike
I started feeling that heat only when the weather went to the upper twenties. Compared to Multistrada V4S it was quite OK. It did not bother me at all. But if you ever would ride the KTM 1290 S or R, then it goes to another level. Agree on the higher revs for sure.
I won’t buy this bike till I develop off-road skill set. I’ll get a lighter and affordable one before getting this. Anyway, I love the DesertX, a great example of mixing form and function together. Ducati is well-known to do that. After watching this video, I can see it’s glaring flaws and it is missing it. The missing thing is DIY-Experience. Not UX per se. Ducati should HAVE thought of that. For example, what if this rider needs to change or clean air box in the middle of Africa? What the rider should do during oil change at a friend’s garage in Romania? Etc etc. So, Ducati’s requesting rider should not do these or they’ll void warranty is very anti-diy. Again, beautiful machine and, for a globe-riding traveler, it’s nil. I am not a globe traveler and I still buy it anyways. Just wish I could do stuff myself. O well.
Just asked my local Ducati dealer changing air filter by yourself DOES NOT avoid the warranty. They told me it's a adventure bike offcourse you can change it yourself. Bike also comes with 4 year warranty here.
Hi, this video was done 4 months ago and the info was from the dealer on that day. This filter definitely was not positioned like for the adventure bike for sure. I did change my filter myself later in the winter and I can assure you- wouldn't want to do that in the middle of my trip somewhere in Africa or even just at the evening campsite. I love this bike and will keep it, but not sure if it would be my choice for RTW riding. Thanks for the info!
@@nemoltu Sure..but its the far best looking bike on market for me. Can you tell us about how dirty the air filter gets and on what time interval you think it needs to be cleaned/changed. This surely depends on terrain u ridding but in comparison with other adv bikes who has that filter in some common place like under the seat. All in all does the placement of air filter makes it to last longer?
@@OrthodoxTrooper I have a video over on my channel, ua-cam.com/video/oB4lqEYwxX0/v-deo.html where I upgraded my air filter and I took out a stock one. You can see that after 7.5 K kilometers, it still looks quite clean. I did not do a lot of dirt riding. I would say maybe 5% of all the distance... For regular use of the bike 30000 km should be a good distance for changing it, so that would be together with a desmo service, I assume.
@@nemoltu Just saw your argument bellow with the guy who called you incompetent and about service costs. My dealer here in Serbia told me that desmo service is 600 euros top. And it mostly comes down to checking rarely they have to do much there. I can give you their contact if you want.
@@OrthodoxTrooper Thanks a lot, but that would be way too far for me from Norway, really- I appreciate the offer, that is what makes us a really awesome community. I am planning to do the desmo service myself and gonna make a video about it, so we will have some fun learning. One of my friends just did a desmo service at the end of April for his Panigale V2 and that cost him about 1700 Euros (19000 Norwegian krone) I've done a big service on my Africa Twin a couple years earlier and that was about half cheaper. That was the point of that conversation. It is crazy money even for Norway, but I know it isn't cheap in the USA as well.
Not sure if you mentioned this, but did yours have lots of free-play in the throttle? The one I rode had almost 1/5th turn before there was any throttle response. Is this adjustable? Can you tune it out? Cheers Cam from NZ.
Hey, not sure if is it adjustable or even is it specific for the different mapping, Like touring, sport, enduro, etc. I am away from my bike currently, so will check it, when I will have an opportunity. I noticed that free play, but does not bother me at all. I was thinking about it and trying it out earlier while was traveling. I think I kinda like that it is there cause otherways, riding a rough road the bike would jerk a lot if the throttle response would of be instant. That's my thoughts, but they might not be the same for somebody else.
@@nemoltu Thanks for the response - for me it is a dealbreaker. Racing 101 is take all the play out of your throttle. It gives you more control and better take-up. Throttle free-play means you have to guess where the take-up point is, which increases that horrible on/off snatchiness. The throttle wasn't the only deal-breaker, but it kind of told me all I needed to know about the build quality and lack of attention to the details. "If they can't get the basics right, what else have they screwed up, or cut corners on".
Hi Nemo, Interesting thread and thought I would add my pennies worth. I am on my second PR7 and can speak with some authority having ridden it around South America and completed the Portugal TET which was around 500 miles off road and then miles of tarmac across Spain. I have a 2019 model which did have some fuelling issues which have been sorted by a remap on the ECU. This has now fixed the issues and the bike rides like a Honda. I had the power up kit fitted with the Doma exhaust. Beware, I love the extra grunt, but it makes a significant difference to the fuel consumption so I get around 150 to a full tank down to reserve of 2 litres. For long trips i carry a fuel cell to be safe. The bike has some minor issues with wheel bearing and the clutch can give problems. Let me say again, I have a 2019 model and a lot of the niggles have now been ironed out. The PR7 is as close to a Unicorn bike as there is at the moment. So easy to service, maintain and work on while on the track, parts are not expensive and can be found on a lot other makes. If I was in Kazakhstan, this would be a good bike to break down on. Off road especially on more technical and difficult route you do NOT need more power. I have attached a link to my UA-cam channel if you want to check out the Portugal TET and some travels in South America. Not sure where you are but I may well be in Eastern Europe this summer on my PR7. www.youtube.com/@FitBones/videos
Hey! I was following your PR7 recovery story! Hello and happy New Year! I'm in the UK at the moment, so visiting your homeland, I guess? I'm based and traveling from Norway and next summer gonna be crossing all of Europe via TET, so maybe our roads gonna cross and we can have a nice chat somewhere? Yeah, PR7 looks like an interesting and close to the only option if you are not into the orange color :) Sad they did not fix all the problems in the upgraded version of PR7, but well as long as they are known and there are solutions, it's all good.
Ducati made a big error with the air box positioning making mid trip replacement or cleaning pretty much unworkable. To me it’s not a proper ADV bike, not really meant for any prolonged and difficult dirt like we have in Australia. There are many better options than the Ducati.
very good video in my country ducati dealer need to do like 380klms if anything u need , u need to go to the shop is rly bad for customer all is very expensive... thanks for the video maybe i go to africatwin or tenere... =)
If you are asking about the heat coming out from the engine to your seat, then yes. But if you are talking about the engine running hot and the engine fans turning on and trying to keep it at operational temperatures- then the answer would be the same- yes :) But it's much better to compare with Multistrada V4S, that one runs really hot (I'm talking about radiator fans, almost never stopping in hotter weather, especially in city traffic).
Everybody that rides this bike says they prefer 95 hp setting for off road so not much more then T-7 I'm sure you could find 10hp in the T-7 Pre-coat your rear rim with something like Pam cooking spray Looks like your a truck driver and I'm a truck driver and own my Semi and trailer. To run an over head valve job on my DD15 is $330 I bet that's cheap then running an over head on the Desert X
That would be an extra 20 Hp, cause T7 has 74. But it's always nice to have that little extra when you need to go on a tarmac. And Desert X is really comfortable to sit on, the opposite of T7. But that's preference and depends on what we like or not.
@@rickvann3489 Ha ha! Nice one with the valve job :D Over here, in Norway The desmo service (we could call it a valve job, cause that is what actually is), Will make about a 2K USD dent in your bank acc, so yes :) it's a little bit more expensive :) And yes I am a truck driver ;) 10K... hmmm... that would buy one more T7 :D
Weel, it seems If buy it fully loaded with all the accessories you will probably need, you end up paying the same as V4 Rally bike, wich is a different but much higher specifications bike. Ducati Desert X, the real rip off-road bike! 🙂 And don't forget to take your official Ducati mechanic with you as a pillow to remote area adventures, in case you need any servicing and you don't want to void your factor warranty by something like cleaning the air filter by yourself! 😆😆😆 I love Ducatis but I will pass this one!
Hey :) Let me be straightforward, without any sarcasm. Because I had a Multistrada V4S at that moment and I wanted to go on to more dirt roads. My options were Yamaha T7 WR, Aprilia Tuareg, Ktm 890 R, Tiger 900, and Africa twin not AS version. I was really considering a T7 WR, but I like the look of Desert X much more and was a little afraid to go from 170 HP down to 74. Plus that is a Ducati and it's my third Ducati in a row. With this video, I just wanted to point out some things about the bike, cause nobody else doing it. Like a weak USB charger, rainwater washing your crotch, or desmo service and original accessories price. Talking about the air filter- I am not in Australia and not racing, so I am not gonna need to do it too often, so change it once or two a year is not a big deal even if it is a little bit of a bitch to do it :) The main thing- is don't fill up your tank before you start the process.
@@nemoltu Yeah, don't tell me; I got a Boano 45 litre kevlar tank on the front of my AT RD04 and a twenty litre tank which i use for water on the back. I test drove the Desert X recently in Portugal and thought of it as the natural evolution of the Elefant (still a Ducati!) and the extra tank on the back looks sick, but the service is a nightmare if you want to DIY. There's a recent video on youtube about cleaning the airfilter, it's hilarious but the good thing is you don't have to remove the crashbars..! Too bad about the accident, bro. Stay safe.
@@allistairneil8968 Yes! About the Elephant! I'm old enough to remember that bike and I was so close to buying (The carburated version) one in the spring of this year when one came up for sale over here in Norway. Love the history behind this bike. I've seen that video about the air filter changing and I was so surprised why he did not take the crash bars out since it's only like 5-6 bolts? Especially when you are doing it in your garage with all the tools available :) But oh well, everyone has his own way to approach things. Thanks! And good luck on your never-ending trips (the tank on your AT must have the purpose I assume)
Thank you! Just received a call from the service that the bike is done and they just have to wait for the snow to melt away to be able to test drive it before I can pick it up.
Ducatis belongs to the city... you can't rely your life on em on some real adventure... if I was rich I would buy one but use it mildly... it's a beautiful bike but you can't even clean your air filter! That's dumb!
Agree with you. When I will travel long trips, reaching some Asia or African countries, this bike is not gonna be my choice even though I will have it in my garage.
The author of the video is incompetent about the warranty and the tuning. All manufacturers have written in the manual - contact the dealer for any problems by dealers. All motorcycle manufacturers, official accessories cost a lot of money (BMW, Honda, Yamaha, etc.)
Would you like to specify where am I wrong or ”incompetent” in your words, about the warranty? What do you mean by tuning? Is that OEM accessories? Or Desmo service?
@@Satans6666 Awesome bike 950, and congratulations on owning it. I did not go into the details about the desmo service in the video, but the word "incompetent" is quite strong, but I am not gonna argue about my competence or incompetence here :) I will ask you a question. At 30K km you had to have a desmo service and in order to keep the warranty (if you still had it) you must do it at Ducati authorized service. So how much more did it cost you compare to the Honda's or Yamaha's "big" service? You can put that in percentage if you want. I know the prices cause I owned them, so I can talk about it from my own experience. Talking about the accessories I wasn't comparing them to the other brands, I was just bringing to the attention how expensive they are. Believe me, not all people know about that. Even I've owned a brand new ATAS 2020 fully dressed and I know that Honda doesn't charge you that much for all the extras, but that, as I said, was not the point of that part of the video.
@@nemoltu Which Yamaha is competitive for Desert X, Tracer 900 GT? Honda CRF1100 has big problems on curve roads, if full loaded. Desert X is premium bike, high quality bike(Germany quality), who very good ride on road and off-road, other competive has big problems on roads!
@@Satans6666 I think this conversation is not leading anywhere, cause looks like we are on totally different pages. I'm trying to ask you certain things and you are asking a question that doesn't have anything to do with the topic you started with your first comment.
@@motolover5697 AJP will ship parts anywhere in the world. From what I’m told, their customer service is top notch. The power plant is an older design and proven to be reliable. There are numerous dealers in the USA… I’m sure they are available directly from the manufacturer anywhere in the world as well. There’s a lot of videos of guys taking them on some pretty good jaunts without issues… The thing to consider is that AJP is building these bikes with all of the parts that everyone wants to upgrade their brand new KTM’s and the lot with… But the bottom line is this… Weight… weight to power ratio…suspension… ground clearance… brakes… rims and hubs… foot peg design… stock crash protection… available additional after market crash protection upgrades… and NO 20 different electronic rider modes to make up for lack of rider skill to go fluky two days after the warranty expires… Makes this bike far superior to the big box big name bikes. … Just my humble opinion based upon 54 years of riding everything from Honda QA-50’s to Kannons with 502 Chevy motors in them.
@@samuelmandarelli2645 I think it's not a road legal in the USA, at least most of the states, isn't it? As I mentioned above- there is no perfect bike, but as long as the problems are known and you can manage to fix them or upgrade to the parts without the problems- it's all good. Some of the things to mention- the fuel cap tends to get very sticky and it becomes very hard to open. The design of that cap is not really good, cause there is no protection loop or whatever we can call it preventing dirt and water to get straight into the tank after we open it. A fuel pump is very weak and dies too fast (I think it's related to a bad fuel filtering system or OEM O rings, or both). The exhaust pipes get rusty so fast and they are made from very soft material, they are even called chees pipes. ECU on pre-2021 models is not a charm and people have a lot of problems with starting it in a little colder weather. Hub spacers are made from aluminum from the factory and that's a very poor design - it can ruin your hub even after 2-3 K kilometers (1,5-2K miles). The problem with some small manufacturers is that sometimes it takes forever until they decide to change something, but some of the problems were fixed on the bikes from 2021 and others have a good aftermarket solution. I've done really good research on this bike and touched on just a few things on this topic over here. As I mention in the video, next year I will need a lighter bike for the second part of my trip across Scandinavia and Europe via dirt and single-line roads, as much as possible trying to avoid the paved roads. It will get very tricky after I reach the Alps and Pyrenean mountains later, plus Portugal TET will be not the cherry on the cake. Daily vlogs gonna be done and I expect it's gonna be a fun series to follow for the viewers. Not gonna tell you yet what kind of bike I will use for the second part of the trip, but I can promise that a review of PR7 will be on this channel next summer, cause I invested a fear enough time doing research about it.
@@nemoltu There is not a piece of mechanical equipment built by man that has no mechanical issues at one time or another. Most of the issues you mentioned have already been addressed by the manufacturer. Things like the gas cap are an inconvenience and I believe there’s an aftermarket part for that as well. As far as street legal goes… there are two dealers here in the US that I’ve spoken with that say they can register them for hwy use here… I haven’t followed up with them yet since I’m not in a position to purchase one at the moment… unless I can figure out how it’s an absolutely necessary component of the new home I’m building🤔… I’ve owned a BMW 1150 R Adventure. WAY TOO HEAVY for anything but looking like mad max on the street. Once you get over the 400 pound mark they’re all about useless off road. When I was younger… I could deadlift 550 pounds for several repetitions in the gym. I’m 60 now and I think I just hurt my back typing that… The PR-7 seems to be as close to the “perfect bike” for adventure / on-off road riding out there. Everything in its class is either way heavier, way under powered, way taller (which is another issue in itself)… way more money for way less bike built from second shelf quality parts… From what I hear, KTM’s warranty is a joke at best. Plus… when you buy one and load it in your truck to bring it home… half way home you’ve got to pull over and change the damn oil in it. They have miserable maintenance schedules. I think if you were to contact AJP you may find that in spite of them being a small manufacturer, they are HUGE on customer care. And again I’ll touch on the 129 setting rider assist computers all these big box bikes are building their bikes around. If I you need it your skills suck. If you just thinks it’s so cool to have… buy an iPhone or something. I don’t need a computer to restrict power delivery on my bike. The old fashioned throttle thing does just fine. If someone hasn’t mastered that… they should buy a trials bike and learn how to actually RIDE a motorcycle off road. No computer necessary… Good luck on your trip. No matter which bike you ride… it’s the advantage that matters!
Hi!! Crash damage video will be in the very end. I was not filming during the accident, so no video of that 😢
Damage not big, but the bike was put out to service..
Had fun making this video 😊 Enjoy!
Thank you Nemo for interesting review, it is sad to hear about your accident, but it will be new experience with Ducati service, hope everything will be fixed fast and in high quality. Regards!!! Keep going!!!
Labas Tomai! Thank you for being a part of my journey even just watching from the screen. And yes... You know best how lucky am I with the new motorcycles :D Have a great upcoming Christmas and New Year!
Preload and sag frontend, get it right and leave it. For the rear-end, you need to mark the preloads [so many turns clockwise or counterclockwise], one for no luggage, one for small load, then one for full load.
Rebound and damping I never see a need to change, once its set. Its set for dirt.
06:40 I think the DESMOS belt maintenance is every 15K and DESMOS valve adjustment is every 30K.
Pretty much, a used DX, after its out of warrantee, if the price drops, might be a good bike.
Thanks for the tips regarding a suspension setup. Talking about the belt maintenance it gets done together with the valve clearance at 30000 km, so as an air filter change if you are not in Australia I guess :)
Congratulations on your new bike as it’s one of the best looking one you can get. Also thanks for your honest review of this bike. This is one of the bikes that I am considering but just going to do some trips renting the ones I’m contemplating and then go from there. Probably will be next year before I add another bike to my garage 😊
Thank you and good luck with your choice! Renting before buying one, sounds like a clever and really fun idea :) I wonder what else rests in your garage if you are looking for an adventure one?
Dear Nemo I’m sad for your accident. I hope you didn’t get any injury. After seeing your video I decided to get a DesertX instead a Multistrada V2. I get my new bike just Saturday. Hope to see you again on your motorbike. Regards. Luigi
Hey, Luigi, thanks for the good words! The speed was too low for the injuries but still hurts my feelings. We got away with some bumps and some dents in our egos and wallets.
Congratulations on your new bike! I think there is the perfect choice choosing Desert X over the V2. This bike is really something special and really a pleasure to the eyes.
Spring is coming so as new plans for travel. The bike should be fixed by the spring and our duo will hit the roads again. A pleasure to have another Ducatista on the squad. Hope to see you on the road one day!
Hi, well done. Your report is perfect and very complete. I’ve owned many bikes in the last years, bmw and ducati. Street and enduro. Six months ago I was so close to buy a desert x, but I didn’t for some of the reason that you explained. Especially price of the accessories, panniers, telephone holder etc. etc. price of some spare parts (if you break the gasoline tank it costs 1500 euro!!!) and for the question of the air filter. I bought a ktm 890 adv R.
This is the first report really we’ll done and correct. After all the desert x it’s a very nice bike. Buona strada
I have the T7 World Raid version and I love that bike. I think they are in direct competition with the DesertX. I love the Ducati and probably, I will buy it next season. I hope your bike is fixed and in good condition.
Hi there! Thanks! It’s fixed and if you would search my video playlist- you can find a really fun series of the trip to the NordKapp via dirt roads I just did on it 💪💪 This bike is more capable than I thought.
As a Desert X owner i agree with you 100%, thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching. I had a lot of fun buying the upgrades for my next summer offroad adventures. Gonna be fun unpacking and installing all that stuff video in a few weeks.
Dear Nemo thanks for your complete and honest reviewer one thing I noticed Ducati like BMW are really pitching their bike now to the wealthy I’ve been biking for sixty years and boy is it funny to see from cheap transport to glitter toys that bikes have become. I’ve just recommended a dear young friend a Royal Enfield Himalayan after seeing one on a muddy track boy that bike was ok.
Hey, John, Thank you very much. I totally agree with you. Motorcycles used to be a choice if you couldn't afford a car and nowadays it's a money-milking machine from a guy who wants just to travel and they cost a fortune.
I got the crashbars and water pump from ducati because I was afraid to get it out of the dealership without protection...
Also got the central stand.
Now I found a third party for a tall windscreen, wind deflectors, tramsparent headlights protection and another 3rd party for other protection parts.
P.S. also got the topcase frame and got a 58liter(if I remember correctly) topcase from Shad.
It's so good when the aftermarket manufacturers get in the game, cause as I mentioned- the original is crazy expensive, but, arguably the best looking :) Like we say- better safe than sorry, so good for you you have them. If I would have had them, I think, my bike still would have been with me, but not sure about the bicycle rider... I guess it would have hurt him more.
@@nemoltu they are indeed to expensive, the thing is you expect to have been thoroughly tested unlike some third party brands that don't and they end up causing more damage...
And yes, you are right, I belive it would be worse fore someone to be hit by the bars. :(
@@ciocanelwar Can't argue about that! There is a reason OEM accessories cost that much. Enjoy your bike, well, maybe after the winter :)
How bike feels with 58l top box?
@@avramovskiljupco5220 It feels ok when it's empty and at most I had 10kg in it and had no issues.
I also did not lean to much because my top case has no straps inside.
brilliant video, great insight and had me laughing out loud at times👍
Thank you 😊
Great review! Made me laugh with the garden comment!
Thank you! Awesome that we have the same sense of humor :D I wonder how many people will catch that PH intro over there :D :D
Hearing you talk about cleaning the rear spoked wheels etc...because of the chain makes my happy on my v85tt with a shaft drive. Used to have a honda cb500x and man, that was a pain cleaning afterwards. The oil and crap goes everywhere
Yep, that's one more reason I'm looking for a good solution with the chain lube and I think that the wax-based lube gonna be a way to go. Sad they don't make really good offroad capable bikes with the shaft.
Hi Nemo from Australia; great vid, as always.I guess no bike can be perfect, and manufacturers can try to attain that but it's very difficult. After all is said and done, and after my test ride....I still love the bike; It has that certain something that makes it special....and for that , there is a price to pay !!!
$$$$$$$
Regards....
Hey, and thanks again! Yes and yes, as I said in the video this is a bike I would buy again, but, since I still have it, I just gonna keep it :) I think, nowadays most are the looks of the bike that draws our hearts. Cause there are always a few choices, so we just need to choose where our hearts lean toward and we are good to go :) Despite all imperfections.
@@nemoltu What is this accident I hear about ? Hope you are OK...
@@StephenIanDow There is some footage at the end of the video about it. One crazy guy with a bicycle just decided to cut into the blind corner... The speed was too low to get hurt but was enough to damage the bike and put it into service for repairs.
Hi Nemo , really good review thinking of getting one st end of the year , beautiful roads would you mind sharing the location
Cheers
Hi, David, the views are from my last year's trip to Grand Alpine Road (Route des Grandes Alpes). So if you google that you will find it. All that road is really worth riding on and could be set as a travel destination for a week or so.
Have fun with your bike when you will get it!
@@nemoltu Thankyou
Where are you riding in this video? Stunning views
Hi, that's Grand Alpine Road in France. Agree, the views are stunning!
Did you try some wax based lubricant for the chain? I use it on my motorcycle, and it keeps everything a lot cleaner. Dust doesn't stick to the chain/wheel as much, and it doesn't "fly off the chain" as much as oil. The downside is that you have to lube the chain somewhat more frequently. Also, coating the wheel hub with wax makes it easier to clean.
Hey Yves, probably I could google for that, but could you let me know whaT are you using? I think that would narrow down my choices and would leave less margin for error and use the wrong materials. I would love to try it. Thank you for the idea. For the downside you mentioned- some people are never greasing the chain and the longevity of it doesn't get that crazy shorter, but I just don't like the sound of the dry chain.
@@nemoltu I use mostly the WD-40 Bike Dry Chain Lubricant. This one comes in 118 ml. drip container. However, I also use other brands that are only available in North America. I usually get some from my suppliers (I'm an industrial mechanicin the Province of Québec, Canada). I also get some that is in aerosol cans. they're easier to use when it comes to coating the wheel hub or the spokes.
@@yveslaurier950 Thanks for that! I will look for options over here in Europe. I remember I used some kind of oil chain lube on my Multistrada enduro and was not that splashy. Talking about waxing the hub- I think it shouldn't be that hard to find something. As I mentioned- love the idea! Thank you!
Yeah, the Termi full race Titanium exhaust is expensive......but worth EVERY cent IMHO. This cat delete exhaust option includes a Ducati EVO engine tune. Hp jumps to around 120, torque goes up around 7ft lbs across entire RPM range.
Instantaneous throttle response, much cooler when stationary, and overall wet weight drops to around 485 lbs.
The system comes with a DB Killer endplate that takes under 30 seconds to install or remove, depending on how loud you want the ride to be. This option noticably increase the overall performance of the DDX.
The thump, burble, braaap and overrun/deceleration pops are incredible. Even throws 8" blue flames that look 🤯 at night.
I totally agree with you, but I was and still am not ready for such light pockets yet :D
@@nemoltu
I agree. 👍
I swear I heard my wallet groan when I checked that option box. 😕
@@nemoltu
The DDX just got delivered around 2 hour ago., 😀
The sounds! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@@jamescampbell4334 Congrats! :)
Thanks for this review. You made some great points that one should consider.
You are welcome!
After taking a test ride on it i also found that this engine is not the happiest at low revs. it likes to be revved . Other thing is i found that the engine is creating crazy heat around the legs ...otherwise not a bad bike
I started feeling that heat only when the weather went to the upper twenties. Compared to Multistrada V4S it was quite OK. It did not bother me at all. But if you ever would ride the KTM 1290 S or R, then it goes to another level. Agree on the higher revs for sure.
I also found the engine heat to be crazy when test riding on a 25C day. That was the deal breaker for me.
Thank you 👍🏻
You are welcome!
I won’t buy this bike till I develop off-road skill set. I’ll get a lighter and affordable one before getting this. Anyway, I love the DesertX, a great example of mixing form and function together. Ducati is well-known to do that.
After watching this video, I can see it’s glaring flaws and it is missing it. The missing thing is DIY-Experience. Not UX per se. Ducati should HAVE thought of that. For example, what if this rider needs to change or clean air box in the middle of Africa? What the rider should do during oil change at a friend’s garage in Romania? Etc etc. So, Ducati’s requesting rider should not do these or they’ll void warranty is very anti-diy.
Again, beautiful machine and, for a globe-riding traveler, it’s nil. I am not a globe traveler and I still buy it anyways. Just wish I could do stuff myself. O well.
Good review
Thank you!
Just asked my local Ducati dealer changing air filter by yourself DOES NOT avoid the warranty. They told me it's a adventure bike offcourse you can change it yourself. Bike also comes with 4 year warranty here.
Hi, this video was done 4 months ago and the info was from the dealer on that day. This filter definitely was not positioned like for the adventure bike for sure. I did change my filter myself later in the winter and I can assure you- wouldn't want to do that in the middle of my trip somewhere in Africa or even just at the evening campsite. I love this bike and will keep it, but not sure if it would be my choice for RTW riding. Thanks for the info!
@@nemoltu Sure..but its the far best looking bike on market for me. Can you tell us about how dirty the air filter gets and on what time interval you think it needs to be cleaned/changed. This surely depends on terrain u ridding but in comparison with other adv bikes who has that filter in some common place like under the seat. All in all does the placement of air filter makes it to last longer?
@@OrthodoxTrooper I have a video over on my channel, ua-cam.com/video/oB4lqEYwxX0/v-deo.html where I upgraded my air filter and I took out a stock one. You can see that after 7.5 K kilometers, it still looks quite clean. I did not do a lot of dirt riding. I would say maybe 5% of all the distance... For regular use of the bike 30000 km should be a good distance for changing it, so that would be together with a desmo service, I assume.
@@nemoltu Just saw your argument bellow with the guy who called you incompetent and about service costs. My dealer here in Serbia told me that desmo service is 600 euros top. And it mostly comes down to checking rarely they have to do much there. I can give you their contact if you want.
@@OrthodoxTrooper Thanks a lot, but that would be way too far for me from Norway, really- I appreciate the offer, that is what makes us a really awesome community. I am planning to do the desmo service myself and gonna make a video about it, so we will have some fun learning. One of my friends just did a desmo service at the end of April for his Panigale V2 and that cost him about 1700 Euros (19000 Norwegian krone) I've done a big service on my Africa Twin a couple years earlier and that was about half cheaper. That was the point of that conversation. It is crazy money even for Norway, but I know it isn't cheap in the USA as well.
Not sure if you mentioned this, but did yours have lots of free-play in the throttle? The one I rode had almost 1/5th turn before there was any throttle response. Is this adjustable? Can you tune it out? Cheers Cam from NZ.
Hey, not sure if is it adjustable or even is it specific for the different mapping, Like touring, sport, enduro, etc. I am away from my bike currently, so will check it, when I will have an opportunity. I noticed that free play, but does not bother me at all. I was thinking about it and trying it out earlier while was traveling. I think I kinda like that it is there cause otherways, riding a rough road the bike would jerk a lot if the throttle response would of be instant. That's my thoughts, but they might not be the same for somebody else.
@@nemoltu Thanks for the response - for me it is a dealbreaker. Racing 101 is take all the play out of your throttle. It gives you more control and better take-up. Throttle free-play means you have to guess where the take-up point is, which increases that horrible on/off snatchiness. The throttle wasn't the only deal-breaker, but it kind of told me all I needed to know about the build quality and lack of attention to the details. "If they can't get the basics right, what else have they screwed up, or cut corners on".
Thank you sir
You are welcome!
Hi Nemo, Interesting thread and thought I would add my pennies worth. I am on my second PR7 and can speak with some authority having ridden it around South America and completed the Portugal TET which was around 500 miles off road and then miles of tarmac across Spain. I have a 2019 model which did have some fuelling issues which have been sorted by a remap on the ECU. This has now fixed the issues and the bike rides like a Honda. I had the power up kit fitted with the Doma exhaust. Beware, I love the extra grunt, but it makes a significant difference to the fuel consumption so I get around 150 to a full tank down to reserve of 2 litres. For long trips i carry a fuel cell to be safe. The bike has some minor issues with wheel bearing and the clutch can give problems. Let me say again, I have a 2019 model and a lot of the niggles have now been ironed out. The PR7 is as close to a Unicorn bike as there is at the moment. So easy to service, maintain and work on while on the track, parts are not expensive and can be found on a lot other makes. If I was in Kazakhstan, this would be a good bike to break down on. Off road especially on more technical and difficult route you do NOT need more power. I have attached a link to my UA-cam channel if you want to check out the Portugal TET and some travels in South America. Not sure where you are but I may well be in Eastern Europe this summer on my PR7. www.youtube.com/@FitBones/videos
Hey! I was following your PR7 recovery story! Hello and happy New Year! I'm in the UK at the moment, so visiting your homeland, I guess? I'm based and traveling from Norway and next summer gonna be crossing all of Europe via TET, so maybe our roads gonna cross and we can have a nice chat somewhere? Yeah, PR7 looks like an interesting and close to the only option if you are not into the orange color :) Sad they did not fix all the problems in the upgraded version of PR7, but well as long as they are known and there are solutions, it's all good.
@@nemoltu I'm in Oxford . You can Google me if you want to contact. Happy new year
Ducati made a big error with the air box positioning making mid trip replacement or cleaning pretty much unworkable. To me it’s not a proper ADV bike, not really meant for any prolonged and difficult dirt like we have in Australia. There are many better options than the Ducati.
very good video in my country ducati dealer need to do like 380klms if anything u need , u need to go to the shop is rly bad for customer all is very expensive... thanks for the video maybe i go to africatwin or tenere... =)
It heats more than atas 1100???
If you are asking about the heat coming out from the engine to your seat, then yes. But if you are talking about the engine running hot and the engine fans turning on and trying to keep it at operational temperatures- then the answer would be the same- yes :) But it's much better to compare with Multistrada V4S, that one runs really hot (I'm talking about radiator fans, almost never stopping in hotter weather, especially in city traffic).
Everybody that rides this bike says they prefer 95 hp setting for off road so not much more then T-7 I'm sure you could find 10hp in the T-7
Pre-coat your rear rim with something like Pam cooking spray
Looks like your a truck driver and I'm a truck driver and own my Semi and trailer. To run an over head valve job on my DD15 is $330 I bet that's cheap then running an over head on the Desert X
That would be an extra 20 Hp, cause T7 has 74. But it's always nice to have that little extra when you need to go on a tarmac. And Desert X is really comfortable to sit on, the opposite of T7. But that's preference and depends on what we like or not.
@@nemoltu I was looking at what you can do with the extra $10k
@@rickvann3489 Ha ha! Nice one with the valve job :D Over here, in Norway The desmo service (we could call it a valve job, cause that is what actually is), Will make about a 2K USD dent in your bank acc, so yes :) it's a little bit more expensive :) And yes I am a truck driver ;) 10K... hmmm... that would buy one more T7 :D
Almost as good as the old KTM 950 Adventure then. And the KTM crashes very well. KTM are great at supplying parts.
Gotta trust your word, cause I've never had a chance to ride a KTM 950 nor do I have any experience with the KTM adventure bikes line.
✌✌✌✌
Weel, it seems If buy it fully loaded with all the accessories you will probably need, you end up paying the same as V4 Rally bike, wich is a different but much higher specifications bike.
Ducati Desert X, the real rip off-road bike! 🙂
And don't forget to take your official Ducati mechanic with you as a pillow to remote area adventures, in case you need any servicing and you don't want to void your factor warranty by something like cleaning the air filter by yourself!
😆😆😆
I love Ducatis but I will pass this one!
Linksmų Šv. Kalėdų. Linkiu viso ko geriausio ir svarbiausia nekoliečinti motociklo!!!😀
Aurimai, nepriburk :D Gerų švenčių ir tau!
Don't Need 100 Plus HP off Road I'll save 7000 on buying a Ducati! Plus Ducati Service SUCKS! In the USA at least!
Agree.
A recumbent biker. Say no more.
I'm beginning to wonder why you bought one in the first place... wait till you decide to change the airfilter yourself.
Hey :) Let me be straightforward, without any sarcasm. Because I had a Multistrada V4S at that moment and I wanted to go on to more dirt roads. My options were Yamaha T7 WR, Aprilia Tuareg, Ktm 890 R, Tiger 900, and Africa twin not AS version. I was really considering a T7 WR, but I like the look of Desert X much more and was a little afraid to go from 170 HP down to 74. Plus that is a Ducati and it's my third Ducati in a row. With this video, I just wanted to point out some things about the bike, cause nobody else doing it. Like a weak USB charger, rainwater washing your crotch, or desmo service and original accessories price.
Talking about the air filter- I am not in Australia and not racing, so I am not gonna need to do it too often, so change it once or two a year is not a big deal even if it is a little bit of a bitch to do it :) The main thing- is don't fill up your tank before you start the process.
@@nemoltu Yeah, don't tell me; I got a Boano 45 litre kevlar tank on the front of my AT RD04 and a twenty litre tank which i use for water on the back. I test drove the Desert X recently in Portugal and thought of it as the natural evolution of the Elefant (still a Ducati!) and the extra tank on the back looks sick, but the service is a nightmare if you want to DIY. There's a recent video on youtube about cleaning the airfilter, it's hilarious but the good thing is you don't have to remove the crashbars..! Too bad about the accident, bro. Stay safe.
@@allistairneil8968 Yes! About the Elephant! I'm old enough to remember that bike and I was so close to buying (The carburated version) one in the spring of this year when one came up for sale over here in Norway. Love the history behind this bike.
I've seen that video about the air filter changing and I was so surprised why he did not take the crash bars out since it's only like 5-6 bolts? Especially when you are doing it in your garage with all the tools available :) But oh well, everyone has his own way to approach things.
Thanks! And good luck on your never-ending trips (the tank on your AT must have the purpose I assume)
hope your bike gets fixed
Thank you! Just received a call from the service that the bike is done and they just have to wait for the snow to melt away to be able to test drive it before I can pick it up.
@@nemoltu nicee!!!
Wait till you have to change or clean the air filter
ua-cam.com/video/btBwVIVdhfs/v-deo.html
I covered that topic a little bit in this video. Yep, not that really straightforward job :D
Ducatis belongs to the city... you can't rely your life on em on some real adventure... if I was rich I would buy one but use it mildly... it's a beautiful bike but you can't even clean your air filter! That's dumb!
Agree with you. When I will travel long trips, reaching some Asia or African countries, this bike is not gonna be my choice even though I will have it in my garage.
i just cant like this bike
Buy a different bike my friend.
I did, but what would you suggest?
The author of the video is incompetent about the warranty and the tuning.
All manufacturers have written in the manual - contact the dealer for any problems by dealers.
All motorcycle manufacturers, official accessories cost a lot of money (BMW, Honda, Yamaha, etc.)
Would you like to specify where am I wrong or ”incompetent” in your words, about the warranty? What do you mean by tuning? Is that OEM accessories? Or Desmo service?
@@nemoltu yeah, OEM accesuaries and Desmo Service!
I own multistrada 950 with 75k km.
@@Satans6666 Awesome bike 950, and congratulations on owning it.
I did not go into the details about the desmo service in the video, but the word "incompetent" is quite strong, but I am not gonna argue about my competence or incompetence here :) I will ask you a question. At 30K km you had to have a desmo service and in order to keep the warranty (if you still had it) you must do it at Ducati authorized service. So how much more did it cost you compare to the Honda's or Yamaha's "big" service? You can put that in percentage if you want. I know the prices cause I owned them, so I can talk about it from my own experience.
Talking about the accessories I wasn't comparing them to the other brands, I was just bringing to the attention how expensive they are. Believe me, not all people know about that. Even I've owned a brand new ATAS 2020 fully dressed and I know that Honda doesn't charge you that much for all the extras, but that, as I said, was not the point of that part of the video.
@@nemoltu Which Yamaha is competitive for Desert X, Tracer 900 GT?
Honda CRF1100 has big problems on curve roads, if full loaded.
Desert X is premium bike, high quality bike(Germany quality), who very good ride on road and off-road, other competive has big problems on roads!
@@Satans6666 I think this conversation is not leading anywhere, cause looks like we are on totally different pages. I'm trying to ask you certain things and you are asking a question that doesn't have anything to do with the topic you started with your first comment.
AJP PR-7… Best ALL AROUND bike built.
Yes, I agree with you, but it still has its own issues like most do. Plus a really big one- availability :)
The main problem would be parts and small dealer network. What will you do when the bike brakes 3.000km from home in a country without the dealership?
@@motolover5697
AJP will ship parts anywhere in the world. From what I’m told, their customer service is top notch. The power plant is an older design and proven to be reliable. There are numerous dealers in the USA… I’m sure they are available directly from the manufacturer anywhere in the world as well. There’s a lot of videos of guys taking them on some pretty good jaunts without issues… The thing to consider is that AJP is building these bikes with all of the parts that everyone wants to upgrade their brand new KTM’s and the lot with… But the bottom line is this… Weight… weight to power ratio…suspension… ground clearance… brakes… rims and hubs… foot peg design… stock crash protection… available additional after market crash protection upgrades… and NO 20 different electronic rider modes to make up for lack of rider skill to go fluky two days after the warranty expires… Makes this bike far superior to the big box big name bikes. … Just my humble opinion based upon 54 years of riding everything from Honda QA-50’s to Kannons with 502 Chevy motors in them.
@@samuelmandarelli2645 I think it's not a road legal in the USA, at least most of the states, isn't it?
As I mentioned above- there is no perfect bike, but as long as the problems are known and you can manage to fix them or upgrade to the parts without the problems- it's all good. Some of the things to mention- the fuel cap tends to get very sticky and it becomes very hard to open. The design of that cap is not really good, cause there is no protection loop or whatever we can call it preventing dirt and water to get straight into the tank after we open it. A fuel pump is very weak and dies too fast (I think it's related to a bad fuel filtering system or OEM O rings, or both). The exhaust pipes get rusty so fast and they are made from very soft material, they are even called chees pipes. ECU on pre-2021 models is not a charm and people have a lot of problems with starting it in a little colder weather. Hub spacers are made from aluminum from the factory and that's a very poor design - it can ruin your hub even after 2-3 K kilometers (1,5-2K miles). The problem with some small manufacturers is that sometimes it takes forever until they decide to change something, but some of the problems were fixed on the bikes from 2021 and others have a good aftermarket solution.
I've done really good research on this bike and touched on just a few things on this topic over here. As I mention in the video, next year I will need a lighter bike for the second part of my trip across Scandinavia and Europe via dirt and single-line roads, as much as possible trying to avoid the paved roads. It will get very tricky after I reach the Alps and Pyrenean mountains later, plus Portugal TET will be not the cherry on the cake. Daily vlogs gonna be done and I expect it's gonna be a fun series to follow for the viewers.
Not gonna tell you yet what kind of bike I will use for the second part of the trip, but I can promise that a review of PR7 will be on this channel next summer, cause I invested a fear enough time doing research about it.
@@nemoltu
There is not a piece of mechanical equipment built by man that has no mechanical issues at one time or another. Most of the issues you mentioned have already been addressed by the manufacturer. Things like the gas cap are an inconvenience and I believe there’s an aftermarket part for that as well. As far as street legal goes… there are two dealers here in the US that I’ve spoken with that say they can register them for hwy use here… I haven’t followed up with them yet since I’m not in a position to purchase one at the moment… unless I can figure out how it’s an absolutely necessary component of the new home I’m building🤔…
I’ve owned a BMW 1150 R Adventure. WAY TOO HEAVY for anything but looking like mad max on the street. Once you get over the 400 pound mark they’re all about useless off road. When I was younger… I could deadlift 550 pounds for several repetitions in the gym. I’m 60 now and I think I just hurt my back typing that… The PR-7 seems to be as close to the “perfect bike” for
adventure / on-off road riding out there. Everything in its class is either way heavier, way under powered, way taller (which is another issue in itself)… way more money for way less bike built from second shelf quality parts… From what I hear, KTM’s warranty is a joke at best. Plus… when you buy one and load it in your truck to bring it home… half way home you’ve got to pull over and change the damn oil in it. They have miserable maintenance schedules. I think if you were to contact AJP you may find that in spite of them being a small manufacturer, they are HUGE on customer care. And again I’ll touch on the 129 setting rider assist computers all these big box bikes are building their bikes around. If I you need it your skills suck. If you just thinks it’s so cool to have… buy an iPhone or something. I don’t need a computer to restrict power delivery on my bike. The old fashioned throttle thing does just fine. If someone hasn’t mastered that… they should buy a trials bike and learn how to actually RIDE a motorcycle off road. No computer necessary… Good luck on your trip. No matter which bike you ride… it’s the advantage that matters!