What you are looking at is the “new” Ducati Scrambler Icon. The changes are hard to spot from the original Icon model, but overall the machine gets a number refinements and enhancements, the most notable of which is the new cornering ABS package from Bosch.
Other changes include thicker aluminum side panels on the fuel tank, black paint on the engine (with brushed cylinder head fins), and machine-finished wheels. The headlight is new too, and features a daylight running light (DRL).
An auto-off feature has been added to the LED turn signals (thanks to the IMU powering the cornering ABS), and new switchgear is on the handlebars. On the more practical side of the spectrum, the LCD dash now includes a fuel level gauge.
There are physical changes to the 2019 Ducati Scrambler Icon as well. A revised seating position comes from new handlebars and a flatter seat. The suspension has been altered too. All three of these changes have an eye towards making the Scrambler Icon more comfortable to ride.
Ducati has also refined the clutch-pull on the new Scrambler, adding a hydraulic clutch with a softer level feel. The lever can now also be adjusted.
Lastly, the Ducati Multimedia System has been added to the mix, which means that the 2019 Ducati Scrambler Icon can connect a rider’s phone and communication system, thus allowing owners to play music, answer phone calls, and talk to a passenger.
Available in November 2018, the Ducati Scrambler Icon will come in two colors “Atomic Tangerine” and “’62 Yellow” – both color schemes feature a black frame with grey trim.
Ducati touts that over 55,000 Ducati Scrambler bikes have been sold since the machines first debuted in 2014, but since the first full year of sales in 2015, the machines’ popularity continues to drop. For 2018, Ducati Scrambler sales are on-track to be down 9% from last year.
This makes the revised 2019 Ducati Scrambler Icon an interesting choice for Borgo Panigale. With the post-authentic movement in the motorcycle industry winding down, Ducati’s decision to double-down in the scrambler category is an odd move. This oddity is only furthered by the perpetual sales decline experienced by the Scrambler brand, which is still recovering from the sales flop that was the Scrambler 1100 model.
Make no doubt, the 2019 Ducati Scrambler Icon brings smart improvements to the category, and improves upon a machine that provides an important entry point into the Ducati brand. We’re just no sure why the Italian’s are investing more energy into a segment that is constantly falling away.
Photos of the 2019 Ducati Scrambler Icon:
Source: Ducati
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