Starting next Thursday, Ducati will be debuting a new motorcycle for the 2022 model year every two weeks.
The releasing event culminates on December 9th, and we already know what bike will capstone Ducati’s new model debut: the Ducati DesertX.
For those that didn’t get the memo, the following is the schedule and teasing title for Ducati’s six-part unveiling schedule online:
- September 30, 2021 – “Your everyday wonder”
- October 14, 2021 – “Mark your roots”
- October 28, 2021 – “Rule all mountains”
- November 11, 2021 – “A new Fighter in town”
- November 25, 2021 – “The evolution of Speed”
- December 9, 2021 – “Dream Wilder – DesertX”
As we can see, Ducati is being less obvious with some of its debuts than others, but with some insight into what the Italian brand has been up to, and which bikes it updated and debuted last year, we can reasonably discern what to expect in the coming weeks.
“Your Everyday Wonder”
With the entry-level Monster getting an overhaul last year, many questions were posted – especially since the bike was simply called the “Monster” with no other designations.
Was Ducati moving to a single model for the Monster family? If so, what would come of the 1200cc version? I suspect we are about to get our answer.
With the debut of the 2021 Ducati Monster, the Monster 1200 now looks out of place and in need of a facelift.
The Monster 1200 will need some tweaking too in order to make sense alongside the Streetfighter V2 (see Ducati debut #4 below).
As such, logic would suggest that the Testastretta DVT 1262 would debut on the platform (and the single-sided swingarm would remain), and come with a more road focus than sport.
Is this the open salvo that Ducati will bring to its unveilings? I’m less certain about that, but the shoe fits.
“Mark your roots”
I have similar reservations on my certainty for debut #2, though the “mark your roots” tagline makes me think of legacy, and in Ducati world, that means Scrambler.
Updated retro-models, with new opportunities for customization, seems like an obvious choice, though it remains to be seen how much iteration Ducati plans to make on its vintage lineup.
While models have come and gone in the Scrambler family, the basic shape and design has been unchanged since their 2015 debut. Could we see a refresh here? Maybe, maybe not.
Sometimes, it is best to leave things unchanged.
“Rule all mountains”
As cool looking as they are, I will be very surprised if Ducati debuts yet another mountain bike – not to mention dedicates a whole launch day to it.
Instead, the expectation is that debut #3 will feature a Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak model. The bike is rumored to have 17″ wheels front and back, and a single-sided swingarm.
Our hope is that other changes also abound to make this Multistrada V4 less of an ADV bike and more of a street-ripper – something that will give bikes like the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT a run for their money.
The choice of naming the bike after the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is an interesting one, especially since the event will no longer host motorcycles, and the last running saw the death of Ducati racer Carlin Dunne.
Still, Ducati has a fascination with this American mountain (especially abroad), and the Italian brand has invested considerable marketing resources to the event in the past, and may be looking to still make some returns on that investment.
The big question will be whether the Pikes Peak model will use the V4 Granturismo motor, or the Desmosedici Stradale V4 – the difference being about 38hp.
“A new Fighter in town”
With the capital “F” in “Fighter” standing out in the title, Ducati is not being to subtle here with what its fourth debut will be, especially since a v-twin Streetfighter model was caught testing not too long ago.
Rumors of a Ducati Streetfighter V2 have been around ever since the V4 model debuted, and one can expect the 957 Superquadro motor to be at its heart.
Thus, power should be around 145hp to 150hp, with more torque down low than what the Panigale V2 model offers.
We would expect components and specs to be pretty close to the Panigale V2 here, and with a price point that straddles between the high-end of the Monster lineup and the base model Streetfighter V4.
For reference, the Ducati Panigale V2 retails for $17,200 – a streetfighter model in the $15k to $16k range would thus make sense.
We expect styling to be similar to the Streetfighter V4, though without wings.
That’s okay though, because a souped up Streetfighter V4 SP is also expected at the show. Expect it to be along the same vein as the Panigale V4 SP, which means a carbon fiber everything, go-fast bits, and a price tag to match.
“The evolution of Speed”
The fifth debut is a bit up for debate. Hinting at “speed” in the title, we would expect a sport bike model here, likely a Panigale model, and the “evolution” tells us that this is a refresh, not a whole new machine.
Our best guess would be that the Ducati Panigale V4 is seeing an update for the 2022 model year, but that would be a little puzzling, as the lineup got a refresh just recently for the 2020 model year.
Furthermore, such a change would have popped-up in the rumor mill already, and we would have the site plastered in spy photos. Still, crazier things have happened, and we can’t rule this possibility out.
Supply chain disruptions from COVID also mean all bets are off when it comes to new models and timing.
A special edition model is always possible, though it is hard to think how Ducati would offer something beyond or different from the Panigale V4 SP model from last year.
This makes us think that it is the Ducati Panigale V4 R that could be seeing an update – just in time for Ducati’s new effort in the WorldSBK paddock, possibly with a new aero package and some other refinements that Ducati Corse has been asking for.
Another possibility would be a Panigale V2 S model, though that doesn’t seem to fit with the “evolution” descriptor that Ducati is using.
“Dream Wilder – DesertX”
The only thing one can be certain of, the Ducati DesertX is a motorcycle we have known about for several years now – ever since the concept debuted at EICMA in 2019.
Back then, the bike debuted as part of the Scrambler Ducati sub-brand, and featured Ducati’s air-cooled 1100 engine. Obviously, a lot has changed.
Reading between the lines, Ducati must have received plenty of feedback about the adventure-touring concept since its unveiling in Milan.
First off, the general reaction must have been good enough that the idea of ~100hp ADV from the Italian brand, especially one with a retro-Dakar style, would fit in the company’s lineup.
The Desert X concept made sense in the Scrambler sub-brand, especially with its heritage flair, so it is interesting to see that it has been now moved under the Ducati brand name.
The main reason for this is probably the second point of interest about the DesertX reveal – the use of the liquid-cooled 937cc engine.
Feedback from customers and industry folk must have clearly tipped Ducati into the direction away from its air-cooled ideas.
While the DesmoDue engine is a happy fit with the Scrambler brand’s heritage focus, it’s not a true performer by modern standards – and what Ducati needs right now is a true performing middleweight ADV machine.
The Multistrada 950 was never a true off-roader in Ducati’s lineup, and it is now too heavy and bulky to compete with the growing competition in the space from Aprilia, KTM, Triumph, and Yamaha.
With strong design, and potent potential on the spec-sheet, Ducati could have a real winner here. They must be feeling confident too, slotting the DesertX to anchor the new model lineup.
Photo: Ducati
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