2021 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled Review
¡¡¡NOW IN STOCK!!!
Off-road chops make the Desert Sled a standout in the Ducati Scrambler line.
By Chris Northover
The retrobike scene is as strong as ever, with pretty much every manufacturer from Triumph to Kawasaki digging up heritage stories and building classically styled bikes to match. But the best thing about the current wave of retrobikes is that the sacrifice in performance for style is becoming less and less pronounced. And while the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled would be hard work to actually race across a desert, it does have some genuine off-road capability.
The fully adjustable Kayaba fork and preload/rebound-adjustable shock both have 7.9 inches of travel, and with more than 9 inches of ground clearance, you can tackle some decent terrain without tearing a hole in your cases. And sure, a 21-inch front wheel would be better off-road, but the spoked 19/17-inch wheel combo is a proven adventure bike setup for striking a balance between dirt and asphalt.
Offering 7.9 inches of suspension travel at both ends gives the Desert Sled the ability to venture off the pavement.
Equally important as ground clearance and suspension is riding position; no amount of travel will make up for ergonomics that don’t work when you’re standing up. Thankfully the Sled works well; it feels a little wide, particularly if you’ve just stepped off a dirt bike, but the bars are a good shape and well-positioned for standing operation. The only weak point here is down by your feet; the pretty aluminium footpegs look nice, but even with the rubber removed they’re slippery, especially when mud and water get involved.
The Scrambler Desert Sled’s new seat sits at 33.9 inches above ground; there is a 33-inch option for those looking for a short reach.
But enough number crunching; take a look at that new paint scheme. Changes to the new Desert Sled don’t really go much further than a new seat and new colors, but when the colors are this good, does that matter? This is definitely one of those bikes that looks even better in the metal and keeps looking better the longer you look at it. It’s a neat-looking bike too; not just neat as in “nice,” but neat as in “Marie Kondo would be proud of the lack of clutter and plumbing around the motor.” That’s obviously helped by the oil-/air-cooled L-Twin, which does away with the radiator and associated coolant hoses. But even aside from the benefits of the old-school cooling methods, the side view of the bike is pleasantly free from dangling wires and ugly sensors. And while there’s plenty of scope for customization and tuning, there isn’t much about the standard bike that could be considered awkward or out of place.
The new paint scheme of the Desert Sled is light and bright.
The simple digital speedometer manages to pack in a decent amount of usable functionality, with on- and off-road riding modes called Journey and Off-Road respectively. In Off-Road mode the ABS system can be switched off to unlock “skid mode”—Ducati doesn’t actually call it that, but it definitely should. The minimalist dash is compatible with the Ducati multimedia system, allowing riders to control music with a smartphone and even use handlebar-mounted switch gear to answer calls. Better still, it can be used to reject calls with voicemail messages set to “Can’t talk; busy being awesome.”
Like each of the seven different 803cc Scramblers, the Desert Sled is an easy bike to ride. For those who like to get both feet flat on the floor at a stoplight, the tallish 33.9-ich seat can be swapped for an accessory 33-inch option, but other than that the Sled is hardly an intimidating bike. The clutch is light, the throttle is soft, and the engine resistant to stalling at low speed. For newer or less confident riders, it’s a dream, allowing the rider to get on with looking cool and racking up miles of experience and fun. That doesn’t mean no fun for more enthusiastic Sledders; it just means all the slow-speed stuff is a doddle, including wheelies, spin turns, skids, and any other parking lot antics you fancy.
The 803cc air-cooled engine of the Desert Sled has enough power to be entertaining without being overwhelming for newer riders or too aggressive in nasty off-road situations.
The chassis follows the chilled-out theme: It doesn’t dart into an apex like a sportbike, but neither does it require 100 yards of persuasion to make a turn, like a big raked-out cruiser. Wide handlebars let you throw it around, flicking easily between turns, and the chassis follows obediently without shaking its head or resisting. Sitting down, the bars feel high, like you’re sitting behind them; this makes swinging the bike from turn to turn even easier. The large single front brake is, you guessed it, effective without being intimidating; if you want to ride it flat out like a supermoto, you might want a touch more bite and power, but the rest of the time it follows the Scrambler’s theme: simple and effective.
On the road, the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled is a chilled-out ride—a sort of different take on mild adventure riding.
Heading off-road really brings the Desert Sled to life. The easy low-speed handling and predictable throttle response translate into endless miles of powerslides and skid turns. A little more power would make off-roading even more fun, but the fact that you have to provoke it makes it perfect for all riders, not just the crazy ones. On flowing gravel trails the Sled is a great fun bike to play around on, with enough travel to soak up the occasional pothole as you carve through the countryside.
The fact that I kept falling into the trap of riding it too quickly off-road speaks volumes about how well the Desert Sled does on the dirt; it’s too easy to forget that this is a streetbike first and off-road bike second. On more technical trails, the light clutch, decent clearance, and soft power delivery let you get the Desert Sled to places that no hipster-spec scrambler has any right to be.
The Desert Sled is #Wheeliewednesday approved.
Before riding the Desert Sled, my mind was split. It’s a stunning bike, ticking lots of the right boxes from the styling of dirt bikes I grew up wanting. The gold wheels from my Dad’s old XT350, the big fat, flat seat from ’70s Husky motocrossers; Ducati has been almost shameless in taking cues from the bikes of our youth. After a few tanks of gas, the Sled had really endeared itself to me.
The Desert Sled is all about having fun, wherever you may be.
It’s a bike for having fun, for skidding along a gravel track just because you can, for riding up a mountain in the snow just for a laugh. When the update to the Scrambler range was announced, I was gutted that Ducati hadn’t yet released an 1,100cc version of the Desert Sled. I still think that bike would be awesome. But this 803cc version, with its new seat and fancy paint, makes perfect sense. At $11,995 it makes a great alternative to the swathes of big-screen, beak-sporting adventure bikes. It will tackle the same terrain and look good while doing so. Just make sure you befriend them so they’ll lend you a gallon of fuel to get back home.