Ducati Scrambler Launch

[Bensien]

The air cooled Ducati engine is a gem. It is smooth, tractable, and performs in a manner that belies its paper statistics. I’ve had a few and promised myself that I will one day have another one. The Scrambler may just be it.

[2-Stroke]

The air cooled Ducati engine is a gem. It is smooth, tractable, and performs in a manner that belies its paper statistics. I’ve had a few and promised myself that I will one day have another one. The Scrambler may just be it.

Our group got shouted at by a state trooper for wheelying. That motor is a peach.

[Pistonpete]

Donovan have i missed something...like the SA launch of this bike? 

[2-Stroke]

Donovan have i missed something...like the SA launch of this bike? 

Ha ha! Let's see when the bike arrives in April.

[teebag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejcHLoGmU-g

[2StrokeDan]

The terms "Enduro" and "Scrambler" are being thrown about very loosely lately.

Obviously, while some have been "stewing in ignorance", others have been stewing in factory lifestyle propaganda.

I like how they almost always include a little jump of no significance. Like it was designed for jumping.

Yes, you are right, not everyone likes it.

This does not mean that you wasted your time posting it here Donovan, still appreciates your trouble.

[Bensien]

When I was growing up, we used to call the dirt bikes that weren’t competition oriented, street scramblers. Examples were the Yamaha XT500, Honda XL500 and Suzuki DR500, and these bikes were generally used for daily transport rather than hard core off road riding, which was the domain of the TT’s, XR’s etc. I think the Ducati is a nice continuation on this theme.

[Poffmuis]

"stewing in ignorance"

pot kettle   

[Vintage_Mania]

When I was growing up, we used to call the dirt bikes that weren’t competition oriented, street scramblers. Examples were the Yamaha XT500, Honda XL500 and Suzuki DR500, and these bikes were generally used for daily transport rather than hard core off road riding, which was the domain of the TT’s, XR’s etc. I think the Ducati is a nice continuation on this theme.

100%  - the discipline of scrambling in VMX circles are also hilly grass tracks with small to no jumps. It really has very little to do with Enduro or MX.

[bud500]

It seems the SA launch is mid April.

[chicco]

 

[Buddy]

Let's hope you can get the Scrambler in yellow 

[2-Stroke]

The terms "Enduro" and "Scrambler" are being thrown about very loosely lately.

Obviously, while some have been "stewing in ignorance", others have been stewing in factory lifestyle propaganda.

I like how they almost always include a little jump of no significance. Like it was designed for jumping.

Yes, you are right, not everyone likes it.

This does not mean that you wasted your time posting it here Donovan, still appreciates your trouble.

Ignorance indeed – this bike harps back to the Ducati Scrambler of the 60s, which were real scramblers, when the term "scrambler" came about. In the 70s, when real plastic bikes came into play, the terms MX, offroad, rally and even rodeo came into prominence and the word "scrambler" was used by just a select few who hadn't really kept up with the times. This is a scrambler. A proper one. MX, enduro and offroad bikes are something else.
Ducati have been very adamant that this bike is only capable of light offroad, which is why, out of a selection of 1000-odd factory photos, only three feature the bike riding offroad, with the ramping one being one of them. In fact, I'm the one saying it can probably go offroad, despite the factory's apprehension. Haven't I said all this already in this thread?

Sorry you don't like it. I think we can see that there is a term for people who don't like the Scrambler – the minority. 

Sorry mate. I couldn't resist. 

I will agree that the Scrambler most definitely cannot replace any of the current adventure, offroad, enduro or MX bikes. It is a separate completely.

Here is another fun video of the Scrambler by some Frogs:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152689878846994&pnref=story

[2StrokeDan]

Sure Donovan, the "scrambler" is an entirely different class of bike, and what confuses me is the engine. The previous Duke "scrambler" had a small single motor.

But to fit a big V-twin and call it their scrambler, well it is obvious that they are not looking for riders to go scramble on it.

Same for that senseless Triumph "scrambler" thing.

[Buddy]

While this is without doubt a very road orientated bike, don't forget that this engine's direct descendant was in the Cagiva Elephant which had big off-road racing success in Australia. 

[Mooch]

While this is without doubt a very road orientated bike, don't forget that this engine's direct descendant was in the Cagiva Elephant which had big off-road racing success in Australia. 

This motor actually originated in the 500 and 600 Pantah sport bikes in the 80's

[2StrokeDan]

While this is without doubt a very road orientated bike, don't forget that this engine's direct descendant was in the Cagiva Elephant which had big off-road racing success in Australia. 

This motor actually originated in the 500 and 600 Pantah sport bikes in the 80's

Yep.

[2-Stroke]

Sure Donovan, the "scrambler" is an entirely different class of bike, and what confuses me is the engine. The previous Duke "scrambler" had a small single motor.

But to fit a big V-twin and call it their scrambler, well it is obvious that they are not looking for riders to go scramble on it.

Same for that senseless Triumph "scrambler" thing.

Ducati don't have a handy single that they can throw on to their production line. Remember it's a cost thing. They'd have to design one at huge expense, and then set up a new production line. This engine comes off their 796 Monster that is still in production, so they don't have to pay for R&D and set up costs with the Scrambler. And it's a cracker of an engine. If they had made a single, it would have cost more and been less popular, and then their Audi bosses would have shouted at them.

Actually, the head of the Ducati design department is an avid offroader. On weekends he rides his CR125 through the local mountains near Bologna. He's also done some proper offroad designs (which he won't show anyone, spoil sport). Unfortunately, for Ducati to design and build offroady bikes like those would require a lot of resources, a step away from Ducati's core market and a step into an already heavily competitive market. It would've been fun though.

[roxenz]

Looks like a cool, fun bike.  Perhaps that's all it's intended to be...   

[2StrokeDan]

Sure Donovan, the "scrambler" is an entirely different class of bike, and what confuses me is the engine. The previous Duke "scrambler" had a small single motor.

But to fit a big V-twin and call it their scrambler, well it is obvious that they are not looking for riders to go scramble on it.

Same for that senseless Triumph "scrambler" thing.

Ducati don't have a handy single that they can throw on to their production line. Remember it's a cost thing. They'd have to design one at huge expense, and then set up a new production line. This engine comes off their 796 Monster that is still in production, so they don't have to pay for R&D and set up costs with the Scrambler. And it's a cracker of an engine. If they had made a single, it would have cost more and been less popular, and then their Audi bosses would have shouted at them.

Actually, the head of the Ducati design department is an avid offroader. On weekends he rides his CR125 through the local mountains near Bologna. He's also done some proper offroad designs (which he won't show anyone, spoil sport). Unfortunately, for Ducati to design and build offroady bikes like those would require a lot of resources, a step away from Ducati's core market and a step into an already heavily competitive market. It would've been fun though.

To your credit, you are a patient man, thanks for this post.