2022 Ducati DesertX unveiled, gets two tanks with transfer function

This is it — the 2022 Ducati DesertX, finally out after months of waiting! First unveiled as a concept back in 2019, the 2022 Ducati DesertX is slated to go on sale from next year. The DesertX is Ducati’s go-anywhere motorcycle which will happily play the role of a highway tourer and a hardcore off-roader at the same time without breaking a sweat.

2022 Ducati DesertX Design

The 2022 Ducati DesertX draws inspiration from the Enduro-spec motorcycles of the 1980s with the Special Star White livery — a huge departure from the traditional Ducati red. It does sport two strips in red and black, the former of which displays the name of the bikemaker and the motorcycle. The twin-round headlamps may resemble the one on the Scrambler if seen individually. However, the DesertX may also bear resemblance to the recently-unveiled MV Agusta Lucky Explorer concepts, which also sport similar livery and share an Italian connection, but that’s a story for another day. The tail lamp is an all-LED unit and it is said to flash vigorously when the rider applies brakes suddenly. Overall, the DesertX does a great job of portraying a futuristic rendition of an old icon, and not feel like forced remixes of modern Bollywood songs!

2022 Ducati DesertX Powertrain and Chassis

The 937cc Testastretta 11° water-cooled engine makes its way onto the 2022 Ducati DesertX, producing 108.6bhp at 9250rpm, and 92Nm of torque at 6500rpm. Underpinning the DesertX is a steel trellis frame that hangs on long-travel suspension from Kayaba on both ends — you get 46mm USD forks at the front with 230mm travel, and a monoshock with an aluminium swingarm at the rear and 220mm of travel, with both ends featuring adjustable compression, rebound and preload. The DesertX receives a 21-inch and an 18-inch wheel setup at the front and the rear respectively. It seats you at a height of 875mm and stands 250mm above the ground. Brakes come from Brembo — M50 Monobloc four-piston callipers radially mounted on twin 320mm discs on the front, and a dual-piston floating calliper mounted on a 265mm disc.

2022 Ducati DesertX Features

Let’s start with the immediate attention-grabber here. The DesertX gets a 21-litre fuel tank, but if that can’t satiate your thirst, Ducati will also offer a secondary tank which will add 8 litres more to the existing range. Something even more interesting — in case you’re short on fuel in the main tank, you can simply transfer fuel from the secondary tank to the main tank by simply pressing a button, so you don’t even need to dismount yourself off the bike should the occasion arise.

Ducati has also equipped the 2022 DesertX with six riding modes — Sport, Touring, Wet, Urban, Enduro and Rally, the last two being dedicated for off-road conditions. You also get four power modes to choose from — Full, High, Medium and Low, to alter the characteristics of the engine. Additionally, it also receives Bosch IMU, and the usual Ducati suite of engine brake control, traction control, wheelie control, quickshifter, three-level ABS which can be switched off completely in Enduro and Rally modes, a 5-inch TFT cluster equipped with Ducati Multimedia system, optional turn-by-turn navigation, and two info modes — Standard and Rally, the latter of which adds a ‘tripmaster’ function to adjust the odometer manually.

2022 Ducati DesertX — When can I get my hands on one?

We have no choice but to endure quite a long wait for the 2022 Ducati DesertX, since it is yet to go on sale internationally, which is still a few months away. The DesertX could possibly go up against the Honda Africa Twin, Yamaha Tenere 700, and the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro. With this, the 2022 Ducati World Premiere has finally come to an end.