2024 Ducati DesertX Rally First Look

Ducati revealed a new rally variant of the DesertX, equipping the adventure bike with race-bred components for those looking for a more extreme off-road riding experience.

Of course, we knew the Ducati DesertX Rally was coming, not just from California Air Resources Board filings but from seeing multiple Enduro World Champion and European Supercross Champion Antoine Meo racing a prototype to victory in the twin-cylinder class at the Iron Road Prolog at the Erzbergrodeo 2023.

The DesertX comes in a distinct Ducati racing livery similar to the one on Meo’s bike, but recognizing how likely an off-road machine will get dinged up, the bodywork isn’t painted but rather mass-colored with the graphics created with high-thickness PVC adhesives. This should make them more resistant to scratching, while also making the DesertX easy to customize. Beyond the livery, the DesertX Rally adopts a number of chassis upgrades to make it more capable for off-road riding.

Ducati added a high fender, giving the DesertX Rally a distinct profile from the DesertX. Ducati also replaced the DesertX’s sump guard with a forged carbon guard. The one-piece rally seat is similar to the one in Ducati’s accessories portfolio, but with a textured coating.

The DesertX Rally is equipped with a compression and rebound adjustable 48mm KYB closed cartridge inverted fork similar to what one would find on dedicated motocross or enduro motorcycles. The tubes have a Kashima Coating while the sliders received a diamond-like coating surface treatment. The fork clamps are made of billet aluminum to offer a combination of light weight and rigidity, while also providing a reduced offset compared to the DesertX to compensate for the different suspension. The front wheel has 9.8 inches of travel, compared to the 9.1 inches offered on the regular DesertX.

The aluminum swingarm is paired with a fully-adjustable shock absorber with a larger piston to improve oil flow, and a stiffer spring to suit more aggressive off-road use. The Rally’s rear wheel offers 9.4 inches of travel compared to 8.7 inches provided on the regular DesertX.

The updated suspension increases the DesertX Rally’s ground clearance to 11 inches, up 0.8 inches from the DesertX. The seat height increases to 35.8 inches from the DesertX's 34.4 inches, but an accessory low seat can bring it back down to 34.8 inches.

The DesertX Rally has the same 21”x2.15” size up front, but the rear wheel is narrower at 18”x4” compared to 18”x4.5” on the DesertX. The Rally’s wheels are Takasago Excel rims with machined hubs and carbon steel spokes, making them lighter and more robust than the DesertX’s wheels.

The new wheels and steering plates plus the adjustable billet aluminum gear shift and rear brake pedals all help to make up some of the added weight of the new suspension, resulting in the DesertX Rally claiming a net increase of 2.2 pounds over the DesertX, which works out to a claimed wet weight of 494 pounds.

The braking system is unchanged, with the same dual radial-mount Brembo monoblock four-piston calipers with 320 mm discs up front, and a floating Brembo two-piston caliper and 265 mm disc at the back. Bosch provides the cornering ABS.

The DesertX comes standard with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, the same as the regular DesertX, but it has also been homologated for more off-road oriented Scorpion Rally and more streetable Scorpion Trail II tires. Unlike the regular DesertX, the Rally runs on tubed tires.

The engine is the same liquid-cooled 937cc Testastretta 11° V-Twin with eight Desmodromic-activated valves as the regular DesertX. The performance figures are unchanged, with Ducati claiming 110 hp at 9,250 rpm and 68 lb-ft. at 6,500 rpm. Like the DesertX, the Rally offers six ride modes, traction control and wheelie control, but the settings have been recalibrated to suit the chassis updates and more off-road intentions.