Moto Review: 2025 Ducati DesertX

The Ducati DesertX is what happens when a company known for red-carpet superbikes decides to play in the dirt — and somehow still makes it glamorous. This isn’t just a Ducati with longer suspension travel; it’s a purpose-built rally machine wearing a Bologna tuxedo. Tall, angular, a little ugly-looking but cool, and unapologetically Dakar-inspired, the 2025 DesertX doesn’t just promise off-road capability — it demands it, with a stance that makes a GS look like it’s skipping leg day. And yet, in typical Ducati fashion, it mixes the brutality of a rally raid with the finesse of an Italian espresso, daring you to flog it across a desert while looking like you’re headed to a fashion shoot.

Just look at it. The DesertX doesn’t so much resemble a motorcycle as it does a concept sketch that accidentally made it to production — sharp lines, twin rally-style headlights that look like they are judging you, and bodywork that could double as a Star Wars prop. Ducati leaned hard into retro-rally design language here, and it works: it’s equal parts 1980s Dakar fantasy and 21st-century cosplay.

The long, slab-sided tank, tall screen, and tucked-in tail give it that purposeful “I could cross the Sahara tomorrow” posture, even if most of them will be parked outside boutique coffee shops. And the quirks? Oh, Ducati make sure you got your money’s worth. The DesertX comes with optional auxiliary fuel tanks out back, because why not carry extra gas on your Ducati the same way you’d strap canteens to a camel? Even the seat height, bordering on comical, feels like Ducati’s way of saying: If you can’t climb on, you don’t deserve it.

Of course, this being Ducati, the DesertX isn’t just a pile of suspension travel and spoked wheels — it’s wired up like a fighter jet. The 5-inch colour TFT dash is crisp enough to make your smartphone jealous, and it smartly reconfigures itself depending on whether you’re in road or rally mode, swapping the familiar speedo/tech layout for a scroll of trip meters and navigation breadcrumps like you’re in the middle of Dakar bivouac. The only gripe I had was the “pay-to-play” nature common to modern Ducatis, which shows up here as well. I wish Ducati offered heated grips and fog lights as standard, especially on a bike that already has the necessary hardware already installed.

The switchgear is satisfyingly clicky and easy to interact, and you get a Quickshifter that snaps through the gears like it’s spitting clutches. It can be hit or miss from time to time, but the downshifts are quite crisp. As expected, it comes with a full suite of cornering ABS and traction/wheelie/slide controls that are all adjustable on the fly, and cruise control for the highway slog to your nearest gravel playground. Build quality is peak Ducati: paint so deep you could drown in it, plastics that don’t feel cheap even after a tip-over, and an overall sense that this thing was crafted — not just manufactured.

Climb aboard and the DesertX instantly reminds you it’s a serious tool — tall, narrow, upright, with a commanding riding position that makes you feel like you are standing on the footpegs even when you’re sitting down. The wide bars give you that “steer with your shoulders” leverage in the dirt, while the seat is firm enough to encourage long stints but just forgiving enough that you won’t start bargaining with deities after an afternoon in the saddle. Footpeg placement strikes a sweet spot between adventure comfort and dirtbike aggression, letting you weight the pegs naturally when you are up on them, and keeping your knees tucked in close when you are cruising on-road.

And then you thumb the starter and remember — this isn’t just some dressed-up dual-sport. It’s a Ducati, which means the 937cc Testastretta L-twin is lurking under all that desert cosplay. The motor is liquid-cooled, 110 horsepower strong, and tuned here for fat midrange rather than Panigale theatrics. The torque curve is flatter than a Dead Sea horizon, with usable grunt from basement revs and a meaty shove right where you need it to tractor out of sand or launch past traffic. The DesertX did not get the latest V2 engine we would find in other models, but the 937cc engine is about 1.7kg lighter than previous versions with new gear ratio tuned for better off-road performance.

Underneath the desert cosplay, the DesertX’s bones are pure Ducati pragmatism. The steel trellis frame is purpose-built — not borrowed from a roadbike — giving it the rigidity to feel precise on tarmac without beating you senseless off it. Suspension hardware is equally serious: fully adjustable KYB units at both ends, with 230mm travel up front and 220mm out back. That’s rally-bike territory, tuned in a way that balances big-hit absorption with just enough road discipline that you don’t feel like you’re piloting a waterbed at highway speeds.

Brakes are Brembo, of course — Stylema calipers biting dual 320mm discs up front, with cornering ABS that feels transparent instead of bossy. In typical adventure bike fashion, the brake modulation feels very smooth and predictable, and rear wheel ABS can be disabled if you want to have fun off the beaten path. Out back, a 265mm disc manages rear wheel antics with a single piston caliper that’s easy to modulate in the dirt.

On the move, it all comes together in a way that feels… well, improbably Ducati. At walking pace, the bike’s sheer height and mass can be intimidating — you’re constantly aware that gravity is not your friend. But the second the wheels roll, the DesertX sheds weight like a model before fashion week. Steering is light, flickable even, thanks to a narrow waist and a 21-inch front wheel that somehow resist the usual “shopping cart” wobble on asphalt.

The suspension is tuned soft enough for small bumps and cracks, yet firms up progressively as you approach the end of its travel. The bike communicates rather than isolates, letting you know what’s happening underfoot without punishing you for every rock or ripple. When the road dissolves into gravel, sand, or ruts, the chassis feels like it was born there — stable, forgiving, and willing to let you hang it out far beyond where common sense says you should.

On the road, the DesertX is one of those rare adventure bikes that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The 21-inch front wheel tracks cleanly through sweepers, the suspension stay composed at highway speeds, and the engine’s broad torque curve makes passing effortless — just twist, and it lunges forward with that signature Ducati L-twin snarl. Around town, the tall seat can feel like you’re mounting a bar stool on stilts and can be challenging for short riders, but once you’re rolling, the ergonomics feel natural and surprisingly comfortable.

Off-road is where it earns its stripes: it shrugs off washboard gravel, digs into sand with confidence, and dances through rugs with a sense of balance that belies its size. Rider aids can be dialed down to let you slide and lof the front, or cranked up for a safety net that’s always there but rarely intrusive. It’s a bike that invites you to experiment — to test where traction ends and bravery begins — without making you pay dearly when you get it wrong.

The 2025 Ducati DesertX is unapologetically Ducati — unique-looks, expensive, a little intimidating — but it’s also one of the most capable, well-rounded adventure bikes you can buy. The seat height will terrify shorter riders, the price tag isn’t exactly beginner-friendly, and at low speeds the bike still feels like you’re wrestling a cathedral. But once you’re moving, those flaws fade into quirks, and you’re left with a machine that’s equal parts Italian drama and genuine off-road talent. The DesertX isn’t perfect, but it is deeply memorable — a motorcycle that doesn’t take you places, it makes the journey itself the main event.

2025 Ducati DesertX – Specifications

Engine

• Type: 937 cc Testastretta 11° L-Twin, liquid-cooled, desmodromic valves
• Power: 110 hp @ 9,250 rpm
• Torque: 92 Nm (68 lb-ft) @ 6,500 rpm
• Transmission: 6-speed with Ducati Quick Shift (up/down)
• Final Drive: Chain

Chassis & Suspension

• Frame: Tubular steel trellis
• Front Suspension: 46 mm KYB USD fork, fully adjustable, 230 mm travel
• Rear Suspension: KYB monoshock, fully adjustable, 220 mm travel
• Front Wheel: 21″ spoked, 90/90 tire
• Rear Wheel: 18″ spoked, 150/70 tire
• Front Brakes: Dual 320 mm discs, Brembo Stylema monobloc 4-piston calipers, Cornering ABS
• Rear Brakes: Single 265 mm disc, Brembo 2-piston caliper

Dimensions

• Seat Height: 875 mm (34.4 in)
• Wheelbase: 1,608 mm (63.3 in)
• Ground Clearance: 250 mm (9.8 in)
• Fuel Capacity: 21 L (5.5 US gal) — optional 8 L auxiliary rear tanks available
• Dry Weight: 202 kg (445 lbs)

Electronics & Features

• 5″ TFT colour display with Road and Rally layouts
• Riding Modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, Rally
• Rider Aids: Cornering ABS, Traction Control, Wheelie Control, Engine Brake Control, Riding Power Modes
• Cruise Control: Standard
• Lighting: Full LED with DRL

Official Website

Ducati Canada – DesertX 2025