The Ducati Scrambler Icon Bike Just Got a Little Sweeter To Ride
In 2014, Ducati had a problem. The great Monster bike had gotten bigger, more complicated, and more expensive over the years, leaving a hole where a stylish, entry-level bike should be. So the brand introduced the Ducati Scrambler, and to roaring success: Since going on sale, the Scrambler has been Ducati’s best-selling model with more than 55,000 sold.
The key to the Scrambler’s appeal is its simple, attractive, and approachable quality-the kind of factors that appeal to a new motorcyclist walking into a modern motorcycle dealership, looking at the various over-styled machines on offer, and thinking, “where are the regular bikes!?”
The standard yellow model costs $9395. The tangerine paint is a $300 option.
For 2019, it was time to refresh this crowd favorite. But Ducati has wisely restricted itself to a few subtle tweaks to their best-seller. Most of the changes aim to improve comfort and the ownership experience. This biggest news is the addition of a Bosch Cornering-ABS package, which eliminates drama during mid-corner panic stops.
The Style
A host of minor decoration differences set apart the new bike. The gas tank’s brushed-aluminum side-panels, already conspicuous decorations, now find themselves necklaced by thick black stripes. The old headlight’s round bezel is now rippled, and the wheels have silver portions on each spoke.
Ducati designers built a black plastic X into the headlight reflector to mimic the tape racers use to protect their headlight lenses from flying stones. It’s a strange choice to add the black plastic behind the lens. On a toy motorcycle, such a design decision might make sense, but on the real thing, the result seems disingenuous. Call it lifestyle design creep.
The seat has been redesigned to eliminate a slight step in the foam between the driver and passenger, and to be firmer and flatter. That might not sound like a big difference, but in a back-to-back test, the new seat proved to be clearly superior. The bike also gets a fuel gauge and a gear indicator, as well as self-cancelling turn-signals.
The Ride
Though the Scrambler’s design has gotten meaner, the ride itself remains as friendly as ever. The 75-hp, 797-cc air-cooled twin from the outgoing model lives on nearly unchanged. The only difference is a hydraulic clutch, which eliminates the very occasional need to adjust a clutch cable while at the same time reducing the effort needed to engage the clutch.
The bike is small, low, and light enough for nearly anyone to manage, and though picky riders might have appreciated a bit more feel from the strong brakes and better suspension damping, such specific critiques almost miss the point of the Scrambler. The goal here isn’t to shave seconds off lap-times or to conquer continents. Rather, the Scrambler’s party trick is to fade into the background of a ride and to let the rider enjoy the scenery, company, and sensation of being on a motorcycle.
The bike has enough grunt to make the rear squat as it shoots out of corners and is happy to accompany the rider on a fast road rid. The unsophisticated suspension can be harsh on bumpy pavement, which can upset the bike if some undulations on a challenging road take you by surprise.
On the road, it’s easy to forgive some of the Scrambler’s shortcomings. Rather than endlessly fiddling with riding maps or suspension tuning to get it just right-and then having to concentrate on the subtle differences the changes have made-you are free to concentrate on how to make the best of the bike as you coax it down a winding road.
The Tech
The big difference between the new Scrambler and older motorcycles-even contemporary “heritage” bikes like Triumph’s Street Scrambler and BMW’s RnineT-is that the new Scrambler has Cornering-ABS.
When a bike is riding in a straight line, an ABS system can be aggressive with the brake pulsing. But in a corner-particularly a wet corner-a momentary lock-up can lead to a low-side or cause the bike to buck if the tire regains traction. The Cornering-ABS system has a sophisticated control unit that uses measurements from an under-seat 6-axis accelerometer and wheel-speed sensors to calculate how much braking force can be fed through the tires before they slip. Even during mid-corner panic stops on wet cobblestones, the system will keep a rider upright. Until now, Cornering-ABS had been available only on some top-of-the line sport and adventure bikes (with KTM’s C-ABS-equipped 2018 Duke 790 being a notable exception).
On one twisty downhill section of our ride I decided to test the system, so I grabbed the front brake as hard as I could right at the apex of each corner. The first time I did this, I expected that the advanced ABS system would magically find grip and stop faster than I had imagined possible. When a bike is cornering hard, though, most of a tire’s grip is dedicated to cornering, leaving limited grip available for braking. The brake lever pulsed as the rapid-cycling ABS kept the front tire from locking-but the bike didn’t buck, low side, or otherwise feel out of control.
If you stand the bike upright during braking, the braking force rises as less and less of the tire’s grip is used for cornering. It can be hard to convince yourself to squeeze the lever hard enough to let the system come into play, but during a mid-corner panic stop, the advanced electronic safety net can help both new and seasoned riders avoid a crash. It’s brilliant.
Conclusion
KTM’s tagline is “Ready to Race.” The Scrambler’s marketing is instead based around a “Land of Joy” concept. If the latter resonates with you, the Scrambler could be a good choice; the bike reminds why we got into motorcycling in the first place-the rush of speed, the feeling of freedom, and the fun of being on two wheels. Now those things are safer than ever.
('You Might Also Like',)
