Bike enthusiasts across the globe know how Ducati had been keeping its audience on the edge with all the waiting for the Scrambler. Well, the good news is that one need not wait anymore since the contemporary bike is 'officially' ready. Hallelujah, eh? The company says that this baby is more than just a new bike: it's a whole new world, one that expresses itself via a range of options and versions that provide a starting point for satisfying the different needs and wants of individual motorcyclists.
Cristiano Silei, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Ducati Motor Holding, said, "Presenting the new Ducati Scrambler brand means for us opening the doors to an entirely new, fascinating, and absolutely contemporary world. We have reinterpreted an iconic motorcycle, part of our history for more than 50 years, in a fully modern way, designing and building the Ducati Scrambler as if we'd never stopped making it. The four bikes of the Ducati Scrambler family represent starting points on a path to personalisation that will make every single Ducati Scrambler a unique, free-spirited bike as individual as the person riding it."
So what is the Ducati Scrambler all about, you ask. Well, to put it in Ducati's own it "is a contemporary bike that expresses the pure essence of motorcycling."
Anyway, let me quickly walk you through the world of the Scrambler.
1. Design: The bike's 'Post-heritage' design is a contemporary take on the iconic bike built by Ducati back in the 60s and 70s. That said, it is not to be mistaken for a retro bike, or at least that's what Ducati says. It gets wide handlebars and a long seat, which, together with the low weight, low centre of gravity and slightly knobby tyres, promise a fun ride all along.
The headlamp, along with the tank, forms an important part of the Scrambler's look. The design is proportions are appealing, the overall look is rounded, classical and yet extremely modern; it features a glass parabola and an ultra-modern LED light guide around the rim that acts as a side light.
2. Engine: The Scrambler is powered by an oil and air-cooled L-twin two-valve 803cc engine that develops 74bhp and 68Nm of torque. The engine is linked up to a 6-speed gearbox.
3. Versions: Ducati will offer the Scrambler in four versions, namely, Icon, Urban Enduro, Full Throttle and Classic; each of the four 'offers its own style and performance-related interpretation of the Scrambler spirit'. The Urban Enduro, with its 'Wild Green' paintjob, is for enduro style enthusiasts and ready to switch from city streets to country backroads in an instant. The Full Throttle is for riders enthralled by the flat-track racing world who have a penchant for pushing things to the limit. And the Classic is for devotees to details and a 1970s look who want the uncompromising riding pleasure and comfort of a modern-day bike.
Out of the four versions of the Ducati Scrambler, Icon will be the first one to become available January, 2015 onwards.