Scrambler Spied

[ducatiz]

I'm waiting for Ducati to debut desmo activated direct injection.

[Gossamer_in_FLL]

Well, after seeing it in person, sitting on it and considering the possibilities, I've decided I'm going to eventually sell / trade in my M696 for the Scrambler.  This decision is mostly based on a visceral connection with the bike, not a technical / logical / straightforward one. 

While I am considering the fact that this bike, in effect, becomes Ducati's entry level bike (no more M696  ), my decision is based on my preference for aesthetics.  I was trying to turn my bike into a modern cafe iteration of the Monster but, as many of you know, that's hard work.  The scrambler is almost there for me in terms of the look I'm going for.  Swap out the tall handle bars for clip ons, change the exhaust, blinkers, seat, and maybe some rearsets and she'd be exactly where I want to be with the monster.

Pending a disastrous test ride (not likely given all the rave reviews this thing is getting), I'll eventually find myself a statistic of the Ducati marketing campaign.

In other news, I went to the IMS this past weekend with my wife and daughter.  They both loved it because they could a) sit on the motorcycles (as opposed to the custom shows I've taken them to before where they can't) and b) we took some cute pictures of us.

[1.21GW]

Your daughter is a natural---she is already instinctively leaning into the turn! 

Get that girl a bike, stat!

[duccarlos]

I would have loved to go, but I would ruined my brain

[MadDuck]

I'm waiting for Ducati to debut desmo activated direct injection.

I kinda know what you're after there, even if it is a bit tongue in cheek. The build cost & the maintenance cost would be horrific though.   

[Gossamer_in_FLL]

Your daughter is a natural---she is already instinctively leaning into the turn!  

Get that girl a bike, stat!

Hahaha..thanks.  She will eventually have a bike but since she's only 1, her mom wants me to wait. Go figure

[eric]

What's the consensus on just how much of the enduro aspect is purely for show, versus how much it could actually be converted into a fire road capable bike? I don't have any illusions of desert sledding in one (unlike as suggested by the promotional literature), but how would one fare with, say, Continental TKC80s fitted?

[twolanefun]

I doubt anyone knows the answer to that for sure, but there are a lot of exposed parts on that bike that might take a beating. It has the look but I'm not sure I'd want to risk taking it on any fire roads, it doesn't even have a decent skid plate and there is no perimeter frame the engine is a stressed member. Duc Parts are usually expensive I might add. - Gene

[kopfjäger]

I doubt anyone knows the answer to that for sure, but there are a lot of exposed parts on that bike that might take a beating. It has the look but I'm not sure I'd want to risk taking it on any fire roads, it doesn't even have a decent skid plate and there is no perimeter frame the engine is a stressed member. Duc Parts are usually expensive I might add. - Gene

None of those reasons ever stopped these dudes. 

[twolanefun]

Those are flat track/tt machines, no where near the same. The scrambler has the look but even back in the day a Honda 350 scrambler was good for and occasional dirt/gravel roads but nothing more serious than that. Heck even the turn signals on an old 350 are better protected than what is on the Scrambler. Of course you can take it down a dirt/gravel road but I've also done that on my M900 and ST3 when required, all I'm saying is it ain't designed for that stuff. - Gene

[kopfjäger]

Point missed. Carry on. 

[koko64]

The Ducati catalogue will probably have a bunch of accessories if people have dirt road riding in mind, or at least dirt pretentions.  Even the HM catalogue has a bash plate, hand guards, upswept 2 into 1 pipe, etc. There's a lot of money to made in pretending to go dirt riding.

[koko64]

None of those reasons ever stopped these dudes. 

Look like Bonnie TT 650s 

[Langanobob]

That's what they look to be.  I have a '66 T120C "TT Special" and it's still about the most fun bike I own.  The Scrambler's got me interested because there's some similarities, but more power and (I hope) better reliability.   The Triumph is a bit lighter, but not by a whole lot.  Those TT racers back in the day had skill and balls, not sure in what order.

I'd like to find a way to pare about 50 lbs off of the Scrambler, not sure it can be done without paying $100 per lost pound or so.  The stock mufflers have to weigh 30 pounds.  Not sure where any other serious weight savings might be found.  I really like the looks of the wire spoke wheels, but unfortunately I think they're heavier than the cast versions.

What the Scrambler needs is a kick start option.  

I don't much like the looks of the high pipe Termignoni's for the Scrambler.  Kind of awkward looking visual flow to them.  The old Meriden Triumphs got it right.  Not my bike pictured below, I stole it from the interweb.



If I had the talent of someone like Duck Stew, I'd get my hands on a Ducati Scrambler and start designing and selling parts for it and make a fortune.  

[twolanefun]

Sadly the TT bikes they use to today at Springfield for example are the same  type of bikes they use in Pro Singles, converted MX bikes. With the Lloyds Brothers Ducati team it would be cool to see them campaign a Ducati scrambler, not likely to happen though. - Gene