Scrambler Spied

[Kev M]

Over on the Guzzi board (Wildguzzi) someone who is interested in the Scrambler just reported that the Portland, OR Ducati dealer claims to have already taken 40 pre-orders for Scramblers!

I'd sure like to know how that ranks against sales of other Ducati models in a typical year at that dealer.

[DarkMonster620]

Wh already received our first 4 Scramblers . . . All ICON . . . Delivery to customers will be during presentation event next week . . .you can check my fb page for some pics

[krolik]

Over on the Guzzi board (Wildguzzi) someone who is interested in the Scrambler just reported that the Portland, OR Ducati dealer claims to have already taken 40 pre-orders for Scramblers!

I'd sure like to know how that ranks against sales of other Ducati models in a typical year at that dealer.

That'd be MotoCorsa. They frequently get the best multi-line dealer award from DNA.

They're a good shop to deal with.

[MendoDave]

Even the Medford Oregon dealer cant keep them in stock

[twolanefun]

Yeah,  I don't care how cold it is or how much snow's on the ground.  We all need to hop on our bikes and go for a ride!  This wintertime non-riding leads to overthinking and worse 

Hi from Daytona, escaped Northern Virginia O' Dark thirty yesterday morning, unloaded the bikes down here at 4PM, it was 86 degress. I washed up the XR quickly, then my Sister(on her XL1200C) and I went for a ride, got bugs all over my new face shield, coming back to her house the Mooon was out and the temps were perfect.

I wish I had room for a Scrambler, Full Throttle, it would look good next to the XR, although I'm not sure about the paint on the seat.

- Gene

[Langanobob]

I stopped by the Sacramento, CA dealer on Friday to check out the Scrambler.  I just saw a Buell Blast.  I guess I have to wait to see the drab green model or some serious mods.

Seriously, speaking only of the looks of the bike since there were no test rides, it is half baked.   The new Multistrada and Panigale on display next to it both had  visual snap and looked good, even though I don’t care for what I consider to be BMW styling influence on the Multi.  There was something real about both the other bikes (in addition to the price, well over double the Scrambler price) that was just not there in the Scrambler which looked contrived in comparison.

 Thinking about it, it’s not that it wasn’t there, there was just too much on the Scrambler that shouldn’t be there, in the form of little plastic covers and a sofa looking seat.




The smog stuff had a big impact on the bike design.  The muffler is really just an artificial housing to make the integrated muffler/catalytic converter look like a muffler.  The Ducati rep told me that the reason for the banana swing arm is to make room for the cat.



The oil cooler and voltage regulator are mounted in an awkward looking plastic shroud and the canister is just hanging there on the side of the bike.    I have a real issue with all the smog stuff on motorcycles these days.   If you took all the mandated smog equipment off of all the motorcycles in the USA there wouldn’t be any measurable statistically valid increase in pollution. 



One of the reasons I liked the original Monster was the clean design.  With all the required smog equipment maybe the day of the good looking unfaired bike is past.

 Out of curiosity I checked and the Scrambler’s rake, trail and wheelbase  are about the same as the Monster.

The engine, which on a Ducati is the bike’s signature, is kind of hidden and indistinct behind dull black  plastic pieces and is painted mostly dull black with the exception of the barrels and blends in with the dull black frame.   I would’ve left the engine cases aluminum to stand out against the frame.

My apologies for being negative but I just don't think this bike is for me.  Of course that all could change if I rode one and the bike could be fixed by adding a lot of time and money to it.

Bob

[Ducatamount]

Thank you for your journalistic integrity and exposing the Scrambler to the harsh light of reality. 
It is terrible.

[Kev M]

Lang, no apologies necessary for opinions at all.

Thing is, I either don't care about, or actually even like everything you mentioned as a negative.

I mean, EVAP stuff is what it is, Cat-Cons are a fact of life. I'm not going to get pissed at Ducati for not being able to hide them well on a very naked bike.

So to me that all doesn't equal half-baked, it equals fully cooked, just a recipe that you don't like.

I see an air-cooled, stripped down model that in many ways is what the Monster WAS.

Hell it even comes with an oil cooler, unlike our 696.

[koko64]

I guess you guys will take the evap can off , throw some plastic into the parts box and change the pipe. The effect will be like tidying up your Monster once you got it home.
I think the plastic that hides the reg and horn probably looks worse than the reg and horn. We'll soon find out one way or another because someone will try it.
As Kev said, its a naked bike.
Imagine the weight loss once the cat and cannister are off.

[Curmudgeon]

Ditching the EVAPS on my 796 was simple and the oil cooler shroud from the European bikes was ~ $20. Maybe the Termis ditch the CAT? 

[Howie]

That EVAP canister is designed to disappear easily.  I doubt many bikes will be delivered with it in place.  Many will also loose the factory exhaust.  In their day, scramblers were standards factory modified to be a little more dirt capable.

[DucRS]

The Scrambler is a platform for endless possibilities. A Platform. Once all the high end aftermarket companies like Rizoma  ect .. start producing bling the bike will be transformed from its plasticky appearance to something a bit more appealing. I can't wait.

[Kev M]

The Scrambler is a platform for endless possibilities. A Platform.

Dare I say this is a formula for success that was shown in many an "entry level" product like the original Monster, Neo-Bonnie, the Sportster.

Perhaps it even speaks to the relative success that Guzzi is seeing with the current V7 line.

[DarkMonster620]

Well . . . it seems people can't wait for new shipments . . . We had to sell our "demo" model and from what I gathered from sales guy, it was basically "an auction" . . .

[DucHead]

More plastic than a sportbike!!  Looks like many of the ugly bits can be removed/replaced.  I'm sure the high-brow, short inseam crowd will love it!