DesertX Rally? more news from Ducati

There’s a lot of excitement around the Borgo Panigale at the moment. After seeing photos of the new single-cylinder hypermotard and, consequently, speculating on the model’s characteristics, we’re back in the realm of the hypothetical (but not so much) with some hand-held photos circulating on social media. They show a camouflaged DesertX in action and with some details that are different from the bike we know and which is on the market. Enough to make us suspect the imminent arrival of a “rally” configuration, assuming that’s what it’s called or that this is indeed that configuration.

However, the registration documents support the hypothesis, because the DesertX Rally appears under the same certification that already includes the standard DesertX and the DesertX DP (Ducati Performance). As Cycle World colleagues point out, the name appears on California Air Resources Board (CARB) documents for models that pass California’s strictest emissions standards. The documents show, among other things, that the engine is unchanged and remains the 937 cc Testastretta 11° already common to the Hypermotard 950, Monster and Supersport 950, as well as the DesertX, of course.

Another piece of information we can glean from the same documents is that the weight will not change either. So how does it differ from the normal version? Until these photos appeared on social media, we wouldn’t have been able to answer that, but now we can guess something. First of all, two elements stand out: a high enduro mudguard, so that it looks more like an after-market than something new and definitive, and the side bags with an exhaust guard. However, if you take a closer look, you’ll notice that the shape of the tank is also slightly different, suggesting a larger capacity; or perhaps it’s just an artifice of the black plastic? The rear frame, bolted on as is typical of rally bikes and is already the case on the standard version, is red, while the fork has bronze bars instead of black. It immediately reminds us of the bike that Antoine Méo rode to victory at the Erzberg Rodeo. The modifications to his bike included a 48mm Kayaba fork with a larger diameter, compared to the standard 46mm, and a new shock absorber with more travel. There were also narrower wheels – 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear with Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires – and a stronger engine protection plate, as well as a Termignoni exhaust. Also impressive was the special color of Méo’s bike, created directly by the Ducati Style Centre… who knows, maybe the Rally will be like that.

And will the DesertX Rally be the first novelty revealed by Ducati during the next launch videos? The next one is scheduled for September 19, so you won’t have to wait long. The next ones will be on October 3 and 19, November 2 and 7.