The DesertX Rally is a more off-road-focused version of the standard DesertX.

Ducati has launched the DesertX Rally in the Indian market. The ADV is priced at Rs 23,70,800 (ex-showroom) and deliveries will begin in the last week of May.

The DesertX Rally is a more off-road-focused version of the standard DesertX that has been on sale in India. The bike gets a raised front fender, a forged carbon sump guard, machined gear pedals and rear brake lever.

The Ducati DesertX Rally features a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheel, KYB upside-down front forks and a mono-shock at the rear with 20 mm of additional suspension travel at both ends.

The DesertX Rally is powered by the same 937cc Testrastretta twin-cylinder engine as the standard version. This engine produces 108 BHP @ 9,250 rpm and 92 Nm @ 6,500 rpm.

The bike has six riding modes: Urban, Sport, Touring, Wet, Enduro and Rally. Other features include traction control, wheelie control, cornering ABS and a 5-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity.

The Ducati DesertX Rally gets several upgrades over the standard DesertX - currently on sale in India.

Ducati India has started accepting pre-bookings for the new DesertX Rally. The off-road-focused adventure bike will be launched later this year.

The Ducati DesertX Rally gets several upgrades over the standard DesertX - currently on sale in India. The bike features a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheel, KYB upside-down front forks and a mono-shock at the rear with 20 mm of additional suspension travel at both ends.

The DesertX Rally also gets a raised front fender, forged carbon sump guard, machined gear pedals and rear brake lever.

The DesertX Rally is powered by the same 937cc Testrastretta twin-cylinder engine as the standard version. This engine produces 108 BHP @ 9,250 rpm and 92 Nm @ 6,500 rpm.

The bike has six riding modes: Urban, Sport, Touring, Wet, Enduro and Rally. Other features include traction control, wheelie control, cornering ABS and a 5-inch digital instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity.

Ducati will also launch the DesertX Rally and the Multistrada V4 RS in the Indian market.

Ducati has listed the 2024 Streetfighter V4 and V4 S on its official website. The bike is priced at Rs 24.62 lakh and Rs 28 lakh (ex-showroom) for the V4 and V4 S, respectively.

Ducati has made a few changes to the 2024 iteration of the Streetfighter V4. The bike gets two new power modes: Full and Low, in addition to High and Medium modes. It also gets a new 'Wet' riding mode that limits the power to 163 BHP.

Powering the bike is a 1,103cc V4 engine that now features cylinder deactivation tech. Also, the radiator fan kicks in at a much lower temperature than before. Ducati has moved the swingarm pivot higher by 4 mm. This small change is said to help in shifting the weight forward during corner entry.

Other minor changes include a new TFT digital dash layout in Track mode and a slightly larger fuel tank.

The Streetfighter V4 is one of eight new models planned for this year. Ducati will also launch the DesertX Rally and the Multistrada V4 RS in the Indian market.

While the BMW R 1250 GSA excelled in every aspect, the excitement quotient left me yearning for more and the R 1300 GS didn't quite capture my aesthetic senses.

BHPian samyakmodi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A Two-Wheeled Symphony of Comfort, Power, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Ride

After a two-year hiatus from the therapeutic joy of riding, the absence of a motorcycle became insufferable. Riding, for me, is more than transportation; it's a therapy that brings pleasure like nothing else. The wind in my face, the hum of the engine, and the rhythmic dance of two wheels on the asphalt are the chords of a symphony that soothes the soul.

From Agony to Ecstasy - Choosing Comfort over Aggression

My previous companion, the Ducati 848 Evo, with its aggressive stance, became a bittersweet memory. The need for something more accommodating, a bike to munch miles in comfort yet possess the versatility to venture anywhere, led me on a quest. The Multistrada V4S emerged as the answer—a Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles promising a harmonious blend of comfort and power.

The Quest for Excitement - A Comparison with the BMW GSA 1250

A detour to the BMW GSA 1250 was a logical step. While it excelled in every aspect, the excitement quotient left me yearning for more. The peculiar challenge of the boxer engine layout hitting my shin every time I attempted to disembark added a dimension of discomfort. The eagerly awaited GS1300, still elusive in India, didn't quite capture my aesthetic senses.

The Multistrada V4S Symphony

Equipping for the Journey - The Perfect Gear

The quest for the perfect riding gear started almost as soon as I decided on the bike. Ended up buying an Arai Quantic helmet which is known for wind noise reduction, Dainese Ladakh 3L D riding jacket for year-long usability as it comes with 2 liners (one for wet and one for cold conditions). Picked up another pair of Dainese gloves as my earlier ones were almost shredded with the new bike's grips. Finally also picked up Alpinestars riding boots - and believe it or not - all the riding gear makes a huge difference in riding confidence. I have also equipped my helmet with a Cardo Packtalk Edge for seamless communication and listening to some nice music while rolling.

Service Milestone and Mishap

The Multistrada V4S recently crossed the 1000-kilometer mark, prompting its first service around Republic Day. Alongside routine maintenance, upgrades were made, including heated grips, a center stand, and plastic panniers.

In January, a minor mishap occurred as well—a slow-motion drop at a signal due to a car nudging me from behind. While the damage was minimal, the windscreen broke. Although it took some time to procure the new windscreen - I ended up upgrading to the Ducati Touring windscreen which definitely improves wind protection.

A special shout out to the great folks of Legacy Motors, Pune (Ducati Dealership, Pune) for making all the efforts to send me the bike all the way to Indore via their own transport, and being available at the beck and call to help me out every time I had a query. Their team is not just professional but extremely compassionate as well. Kudos to them.

Approved by my 2-year-old son as well.

The new windshield is about good 2 inches taller which helps in reducing the wind noise substantially in the helmet.

Also makes the bike look taller - not that it ever looked puny by any standards.

Riding Experience so far

Since I was riding after almost a gap of 2 years and I've ridden only Superbikers till now - took me a few days to acclimatise myself to the bike with the new riding posture along with the sheer size. The first ride I did with my group of biking brothers was a 200 kms ride with a lot of highway and twisties. Believe me when I say this - the bike transforms completely in these conditions. You do not expect something with so much bulk to be so nimble on the twisties while being absolutely composed on the highways.

When you setup the suspension to the softest settings - the bike literally glides over minor undulations on the road (even better dare I say than my 630D with air suspensions). The hardest settings make you aware of the smallest pimple on the road but are simply logic-defying at higher speeds. And mind you - reaching higher speeds on this bike is inevitable. You have to be really conscious about your riding speeds as you won't even realise when you cross 165kmph.

The various modes on the bike make it a different machine in each one of them. Here are some factory settings to give you a better idea:

• Urban Mode - The bike is comparatively quite tame in this. The engine produces about 115BHP power and the bikes doesn't give you any surprises as such. The suspensions are in the softest of their settings. I believe this can be used in wet conditions as well
• Touring Mode - The engine is extremely smooth in its power delivery and I believe belts out 150BHP (not entirely sure). Suspension by default is set to medium.
• Enduro Mode - ABS is off. Wheelie control is off. Traction control is off. Suspension is in medium. Engine produces 115bhp (haven't tried this mode yet)
• Sport Mode - a total hooligan the bike becomes. 170 BHP. extremely twitchy. Wheelie control comes down to 1. Suspensions become super stiff. But boy oh boy - does it make you go from ear to ear.

The best part about all these modes is - you can configure them as and how you deem fit. I am using the bike in touring mode with the suspensions at the softest setting for my daily commute to the office.

Few things I love about the bike

• It's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde type personality - can be anything you want it to be - albeit in 4 different avatars and not just 2.
• Extremely comfortable to ride - the seat though a bit firm is wide and I believe it wouldn't make the hind side sore on longer trips. The riding stance is extremely neutral and feels natural.
• The suspensions can be lowered by just long pressing the suspension button on the fly below 60kmph - making it more comfortable while standing at signals.
• Blind spot monitoring radar - absolutely the best feature in the bike - a real lifesaver while riding. I strongly believe this should be made compulsory in all 2 wheelers.
• Quickshifter - This is the only way one should change gears.

Few things I hate about the bike

• It heats up a lot!! Even with highway runs with speeds in excess of 90kmph - you can definitely feel the heat on the seat as well as your legs. Maybe Ducati should consider shutting off the 2 rear cylinders at cruising speeds (can be programmed I believe).
• The abysmal fuel efficiency - or inefficiency should I say. With babying the bike while on the highway - the max I have squeezed out is about 15.6 kmpl. The closest fuel station with min 95 octane fuel makes my office commute longer by about 8kms. And I am refuelling the bike almost every 3rd or 4th day in spite of it having a massive 22-litre fuel tank.
• Not an unknown devil to me - but Ducati parts are expensive!!! The windscreen replacement alone made me poorer by Rs. 27k!!! And let me remind you - it's made of plastic - not gold!
• Though the bike is keyless - to open the fuel tank you need the key. Completely stupid if you ask me. Though a keyless tank filler is available as an accessory for about 35K - just the dhakkan and not the entire tank.
• The LED headlights though good - aren't sufficient for highway rides in the night. And the only way to upgrade the lights is to add puny foglights from Ducati without voiding the warranty - and I have read that they aren't very helpful.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Spent 2 years stripping down the bike to its basics, and then rebuilding it.

BHPian no_fear recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

To everyone who commented on my recent post - thank you very much for the kind words and appreciation. It means a lot to see fellow compadres who are equally invested in motorcycling.

The entire success of this rebuild has been a team effort, a big chunk of which has been my brother, who is truly a die-hard biker. His work on the 1199R is magical, but very few people know of his crazier build with a 2006 Ducati 999.

Wanted to share the story here. During the Covid lockdown in 2020, he bought a 2006 Ducati 999 in Singapore and spent 2 years stripping down the bike to its basics, and then rebuilding it to the specs of a Ducati 999R. A bike that was last sold in 2003-2006, 90% of the parts are unavailable, and everyone knows that 20 years ago Ducati was not known for its reliability or its supply chain management. Anyway, I digress. My brother shared pictures and videos of this rebuild and I decided to post it here, as an anecdote.

Backstory - 2006 base Ducati. The bike belonged to an older gentleman who used it seldom. The bike was mechanically ok but needed work done.

Work done - Complete teardown and rebuild. New engine head and headers, gaskets, camshafts, Ohlins front and rear suspension, STM EVO WSBK dry slipper clutch, monoposto aluminium rear frame, Bonamici rear sets, Brembo M4 Monoblock custom calipers, Matris steering damper, full custom painted Fila fairings and pretty much a whole boatload of mods and carbon fibre parts that I have lost count of. It took him 2 years to track down the parts, including a Ducati Performance Race ECU to couple with the Termignoni 57mm race exhaust that he installed. This is his road + track bike and it is one of the rarest bikes in Asia.

Enjoy the pictures of this rebuild.

The original bike

Teardown commences

Ducati 999, 1098S, and 1299S - each bike custom built and modded.

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I still get the question- “kitne ki hai?”

BHPian abhi_tjet recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

6 months completed- 4000 kms, not yet

Multi is doing a fabulous task of keeping me excited, especially after the high bar set by my earlier one.

Found out a few things about bikes -

• The windscreen which made me sweat during normal ambient temperatures is keeping me cocooned in early morning rides during winter.
• Horn needs to be pressed gently. It won’t work otherwise and will be fixed only after a restart

Nothing much to report. I still get the question- “kitne ki hai?”

Sharing a few pics from recent rides

Bhuleshwar ride with best-half

I had clicked the same photo with Triple as well.

Didn’t I mention earlier that it’s quite fuel-efficient.. this figure is with a pillion.

Panchgani with a big Triumph

Kondeswar near Kamshet.

Rode there with a D-Bhpian

This tom cat has found my bike to be a perfect waiting place till the food arrives

The pillion seat is not utilised much since my wife only joins me once a month. And here the cat can be seen making the most of it. His name - Pompu.

Safe riding guys!

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He teamed up with a very famous design house in Italy that works with Ducati

BHPian no_fear recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

2024 - time to grow.

It is now exactly one year since the 1199R was torn apart and rebuilding commenced. Now that the bike is up and running, I decided to mod it a bit more. I was brainstorming ideas with my brother and wanted to add a few bits and pieces to keep myself sated. Well, I was steamrolled over. I am sure there are many of you who have an older sibling who listens to you and then decides to do whatever they think is best, taking you along for the ride and turning you into a spectator

Well, to keep matters short, my brother produced his aces and went overboard on this 1199R project.

He teamed up with a very famous design house in Italy that works with Ducati and sent out sketches of the front and rear fairings he penned for the bike. He sketched it out in MS paint and then worked with the designer to craft the fairings in carbon fiber and get them custom painted. Concurrently, one of Japan's biggest aftermarket parts maker heard of this 1199R story and decided to throw their hats into the ring. Over the past 6 months, after several iterations, everything was manufactured and then shipped. After all the pieces were installed, I am glad to say the 1199R has turned out to be something far more crazier than I ever expected. Let the pictures do the talking. I will comment on each picture and explain the rationale of the mods.

Working up from the bottom

The first thing to get updated was the entire tail section of the 1199R. The ABS plastic fairings were in good condition but needed fresh paint and clear coating. My brother simply got rid of everything and installed brand-new carbon fiber fairings. When I say everything - I literally mean every plastic bit.

Rear tail cowl, fairings, and air vents were removed. Carbon fiber rear vent attached.

Carbon fiber tail ends and seat rest cowl attached.

Rear seat cowl is attached The whole tail section is now custom carbon fiber. It's manufactured by Fullsix and custom painted in Italy. The number 23 inscribed on it signifies the rebirth of the bike in 2023 and also my brother's favorite number. You can see my brother is a controlling egomaniac. The fit and finish is perfect to the nearest millimeter. Designing decals on three separate pieces that are not mounted on the bike speaks volumes about how crazy good Italian painters can be.

Next on the list were the rear sets. Years of abuse on the existing pegs meant they were in need of a serious upgrade. I have covered rear sets before in my V4S thread and always liked the Italian makers. Well, my brother proved me wrong. There is one company in Japan that does sublime stuff. They are the true godfathers of customization and each part they make is the stuff of dreams if you are into machining, lathing, or cnc. They were piqued about this bike and decided to collaborate on a one-off piece. The red color on the rearsets comes from "alumite" which is anodic oxidation of aluminum that is done in Japan. The stuff is just drool-worthy.

Aella - a company in Japan that makes manufactures magic

Along with this - small bits, like the oil filler plastic cap were swapped with a CNC Racing aluminum cap. Ducabike frame plugs were also added.

The tank cap also had aged considerably and was in need of a serious re-paint and reconditioning. Well, that was what I wanted but I was overruled. Enter CNC Pramac Racing quick-release tank cap. It has no key - means joy and fun for thieves, only if they can figure out how to operate it.

Brake caliper cooler ducts

I personally think brake caliper ducts prolong brake life plus they look super cool. This was something I wanted and got them.

Piece de resistance

The final flourish for the 1199 was the front fairing. The OEM one had too many swirl marks, and scratches and again needed a full repaint and polish. Also, it looked dated. I wanted something that kept the element of 1199 back in 2014 but would be modern and reflect 2024. The design was meticulously chosen and created by my brother who has worked on the fairings for both my V4S and V4R. Well, after many months of ideas, the final product was created.

Front fairing removed

New custom carbon fiber fairing attached.

The decals signify the WSBK paint scheme used by Ducati back in 2014-18. It flows with the rest of the bike, creating three sections - a white fairing, red body, and black tail. The color combo breaks up the monotony of a red Ducati but keeps the looks of the 1199R exactly the same. You will not mistake it for any other bike.

The final icing was a ginormous WRS sticker on the windscreen. Why not - they are the world's best windscreen makers and if they are on VR46 and Pramac MotoGP bikes, they are welcome on mine.

The full package put together, we took it out for a spin on a cold Delhi afternoon. There is no sunlight so the pictures are not the best, but I am quite glad with the final look of the bike. Might do some more work, but for now I am feeling rather smug.

Having picked up the bike in early 2021 and starting in 2024, in a span of 3 years, it has been a wild ride with this machine. It has been a lesson in humility, learning, forgiving, staring at an abyss, and looking up at a mountain. But the key to all this - is never to give up, and never stop dreaming.

A few snapshots to end this post. Till next time

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Royal Enfield was forgiving and mighty relaxed. When I got back home to my Ducati, it felt tight and in extreme urgency.

BHPian Nilesh5417 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Did a decent 25-minute test ride in traffic and open stretches. Rode it like I would for the first 20 minutes and checked the low end etc on purpose in the last 5 minutes. Most of the comments are already out there so will keep it short:

• Lag - perceptible but insignificant. Shouldn't have been there so it's unexpected but not unsafe or irritating to take away anything from the bike. I noticed it's not present when you change gears and accelerate. It's present when you are trying to catch on speed in a gear e.g. from 20kmph in 2nd or 40kmph in 4th onwards without dropping a gear. I hope others can check this out as well and share what they think.
• Vibrations - didn't notice. Revs till 5.5k easy - couldn't hold speeds for too long in traffic but seriously, smooth engine. If not more, as good as Triumph.
• Free revving - the engine is a delight. It's free revving and you don't feel it's under any strain if you are in a hurry. Didn't expect this from an RE.
• No issues in traffic - I could do 10kmph in 1st, 20 in 2nd and 40 in 4th. As long as you keep the bike rolling, it will catch on speed and pretty fast. I did not feel any heat - so didn't bother about checking the fan.
• Clutch - I would have liked it to be lighter. It feels heavy when everything esp when else is so spot on.
• Gearshifts - is this really an RE? Slots neatly without effort and you can actually find the neutral! Hurrah!
• Brakes - the front discs had a really sharp bite, the rear not so much. In fact, the rear is a little weaker than I would like. But both together seemed to work well. Tried this 4-5 times and the bike can take care of most emergency braking situations.
• Everything else - suspension and seats = sofa, screen absolutely crisp even in bright sunlight, feels heavy when you want to move it e.g. say backwards in a parking but no, foot pegs don't foul with my legs (5'10). You won't feel the weight once you move even on tight U-turns.

Getting back home on my Monster was a really different experience. The RE was forgiving and mighty relaxed, the Ducati felt tight and in extreme urgency. Had to take it easy for the first few hundred meters.

Going to go ahead and get myself one.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The special limited-edition Panigale race replicas are expected to be delivered to customers from July 2024.

Italian superbike manufacturer, Ducati, has unveiled 5 special-edition Panigale superbikes to commemorate its record-breaking 2023 racing season. The five Collector's Limited-Edition Panigale bikes will come with special liveries inspired by the racing bikes of Bagnaia, Bautista, Bulega, Martin & Bezecchi from MotoGP, WorldSBK and WorldSSP racing series. The bikes were unveiled at the "Campioni in Festa" event.

The limited-edition bikes will consist of four Panigale V4s and one Panigale V2 in a numbered series, with the rider's original signature on the tank and a certificate of authenticity. In addition to this, Ducati will offer all the technical equipment for each model and the wooden shipping crate as well.

Three of the four Panigale V4s pay tribute to the Desmosedici GP bikes of Francesco Bagnaia (63), Jorge Martin (89) and Marco Bezzecchi (72) from MotoGP, following the team's 2022 and 2023 victories. A Panigale V4R pays tribute to the brand's WordSBK triumph of Alvaro Bautista (19). The final bike, a Panigale V2 is dedicated to Nicolo Bulega (11) for winning the WorldSSP title this year.

The four Panigale V4s are based on the "S" model and feature a nine-disc STM-EVO SBK dry clutch, Akrapovic homologated silencer, Brembo braking system with Stylema R calipers with MCS master cylinder with remote adjust and adjustable footpegs from billet aluminium. The lone special-edition Panigale V2 gets Ohlins suspension, Akrapovic racing silencers and adjustable Rizoma rider footpegs. Also, the front and rear mudguards, chain guard, clutch cover guard, shock absorber guard and the swingarm guard are all made from carbon-fibre. The V2 also comes with a numberplate and mirror removal kit and a billet aluminium racing tank cap.

The special limited-edition Panigale race replicas are expected to be delivered to customers from July 2024.

Source: RideApart

Ducati has reserved 63 units for Lamborghini customers, who can customise their bikes to match their cars.

Ducati India has teased the Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini ahead of its launch. The special edition superbike is expected to be launched later this month.

The Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini features a special livery inspired by the Lamborghini Huracan STO. Production has been capped at 630 units. The bikes are numbered and come with a certificate of authenticity.

Ducati has also reserved 63 units for Lamborghini customers, who can customise their bikes to match their cars.

Powering the Streetfighter V4 is a 1,103cc V4 engine that makes 205 BHP @ 13,000 rpm and 122 Nm @ 9,500 rpm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox via a bidirectional quick-shifter.

The special edition superbike has forged wheels with a titanium centre nut and carbon fibre fenders, a tank cover, a belly pan, heel guards, a rear seat pad and a rear sprocket protector. It also features an Akrapovic exhaust system with a carbon fibre end cap.