2022 Ducati DesertX | Real World Review (should you buy one?)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2024
- NEW! 2023 Mid Size ADV Buyer's Guide PDF: bit.ly/3NRlP2a
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Is the Ducati DesertX the perfect mid-size adventure motorcycle? We discuss everything about this bike - not just the performance, but maintenance, ownership, and the downsides. How does it stack up to segment leaders like the KTM 890 Adventure, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro, BMW F850GS, Husqvarna Norden 901, and more? Let's find out. #desertx #ducati #adv #motorcycle
DesertX Comparison Guide: bit.ly/3CjOYiI
00:00 Intro
03:00 Riding Position
04:37 Passenger Room
05:32 Drop/Lift Test
08:05 Specs
14:25 Tour/Features
19:38 Electronics
22:50 Off Road
32:09 Highway
34:00 Sport Riding
38:35 Seat/Windshield
39:42 Night Ride
41:35 Maintenance
46:33 Pros/Cons
48:43 Competitors
50:40 Final Thoughts
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Great review bud. Ever since I owned a 2014 Multistrada, I haven't really enjoyed bikes I've owned since near as much. The latest a 2017 AT DCT which feels and rides huge and I'm 6' 237lbs. I'm seriously considering year 2 of the Aprilia tuareg 660. Anyway, thanks again. Be careful and be blessed. 👍🙏
Ian what's your thoughts on the new electric adv, the zero dsr/x ? Would really love to see you review that one-day.
Does your wife love you loooong time?
Silly bike!
Jack of all trades - master of none!
No good off-road - and terrible street bikes! These tyres are dangerous in the wet!
Get a Monster if you want a real Ducati - and be much happier!
I love how you dont re-film or cut the parts where your daughter comes in, it gives the video a personal and friendly touch and shows how things dont always have to be 100% serious or professional, even if its your job.
I think it stayed professional, yet genuine.
I agree. The world needs to understand that people have families and these families are important.
Yup, definitely the right call.
It was weird however.. "ignore the small child" he could've talk about her no problem like she's he's child and not like a child that wondered from the street. Something to consider. Otherwise a extremely well made review!
Eh, plenty of time to play with the kid(s). Sunlight's burning & only so many takes to get in (especially when you've got audio interruptions like kid/wife/passing cars/birds/etc.). Decent balance of reviewer / dad for a random Ducati review video imo. Plenty of other videos can be made focusing on family-friendly vacation stuff etc.
Kind of like when you're reading a spec sheet on a zoom call and your kid/dog walks into the room (yes you are cute, no not right now).
I just read 900 comments. I will summarize them all in one sentence.
Ian is an excellent and honest communicator!
Yes, the right to repair. I have a Ducati, a 2013 Multistrada. When an engine light appeared in the dash a couple of years ago, the regular OBDII did not work on the Ducati. First you need to convert Ducati's 5 -prong connector (or was it 4?) to the OBDII. Second, it will not communicate with regular OBDII readers (my 2019 KTM 790 does work with regular OBDII readers). However, if there is a will there is a path. I don't have a Ducati dealer near me, so not being able to work on the bike myself is a deal breaker, pun intended. It took me several days of research along a period of months to come across a French dude who developed a software, JPDiag, that reads Ducati (and other brands) error codes and turns off oil and service lights. I downloaded the software, asked for the code, made a voluntary PayPal contribution to the dude, bought a specific OBDII cable per instructions (besides pin converter), and bingo. I got the code connecting my PC to the bike using the JPDiag software, and less than 50 dollars later, and one week for shipment, I had the part (air pressure sensor, horizontal cylinder) and in 30 minutes (a couple of panels removed around the tank, and plug and play) and the bike is back to good. Yes, I agree, if you can't adjust the chain or change the air filter, it is a deal breaker for an adventure motorcycle. In my case, it is the distancer to the dealer PLUS the $$$ for a service ANYONE could do following basic instructions. I apologize for the long comment. I will eventually make a video about this, I have photos of the entire process I went through. But I'm not an official youtuber, so I need time and most of all, the motivation to make videos after a long day of work in front of a computer. Love your channel dude.
Greetings from Europe. Most of people around this channel already said something about these amazing reviews that Ian is making but I have to say that this one is one of the most comprehensive reviews, unbiased and best content quality I've seen on any media stream platform in the recent times. Keep up this amazing work!
I should have subscribed earlier - your reviews are exceptionally good, and really well thought out. Thank you for being one of the guys who sets increased standards, and tells us what we really wanna know.
I’m gonna try a desert X in the coming weeks, but I love what I’ve seen here. What a bike, what a review, what a channel!
Superb 👍
That a 937cc Ducati is called "mid-sized adventure bike" shows how insanely big the ADV bike engines have gotten. I love it.
I can't believe how big and expensive, and heavy, all the adventure bikes are. I remember when I first started riding, my friend had an XT500 single, and i had an XS400 twin Yamaha, both had exactly 27 horsepower and he paid $300 for his absolutely mint 1977 Yamaha XT500. My 1977 Yamaha XS400 only had about 2500 miles on it, all original and it was free, as someone traded me for some work I did. I'm not sure who can own a $20,000 motorcycle? I'm in WA state, and ride a Hayabusa, because it was actually affordable, at $7,500 with only 5,200 miles on it, a 2008 model. Considering how much engineering you get on a Hayabusa, $7,500 for the amazing stump pulling torque engine (1340cc stock stroker engine with all titanium valves and 8 fuel injectors, counterbalanced) it's tough to justify trading it in to go down from 114 ft lbs of torque, to 68 ft lbs of torque for more than twice the price. New motorcycles are SO awesome, but they have such horribly low resell value, and it's just tough to justify $20,000.
@@RitalieI’m definitely with you on this, but that’s why you should never buy one new at the dealer. Let someone else lose 30-40% of the value by buying it new. I think if you can buy a 2 year old Africa Twin, GS, Tenere etc you get an amazing bike for your money. I got a Tenere 700 and a 1250 GS for less than the price of a new GS. Both amazing pieces of engineering. I came from a 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 and this new generation adventure bikes is absolutely fantastic.
@@PimRademacherthat is so damn true! I did the same with my R1250GSA, bought it 2/3 of its original price, not even a year old.
@@Ritaliethere’s a massive market for ADV riders because it lends itself to be less aggressive, older riders. So $20,000 really isn’t that bad.
*_That's one heck of a review. Thanks, Ian. I really enjoy the long-form reviews. 2 thumbs up!_*
See. You do you (exceptionally well) and people (and companies) notice. Be respectful of the product and those that built it and represent it, and doors open. Ducati is a nice feather in your cap. Congrats. They chose you wisely.
Excellent stuff. I agree with one other commenter. A Big Rock Moto review is like an event. It’s worthy of an in-depth and lengthy review. This is a must watch for all motorcycle enthusiasts.
Thanks Ian. 👍
New *Big Rock Moto* content is always an event.
Make a cup of coffee, sit back and cast in on the TV.
Been waiting for this one! Thanks for consistently putting together such kick-ass content, Ian!
Your reviews are insanely awesome. Man you go deep into it. Much appreciation for all your work getting these videos out, not only testing and reviewing but there's a mountain of behind the scenes we don't see. Thank you brotha, I'm currently looking to buy an adventure bike and You're doing a great deal into helping make that educated decision
Ian, you put together the most comprehensive motorcycle reviews on TH-cam. Definitely not one of these kid motovlogger wannabees. I like to watch daily rider with Zack for fun content, and you for serious down and dirty, everything I should consider when trying to decide between bikes.
I appreciate that!
Yeah, the difference between Ian and some of the 'motovogger wannabes' (you mention), is that Ian is doing a public service. No ego, no bravado, just good solid information.
Thanks Ian. Have watched many reviews on this bike and you are the first to mention the air filter access issue. That’s a deal breaker for me. Lots of dust here in Australia and I like to clean the air filter and air box regularly on my 690. It would be interesting to see how much a Ducati dealer would charge to just replace the air filter. Cheers
💯
You can do it yourself - first tie will be a pain - moving forward it will be a pain, but take less time.
@@anxiousappliance yeh definitely, hopefully less than an hour job. Someone will make a TH-cam video on it.
@@glossblack1098 knowing Ducati, it will require proprietary tools that only thier techs can buy
Probably $250 or more
THIS is the review of this bike I’ve been waiting for. This is the one I find the most valuable and trusted.
Thanks Ian, what a great review! I really liked the longer format. I think the best part about your reviews is that you don't beat around the bush. Your narrative while riding in different scenarios is so informative and entertaining. I'll keep tuning in.
Good report Ian. Love that the family got involved with today's show.
Tremendous review video. Very thorough and really appreciate the comparison matrix. You are definitely one of the better reviewers out there.
Dude! (no apologies) you knocked it out of the park today. Family cameo (beautiful family!) and a spreadsheet comparison! I've been a fan a long time and this raises the bar! Well done!
Your content continues to impress. You have been and will continue to be my go to when it comes to objective content and opinions regarding adventure bikes. Thank you for what you do. It is so very much appreciated.
Just bought a Desert X... After less than 100 miles (on the road so far) it has me questioning the need to even keep my Monster 1200s, it felt that good as a sport bike. And this is before it's even broken in and I have to go a bit easy on the throttle. I know it won't be as good off road as the fe501s I will be selling now, but I wanted something capable of being that "one bike". Definitely planning to get in to the dirt soon, but I'll be avoiding the tight technical single track I don't hesitate to take the Husqy on. I remember lifting the old WR250R at about 300lbs on a switchback, that sucked, so 500 lbs would likely be impossible in some situations... Can't have it all, but this certainly seems like the best bike for just riding everywhere; long trips, back country camping, urban romps... And it looks awesome!
👍
I've had my '23 DDX for 5 months, did a 6k mile oil change yesterday. 😀
The DDX has been brilliant. I started riding motorcycles in the '70s, stopped riding in the late '80s.
I've spent 5 hours in the saddle with a 20 minute break.
I have the 3.3k full race Termignoni exhaust w/EVO tune, bash plate, crash bars. Weight with full tank weight is 485 lbs. Weight before crash bars was 478 lbs. Both of these weights are with passenger pegs removed.
Can it power wheelie in 1st and 2nd gear?
Absolutely outstanding review. This is a benchmark for how all adventure motorcycle reviews should be done. Pick up test, handling impressions, air filter location and serviceability, cost of ownership and accessories, low speed behavior and steering lock range, fuel range, balance and subjective feel of weight, etc. You hit all the important points of how an experienced rider would assess a bike.
Kudos to Ducati for lending you one out and they should quickly make sure to offer a comfort seat option and an expandable windshield so this bike can become a true long distance adventure tourer.
Bro, you have to stop setting the bar so damn high. There's almost no point to the rest of us doing bike reviews at all. I am continually in awe of your thoroughness.
nah, the more the merrier!
Your channel just keeps getting better and better. Your hard work is evident in how thorough your reviews are. You deserve many more subscribers, in my opinion. As a dedicated enthusiast I just want to say thank you.
Nice review, as always, but the highlight for me was family cameo. Especially in the wake of your video last year discussing the decisions around continuing to ride with a little one at home, it's refreshing to see family in the video and in a motorcycle video, generally. I think so often motorcycling is portrayed as a solo endeavor or something to do "with the boys (or girls)" and not something that is compatible with family. Thanks for keeping that in the video.
Edit: For context, my 4yo is voting for me to get a Multistrada "because it has a seat for a little kid, so we can ride together!" Luckily, she's nowhere near reaching the shifter, yet, so I'm safe for a bit.
Thank you Ian. The way you're going all in in an organised way makes all the difference with other reviewers. Hope to meet you one day to thank you in person. Greetings from Belgium
Wow that was an epic review! A lot of work went into that and you've knocked it out of the park, Well done. I also loved the family cameo!
Always quality, detailed reviews. ..and real world thoughts
Stay safe
I love the level of detail and honest opinion you give in your reviews. This Desert X was one I've been waiting for. My opinion is that it's the best looking adv bike out there. Glad to hear the performance is there to match it's good looks.
I'm frustrated to hear about the maintenance/dealership bias buyers are almost forced into. Part of pleasure of bike ownership, for me, is doing the maintenance. Only Yesterday went to flush the transmission fluid on my wife's car only to find there was no dipstick. This infuriated me.. And then today in this review you brought up similar issues happening in the motorcycle world. This attitude from a manufacturer is becoming a BIG deciding factor with my future purchases. THANK YOU Ian for having the large gonads to bring up this point..
Excellent detailed review! Great to see you cover servicing. One of the best most comprehensive reviews I've seen on any bike on any channel. Great work!
Awesome review!
Was waiting for a in depth review not just a press ride review!
Kudos!!
Do you ever wake up and think man... I have the best job ever? Thanks for another great review.
yes!
Love the comparison chart for these middle weight adv bikes.
Are the weights from a trusted scale or manufacturers claims?
Thank you, and love the content you are putting out there.
I love this channel. Thank you so much for the well thought-out reviews and considerations.
Fabulous review Ian! I am in the market for one of these and your review was head and shoulders above all the others I’ve seen to date. Thank you!
Thank you Ian for adding the basic maintenance info and costs to your reviews! I believe you have taken your incredible videos to a whole new level of service to your subscribers! On to the bike: desmo valves and possibly timing belt engine no thank you! For all it’s impressive features it’s time for Ducati to modernize their power plants, if this bike had hydraulic lifters and cam chains I would buy one tomorrow!
Great and surprising review. I was not expecting Ducati to do so well with their first real ADV bike. I have owned a couple of more recent Ducati street bikes and both were impressive. I was very surprised that you feel that the Desert X is more confidence inspiring than your 890r Rally. Might be fun to do a video about that. Tempting bike but not enough to make me want to part with my 2022 890r. The 890r is still lighter and at this point has more aftermarket support. Happy that Ducati has made this bike though. Impressive!
I believe Ryan with Fort Nine, the biggest motorcycle channel on the internet, the man who talks and looks like Charlie Sheen, with his genius script writing, and productions, he actually bought a Desert X as his permanent bike I believe?
Wow, what a great, informative and thorough review. Just what I was looking for. Thanks a bunch😊
Truly comprehensive review. I've learned Much More Than if I went to a dealer (and was even afforded a test ride). Love your test videos . You have a new fan and regular viewer.
In Costa Rica ,we get 3 years warranty unlimited mileage and thats for all the European bikes (BMW , KTM , APRILIA , DUCATI , MV AGUSTA,etc). Awesome video by the way! thank you
Amazing video - well done!! I’d love to see a follow up video dissecting it against the competition more!! Tiger 900 / 890AR / Africa Twin….that’d be so helpful and I know you could do a great job keeping it objective!!
See Fortnine's vid on this bike.
What a great review. One of the best I’ve seen whether it’s for bikes or cars. Objective and very thorough. I watched it all from beginning to end. Keep up the great work!
The fact that Ducati feels owner should bring their bike to the dealer for a chain adjustment is nuts. I have done all my own maintenance on my bikes for years.
For this reason alone this bike is a no go for me.
Premium price and outrageous service costs kills this bike to me.
Thanks for your great reviews. Always top notch.
I have had my DesertX for about 1.5 months and 3500 miles. Your review is insightful and balanced. Seat comfort not an issue for me and the wind noise while noticeable is tolerable with ear plugs (where all the time anyway). Complaint about the challenges for DIY maintenance is legit and hoping the community addresses this. Well done👍
Did you try the Triumph Tiger RP900 ? Curious how you felt it compared.
@@kee7678 - I did consider the Tiger. It is an excellent all rounder but I felt the DesertX was more off-pavement capable and a few pounds lighter. Also, I have a Street Triple RS and was looking for something different to have in the garage.
@@paulvanhout9695 wow. MORE off road capable ??? wow!!! Tha'ts shocking to me. congrats on your new bike.
I like your long-format videos because they give me the information I need to make an informed decision as to whether a given motorcycle meets my needs. Also, I can skip the parts that don't matter much to me such as riding at night. You make the most useful videos for the consumer. Well done, as always.
Big thumbs up for involving your family in the review. Even if they don't ride with you, it's nice to see them involved in your passion. Thanks for your detailed reviews. Absolutely worth the subscription and thumbs up.
Another Excellent Review. I downloaded your chart as well. Tons of value in your work. Thank you.
One thing I want to mention is about reliability. I had a Ducati multi-Strada Enduro 1200 model year 2017. It was one of the most amazing motorcycles I’ve ever had but left me stranded four separate times over the course of 12,000 miles and ended up needing a total engine rebuild and transmission rebuild at separate times. Over the two years I on the bike and spent four months in the shop. They ended up lemon lawing the motorcycle and I went with a BMW R 1250 GS. This is not a random scenario also a good friend of mine had the same motorcycle and had all sorts of electronica issues with it needing a whole new wiring harness it’s 16,000 miles! I love Ducati their motorcycles are about as emotional as they get but for a touring off-road adventure rig I would love to see more engineering go into reliability
Had similar issues with mine, from changing two radiators to the electronic fork being changed twice, the starter motor breaking in bits and finally the motor being dusted. Never completed a multi day ride without something going.
It did spend a fair few months in the workshop also, must admit I did love that bike when it was working. But it has scarred me from going back, I have an 890r now.
Me too! Traded in my Ducati for an Africa Twin!
You raised a good point about do-it-yourself maintenance, and how Ducati is no longer considering that. I’d definitely consider this when I’m buying a bike or a car, because I’d like to do the maintenance myself! We should probably look into older models that are still in the market!
Maintenance on these bikes, apart from the valves and belts, is dead simple. No mysteries apart from tanl removal to get to the upper cylinder plug.
Thank you for this in depth review Ian, it is great to different bikes on your channel, thank you.
I am addicted to your videos! Your vibe and persona is off the hook and I love that your personality shines through in these reviews. Keep up the amazing work friend, all the best to you and the family.
I have had for a couple of weeks now and I can say it has been the most fun I have ever had on a motorcycle!! It feels extremely light and flickable with a ton of power - more fun than my KTM 500excf!
Very comprehensive review, as always. I believe those front brakes are ‘only’ M50s; Stylemas are the next step up👍
This is the best review video I've seen so far. Many thanks for both the video and the file.
Thorough and unbiased review as usual Ian. It seems to me that the Desert X really highlights how we're forced to make tradeoffs with any ADV bike. Not surprisingly, Ducati seems to have emphasized style and performance over function, reliability and ease of maintenance. And for that reason, this bike would never be on my list of choices based on the types of riding/adventuring that I do. Remove the fuel tank to service the air filter? A non-starter for me. It also seems that adding luggage is going to be difficult. In the end, it kinda seems like they've developed an "adv/rally" bike, rather than one that is suited to hard core adventuring. I just completed 8 days solo in SE Oregon in very remote areas on the Tenere 700. I had very little concern about reliability, the ability to get parts (in some reasonable timeframe), or to get the bike running so I could get it back home. I can't say that I would have had the same confidence on the Desert X. Beautiful bike nonetheless.
Suzuki VStrom 650 is a great bike (had one), the filter was under the tank and the only annoying thing was the plastics that you had to remove.
Got to test and look at the Desert x, it seems easy to get to the filter.
Also the AfricaTwin, has aome plastics that are annoying to remove in order to get to the filters.
@YouTubin you're correct, no first-hand experience with the Desert X. it's based on my and others overall impression of Ducati reliability compared to other brands. Is anyone going to argue that Ducati reliability is as good as the Japanese brands - Yamaha and Honda? I suspect not. Nothing wrong with that, but for those of us that travel in remote areas, it's a trade off many of us are not willing to make. Time will tell I guess.
They're easy to work on. aprt from the desmo - so every 18-20,000 miles it costs something - like every other bike.
Great video Ian, as always. I’ve owned my desert X for about 2 weeks and concur with almost all of your assessments. I recently told a friend a I wish I could own two of them, one that I could set up for hardcore off-road and one that I could make a sweet street/touring missile. It’s so good on the road, that Ducati street DNA is so apparent. I’m curious how good it could be off-road if one were so inclined to take that direction with it. I’m always chasing the unicorn, and seem to to switch bikes every year or so (I usually own two at a time haha) but so far, I’m loving it. Keep it up man! What bike is next for you??
Just get two sets of tyres
Very good job indeed Ian. The best Desert X review I ever seen; and I saw quite a few. Thanks.
Superlative review and channel. Which I only just discovered. Thanks for maintaining such quality and keep up the good work. Best. G.
Great review Ian. Glad you mentioned the maintenance issues with the airfilter change. Taking the tank off to access the air filter might be acceptable on a street-oriented bike but not on one you expect to take on the dirt often.
My Africa Twin is not much better. I must remove both side fairings and loosen the tank. So depending on how thisbis accessed it might not be any worse.
@@brucerossonthetube There is a video now on youtube where a guy documents the filter change. It looks pretty horrific. Hopefully there is a simpler way but it looks really time consuming and frustrating. He had to remove the ecu and even then, didnt have good access to the bolts for the cover over the filter.
@@DrGonzo-vq2zi i see that there was another one on TH-cam where he can do it in 20 minutes. I dont see it as a deal breaker.
T7
I ride a Hayabusa and you have to take off the front half of the fairing to change the oil filter, which is really irritating. Fortunately I think changing oil filters is how people destroy their engines, because they lose prime unless you hold the throttle wide open and do a "flood clear" mode and crank the engine for 30 seconds until the oil light goes out before you take off. Nobody seems to know that all fuel injected engines have "floor clear" mode if you hold the throttle at 100% and crank it, it shuts off all the fuel. Reading the forums, some new Ninja bikes lose prime once you install a new oil filter, and you have to loosen the oil filter and crank the engine to restore the "prime" of the oil pickup tube in the engine. I would find it difficult to trust any dealer with oil changes, because they obviously aren't going to worry about if your engine is running dry for 10 seconds after an oil change. I think it's worth the hassle to do it yourself, so you know what kind of oil you used, and you didn't start your engine with the oil light on.
Another great review, Ian. The best I have seen or read on the Ducati DesertX. Many thanks for the thoroughness and objectivity, as always. I bought the Ténéré World Raid rather than this for a host of reasons, despite the many attractions of the DesertX.
I would like to see the world raid compared to all the current mid-size adv bikes. It seems that the new suspension does change its capabilities a lot!
The best channel for a motorbike review!!!
Keep up the good work you are very good at what you do!
Thank you!!!
I just want you to know, your review is so good and feels so honest that I watched it, and the next day I literally went to the dealership and purchased my desert x, got it delivered the next day (last Saturday). Loving it so far, my only complaint is like you said the difficulty to get a repair manual, but at least I knew what I was getting into beforehand thanks to you heh
Very good review Ian! I am waiting for an in depth review of the Moto Guzzi V85TT from you. Please do it soon! :D
I'm 187 cm and one of the reasons to choose this bike was how well it blocked the wind. Not saying it is not noisy but there is no pull back. Head and shoulder are well protected ... Still waiting for the bike to arrive due to the uge demand... But during the test drive, even at highway speeds I felt quite confortable.
PS: great review! Easy bike to fall in love after you ride it.
That's interesting. I'm the exact same height, own a T7 and the wind buffeting is terrible! I've just installed a smaller screen so I'm praying that helps haha. You think the fact that the Ducati's screen is smaller (I think) helps with the noise?
@@elgeffe503 not with the noise. But the wind does not hit you directly. I tried the T7 also and it is not the same I agree. It is hard to explain you need to try it to understand it.
You’re my go to for reviews. Love the in depth honesty. Thank you.
Excellent production and content! You make such great videos.
I will not buy any motorcycle from any manufacturer that refuses to sell me a service manual and expects me to use a dealer for routine maintenance. It's absurd.
A brilliant analysis. The term “review” does not do justice to your comprehensive and insightful commentary. Ducati made a sharp call putting this the bike into your hands early. Here in Oz the Desert X hasn’t landed yet but it is eagerly anticipated. More so now in my case.
Fantastic review. One of the best bike reviews I’ve watched. Thank you.
I hope to see your take on the V4S soon!
Lovely review, thanks formthe effort on putting all this together
“It’s about the most fun I’ve had on an adventure bike.” Yeah, that sums it up. Great review!
The touring screen just started shipping BTW.
Do you mean the one offered by Ducati? It's just 2.5cm higher. Does it actually makes any difference with buffeting?
For some it made a difference, but I had to go to a short rally screen.
@@shassabo thank you for your reply. So, shorter screen removes the buffeting and leaves only clean air?
I agree with your comments about servicing, it's a deal breaker for me
Over 1,100 reviews already - says something about your in-depth, unbiased reviews. Great review - good to hear you laugh while riding too.
Great review man! Loved seeing your family too Ian. Put them in anytime !
Great video, as always. And the spreadsheet is gold for potential buyers. The bike looks awesome, but it's super-expensive and seems to suffer a fatal flaw for an "adventure bike": out of the box you can't tour on it. Terrible seat and wind management. In my experience, the first can be made better, and usually much better. But fixing buffeting is sometimes not as easy as a bigger and/or adjustable windscreen. As an engineer, I was surprised when I ran into this with one of my bikes. So I personally would never buy one until the aftermarket proves that wind management can be solved.
Hey, waited for this one. One to consider Ian, please can you make comparison with Tenere 700? If yo do you will be the only one. Regards
Really love your work Ian! When you day “in-depth” you really really really mean that! Great review!
Kudos!! Great and thorough review. Best review I have ever seen. Thanks!
IAN as always, a very HONEST review brother. Thank you for taking the time and effort to do this video.
No messing around. Simply the BEST. ❤
I absolutely do hate the direction motorcycle manufacturers are going in terms of right to repair. I heard Suzuki even stopped allowing customers buy service manuals which is just sad IMO.
Such a gorgeous bike. Thank you for the great review Ian!
u're the man! hands down. You attitude and approach are truly amazing.
Ian, you mention the fueling being spot on, but I would take that with a grain of salt. When I had the stock exhaust on my Monster 1200, it wanted to stall and was very lumpy down low. I added the Termignoni exhaust and it sounded great but the big benefit was it also came with a remap that fixed all the fueling issues the bike had. If this Termi comes with the same remap, I would try to test one without the Termi to see if the bike has the same feel.
Ive just traded my Monster R with Termi for a MS V2S. On the R its a no brainer, sounds better, lighter and 3hp gain.
I considered the Termi for the MS but after extensive research, it seems to add very little performance, reduces negligible weight and doesnt sound significantly better than the stock unit. And that for a premium of £1500 or so. Seems an expensive badging exercise! I'm happy to be corrected if someone's done it.
Great review Ian as usual. For the base price of around 17K I still would go with a BMW GS 1250… If you farkle it out you prolly come close to the GSA…
Love the family touch in this video. So cute. Keeps it grounded. So much more real.
Great review Ian, from a Ducatisti it was great seeing this in depth. The back illuminated buttons are on the Multistrada V4S and cornering lighting. Keep it up, your content is awesome
If I can't work on a motorcycle(especially one to be used off-road), its off my buy list, no matter how good it might be.
What a terrific job you are doing sir! I really hope you're rewarded for it and you keep on! PS: Might have been answered somewhere before but do you have any plans on reviewing the new (2021-) KTM 1290 Super Adventure S/R? I'm really looking forward to hearing you talk about that bike.
Cheers!
I second a need for a 21+ 1290 SAR review. Was considering the DX/1290SAR/AT1100 standard as a replacement for 2007 990 Adventure S. Went with the 1290SAR however as I could not wait for the DX.
@@kjonasson10 DX seems like the perfect bike. If it weren't for the lack in proper wind protection... :(
The 1290 SAR is a bit better then the 990 regarding wind imo. I have OEM screen.
Have you hade reliability issues as a KTM owner? I really think of going for a 1290SAS but I’m very intimidated by what I hear about the brand’s reliability
@@klimistsakiridis2409 No, not really. Only a slight vibration from the fairing around the headlight. It´s a great bike an these 160 horses are like an addiction. But then it can be buttery smooth as well.... th-cam.com/video/qDh3yK1AbsM/w-d-xo.html Check this out ;)
As usual, a thorough and thoughtful, well researched review. I appreciated your coverage of the service issues. Right to service is important to me and I’m glad you touched on it. Thanks!
Terrific and thorough review, thank you ! I’m subscribing to your channel
Ian, great content as usual.
Would love to hear your thoughts on 890 Adv R. I'm liking the 23 redesign. My thoughts are to use it as a daily commuter and for BDRs. What are your thoughts on reliability? Seems like you have had various issues with your 790 R, Norden, and even your 890 Rally. Forums seem to report all kind of issues. I'm guessing most people are too busy enjoying their bike to sing its praises. Shock seals, brakes, dirt ingestion, TFT moisture, clutch oiling issues, etc. All add up to be concerning. Makes me want to consider the AT or maybe even the T7 for Japanese reliability and just budget for suspension upgrades. I fear that with those, they just won't be as spirited/fun. Maybe your insight could help guide me. I want a fun and offroad oriented bike. This would replace my KLR650. I also own a 23 500 EXCF. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Ditto - I'm also considering a '23 890 Adv R, would love to see a real world review...
Should have included the Tenere in your comparison, IMO. Cost is just one of the factors and the Tenere is one of the most popular mid-sized ADV bikes out right now and will undoubtedely be on the short list for many buyers in this segment.
BINGO !!!!
Desert X looks 1000% like a Tenere 700. Everywhere
Recently bought a new T7, waiting for the shipment. I'm stoked for the next riding season. :-)
The best thing about the T7 is there will be spare parts available for years.
Yamaha T7 have nothing of the electronics, low power and crappy suspension so it's much more of a budget bike. Aprilia Tuareg 660 is a better comparison since you have similar electronics and suspension setup but at a much lower price point then Desert X.
@@fredrik999z Ducati bikes are Ferraris, beautyful and full of technology but unreliable.
Brilliant review! I watched the whole thing! I'm just coming up to the one year mark of ownership on my R1250GS. If we had more space here in the UK I'd definitely be looking a Desertx (I had a 250 Ducati street scrambler in 1975) but for now, the GS is a great all rounder. Keep up the good work.
Great review! Thanks for doing this. I didn't know anything about Ducati bikes before I saw this. I learned something new today!
Nice review Ian. Having owned a Ducati and then moving to KTM as my riding preference changed to off road I saw potential in this bike. However the one thing that is a deal breaker is the dreaded maintenance. I would not buy a bike I intend to use for off-road if I cannot access the air filter quickly and easily. I like to perform maintenance on my own bike also as it makes me feel more connected. Ducati are making it clear that this is a premium bike and therefore would not suit people like this by providing no maintenance manual. Harley is premium also however many owners are hands on and I know of many Ducatistas that are that way inclined. Bad move IMO by Ducati and this will not swing ex- Ducati owners back such as myself.
I believe you are mistaken bud, Ducati do provide a maintenance manual. It reads "Visit a Ducati Dealer or Authorized Service Centre" on every single page. Oh... I see what you mean now.
While i have not done mine yet, i watched the video where it takes 20 minutes. Honestly, it looks no worse than my Africa Twin was.
KTM 890 and Africa Twin 1100 are a great value in my opinion. It just depends on what kind of riding you do more.
I was also going to say this. The stats are pretty similar to the base AT, let alone the AT being cheaper and having the great honda reliability.
@@Thelingerer yeah Japanese reliability is second to none. And they are also cheaper to maintain.
The best and objective test and review I have never seen before about this bike with clear pros and cons. Congratulations!!!
Hello, really aporeciated the scope, the details and the objectivity of this vid, it's a master piece in terms of review. Very good work! 👍 Thanks a lot
For recent advance of European adv bikes, such as Tuareg 660, DesertX, tiger1200 Explorer, 890ADV, Pan America, etc. are fancy product purely from tech gimmicks/ spec paper perspective, which dwarf their Japanese competitors (AT, tenere or grandfather KLR and DRs). But in the true and deep mind of real world adv riders like me, the reliability and long-term credit of those time-proven Japan bikes are of equal importance if not more
My 2014 Multistrada was the best ADV bike I've owned. I regret buying my 2017 AT as it isn't near the bike... form, function or reliability. To each their own though. 👍
The DesertX is so cool. I'd love to have one. But I do note that most Motovloggers who have had a ducati will have some videos about the mechanical problems and bad experiences with dealerships, warranty work, etc. Same with Aprilia, Triumph..And BigRockMoto went through this with his brand-new Husqvarna Norden 901 earlier this year.
I want to buy a mid-size ADV next year, maybe the Transalp will be at least a little bit cool and I'll forget about the DesertX dream bike.
Most Ducatis will barely get a taste of the trails on week-ends, i don't think world adv riders are who they're after...
I do think Ducati really came out swinging with this bike. Time will tell if it will hold up as a real adventure option.
It definitely has some quirks, not a fan of the stock skid plate mounting choices, and the air filter issues you pointed out could be problematic. Long term durability will probably say a lot.
It might not be a good choice for solo long distance offroad trips, fine if you're near a dealer garage.
For those with concerns, my 2010 Multistrada was used in the bush and on cutlines for the first few years before being retired to pavement tours when i bought a 2016 Africa Twin. The Multistrada was used beyond the design context and has had zero reliability issues. It also feels to be built to a higher level than my Africa Twin. After 75000 trouble free km, I'm confident enough to have purchased my DesertX this week. The Desert-X will replace both my Multistrada and Africa Twin going forward.
With valve checks being the same frequency and cost between Ducati and Honda, the only incremental costs with the Duck are belt swaps every 6 years for a couple of hundred bucks, and resetting the maintenance warning on the Ducati. The latter is my biggest Ducati gripe, but i get around it with a mobile motorcycle mechanic who will reset the code for .5hr of time, vs the dealer who insist on charging for the full service.
@brucerossonthetube I really hope it pans out. It seems to be a kick ass bike. And definitely one of the best looking bikes currently available.