2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer First Look | 10 Fast Facts

2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer Fast Facts, Photos & Video

When the Ducati Scrambler was unveiled for the 2015 model year, anyone with a finger to the pulse of motorcycling saw the machine’s café potential. As quick as those first models were sold, enthusiasts were as quickly turning them into the reliable café racers of their dreams.

For those who don’t have a workshop at their disposal, Ducati has answered the call. Meet the 2017 Ducati Café Racer, customized in pure cafe style directly from the factory. Here’s what you need to know about Ducati’s latest Scrambler.

1. It’s about looks and performance with the Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer. Motorcycle design seems to be a balancing act when it comes to design, and café racers from the days of yore have always been about finding the perfect blend of style, as well as performance.

At this point, the Scrambler platform is a proven platform; nimble and accessible, it appeals to a wide variety of riders. But the 2017 Café Racer has honed in on a market with its clip-on bars, bar-end mirrors, number plate, and a minimal nose fairing. It certainly doesn’t disappoint in the looks department. Now let’s talk about some of the performance additions.

2. Hit the gym and work on your core, because the Ducati Café Racer has a more aggressive riding position. I absolutely adore vintage bikes, but what I don’t find attractive are the riding positions. A café racer just isn’t a café racer unless it’s running clip-on handlebars, and of course, the Ducati Café Racer is making use of these. What’s that mean? You’re in a perfect position to dig into your favorite set of twisties but that also means the relaxed riding position found on the Scrambler won’t be found here.

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3. Black and gold trim always satisfies. I’ll admit, I’m a complete sucker for bikes in black and gold trim. It’s a color combo that just works, in the same way that peanut butter was probably destined to be combined with jelly (jam if you’re a charlatan). Gold wheels compliment the gloss-black finish, and what truly pulls it all together for me is the gold Scrambler badging, along with the pin striping across the familiar tear-drop tank.

4. Radial front brake pumps will be found on the Café Racer. Unlike its cousins, the Café Racer will be getting a radial front brake pump, equipment that is typically reserved for sport inclined machines. What does that mean? More feel at the lever, and hopefully, more control over the front brakes.

5. Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires will let you hit your favorite canyon with speed. When it comes to rubber, Ducati has opted for a much more sporting oriented tire. Whether you’re a commuter type that likes to twist the throttle, or someone that has taken up permanent residence in your local canyon; the Pirelli Diablo Rossi II’s are a nice addition to the package.

6. Want adjustability? You got it! Fully adjustable suspension is here. The Ducati Café Racer is equipped with fully adjustable 41mm forks featuring 5.9 inches of travel, along with a pre-load adjustable rear shock. That’s a much appreciated addition as the Scrambler Icon didn’t allow for any fork adjustment.

7. The original scrambler was nimble, but the Café Racer should be far more sporting. The Ducati Café Racer will have an increased rake angle of 21.8° and a shorter trail of 3.7 inches. That’s a fairly significant change to its geometry, but with the revised riding position, it should be a great little carving machine.

8. An upgrade in braking performance awaits us. The Cafe Racer will feature dual 330mm semi-floating rotors up front, with radial Brembo M4-32 calipers as standard. Out back you’ll find a 245mm rotor with a single caliper. Of course, the package is completed with Bosch ABS.

9. A seat for one…actually, make that two, please. Café Racers were the home-brewed descendants of the race bikes that we saw hitting tracks and road races in the 1960s. Now, some might argue, that a true-to-form Café Racer is a single seated machine. But the Ducati Café Racer allows for the best of both worlds. Offered on the Café Racer is an aerodynamic seat cover that pulls the whole look together, but it’s removable, so you’ll be able to carry a passenger if needed.

10. We’ll be getting the same engine, but with a Termignoni silencer. Bolted to the steel trellis frame of the 2017 Ducati Café Racer will be the loveable 803cc, two-valve, air-cooled engine currently found in the Scrambler Icon. We won’t get more power out of the box, but owners will be getting quite a treatment when it comes to exhaust tone. The Scrambler CR arrives with a black anodized, Termignoni silencer, and based on Termignoni’s track record, it should satisfy even the most jaded motorcycle enthusiast.

If I were to judge the 2017 Scrambler Café Racer on looks alone, I’d say that Ducati has nailed it. It has all of the charm and allure that keeps motorcycle enthusiasts fixated on something that started in the garages of London oh so long ago. Ducati has the price (MSRP) set at $11,395–the same price as the Scrambler Desert Sled. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we get our hands on one!

2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer Photo Gallery