The 2024 Ducati DesertX Rally is the DesertX for riders serious about dirt performance. Five-time Enduro World Champion Antoine Méo tested it at the Iron Road Prolog to Erzbergrodeo 2023, where he won the twin-cylinder class.
The biggest change is the KYB suspension. The inverted fork is a closed-cartridge design with Kashima-coated tubes, DLC-finished sliders, damping adjustment, and 9.8 inches of travel. The 46mm-piston shock adjusts for high- and low-speed compression damping, rebound damping, and spring preload, and rear wheel travel is 9.4 inches.
Ground clearance grows 1.1 inches to 11 inches, and a forged-carbon skid plate protects the engine. Seat height rises 1.4 inches to 35.8 inches, and an accessory seat drops it an inch. The wheelbase is up 0.7 inches to 64 inches, with rake and trail unchanged.
Billet aluminum hubs are laced to Takasago Excel tube-type rims with carbon-steel spokes in a 21-/18-inch combination. Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires are standard. The Pirelli Scorpion Rally, for more dirt, and Scorpion Trail II, for more street, are optional.
An adjustable Öhlins steering damper mounts at the handlebar. The front fender sits high on the bottom triple clamp to prevent mud buildup, and the adjustable foot controls are machined from solid aluminum.
The Testastretta 11° engine and tubular-steel trellis frame are unchanged. The 937cc L-twin makes 110 horsepower at 9250 rpm and 68 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm, and it has a quickshifter for the 6-speed transmission and an assist-and-slipper clutch. Fuel capacity is 5.5 gallons, and curb weight is 494 pounds, 2.2 pounds more than the standard DesertX.
The DesertX electronics carry over, with Sport, Touring, Urban, and Wet ride modes for the street, plus Enduro and Rally off-road. Cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, and cruise control are included, and the 5-inch vertical TFT display is reminiscent of roadbooks.
The Erzbergrodeo-inspired Iron Giant livery is exclusive to the Rally and the only color Ducati offers on it. The list price is $22,995.
Benda motorcycles are beginning to make a ripple on US shores with four intriguing and competitive models, courtesy of its partnership with Keeway Group. We were impressed with the Napoleonbob 500 and have now gotten our gloves on the persuasive, entry-level 2026 Benda Chinchilla 300, with its modest MSRP of $4999. It would be difficult to design a more welcoming entry-level cruiser than this easy-handling, visually appealing boulevard bobber. Editor Don Williams and Associate Editor Kelly Callan discuss the Benda Chinchilla 300 and how it actually rode for them.
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Our guest this episode is Jesse Merriman, Chief Technician for Jeremy McWilliams at the Arch Motorcycle racing project. Arch Racing was founded by Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reevs to compete in the Moto America Super Hooligan race series. Teejay Adams chats with Jesse about the Arch motorcycle and the challenges of extracting the absolute most from an air-cooled V-Twin racing engine and custom chassis.
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Here’s quick reminder to check out our monthly digital magazine. It’s filled with everything you want to read on motorcycling, including some things you’ve probably not seen elsewhere. It’s absolutely free and you will find it on the Apple App Store and of course on Google Play as well.
Don’t forget to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!
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