Intermot 2014: Ducati Scrambler unveiled
The Scrambler is not just another new Ducati. It is one of the simplest motorcycles in their line up today and thereby one of the most affordable as well, with prices starting at the equivalent of Rs 5.2 lakhs before taxes and duties. Power comes from an air cooled (that same simplicity we were talking about) 803c SOHC V-Twin motor that uses oil cooling (more simplicity) to produce a decent 75PS at 8,250rpm and a 68Nm at 5,750rpm. But this motorcycle isn't all about cutting corners and you get two channel ABS as standard as well as a USB port cocooned in the storage space under the seat.
As you can see, the Scrambler is a retro themed bike that is based on the original Ducati Scrambler from the early sixties. For the uninitiated, Â Scramblers are totally street-legal naked bike that have some off-road abilities. They were designed for simple trail riding, particularly for quick transport through the many fire trails in American forests and parks.
The Scrambler uses a classic Ducati trellis frame with inverted 41mm front forks by Kayaba. There's also a Kayaba mono shock at the rear. The Scrambler runs specially developed semi-knobby tyres made by Pirelli - a 110/80 R18 up front and a fatter but smaller 180/55 R17 at the rear. Braking is handled by a single 330mm disc up front and a 245mm rotor at the rear, both by Brembo. The Scrambler will come in four variants, each with slightly different colour schemes and styling elements like front mudguards, hand guards etc. These have been christened the Scrambler Icon, Classic, Urban Enduro and Full Throttle.
The Scramblers will be built at the Ducati plant in Bologna as well as two other facilities in Thailand and Brazil. Ducati expects the Scramblers to sell like hot cakes when it goes on sale by March 2015. And yes, you can expect Ducati to bring the Scrambler to India when the motorcycle maker enters our market as an independent entity officially.
Ducati presents the Ducati Scrambler brand in Cologne
| Ducati presents the Ducati Scrambler brand in Cologne and its iconic style, modern design and creative spirit Ducati, a solid, steadily growing company, looks to the future with confidence Ducati celebrates a historic win in the German Superbike Championship (IDM) Cologne (Germany), 30 September 2014 â" At the end of the first day of Intermot 2014 â" the International Motorcycle Fair being held in Cologne (Germany) from 30 September to 6 October â"Ducati finally unveiled one of the most eagerly awaited new bikes to go on show there; the Ducati Scrambler brand immediately became the focus of media and public attention, and the undisputed star of this key German fair. Re-proposing the yellow containers that characterised the original, highly creative launch phase, Ducati set up a Ducati Scrambler brand-dedicated space in the exhibition area of its Intermot 2014 stand. This symbolic opening-up of a "new world" at the end of the press-dedicated day involved both public and media in an original presentation that was fully in keeping with the language and style of this exciting new concept. "This year Intermot is especially meaningful for Ducati", stated Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, during the press conference. "Ducati continues to grow steadily as it has done for several years now. The last 12 months confirm this positive trend with a growth over 5% compared to the previous ones, a new sales record. I'm also particularly proud to be celebrating, here at Intermot, Ducati's historic win in the German Superbike Championship where the performance of the 1199 Panigale R has allowed us to take both the Constructors and Riders title - thanks to the prowess of Xavi Fores and Max Neukirchner." "Presenting the new Ducati Scrambler brand means for us opening the doors to an entirely new, fascinating, and absolutely contemporary world", said Cristiano Silei, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Ducati Motor Holding, during the unveiling of the new bikes. "We have reinterpreted an iconic motorcycle, part of our history for more than 50 years, in a fully modern way, designing and building the Ducati Scrambler as if we'd never stopped making it. The four bikes of the Ducati Scrambler family represent starting points on a path to personalisation that will make every single Ducati Scrambler a unique, free-spirited bike as individual as the person riding it." The waiting is finally over. The Ducati Scrambler is finally out of the yellow container that has so jealously guarded it over the last few months and is now â" after the previews granted to employees and Ducatisti at World Ducati Week 2014 - officially ready. This is more than just a new bike: it's a whole new world, one that expresses itself via a range of options and versions that provide a starting point for satisfying the different needs and wants of individual motorcyclists. The Ducati Scrambler is a contemporary bike that expresses the pure essence of motorcycling. Tried and tested materials such as the aluminium of the rear swingarm and engine covers and the steel of the teardrop tank and frame are combined with new-generation components such as front and rear LED lighting and LCD instruments. Wide handlebars and a long seat provide a comfortable, relaxed riding position and, together with the low weight, low centre of gravity and slightly knobby tires, ensure pure riding fun whatever the situation. "Post-heritage" design gives a contemporary take on the iconic bike built by Ducati back in the 60s and 70s. This Ducati Scrambler, though, is no retro bike: it is, rather, intended to be just how the legendary Bologna-built motorcycle would be today if Ducati had never stopped building it. The Icon version, in yellow and red, is joined by three others - Urban Enduro, Full Throttle and Classic - each offering its own style and performance-related interpretation of the Scrambler spirit. The Urban Enduro, with its "Wild Green" paintjob, is for enduro style enthusiasts and ready to switch from city streets to country backroads in an instant. The Full Throttle is for riders enthralled by the flat-track racing world who have a penchant for pushing things to the limit. And the Classic is for devotees to details and a 1970s look who want the uncompromising riding pleasure and comfort of a modern-day bike. The headlamp, together with the tank, forms a key part of the Ducati Scrambler look. Rounded, classically designed yet extremely modern (i.e. post-heritage) it features a glass parabola and an ultra-modern LED light guide around the rim that acts as a side light. Seat and tank have been carefully designed to give the Ducati Scrambler appealing proportions. A compact bike, the Ducati Scrambler instils confidence from the very moment you set eyes on it. It's been sized to make it accessible to all motorcyclists while the long seat maximises comfort and can also accommodate a passenger comfortably. An oil and air-cooled L-twin two-valve 803 cc engine powers the Ducati Scrambler; it has an 88 mm bore, a 66 mm stroke and has been redesigned to give smooth acceleration throughout the rev range. Moreover, thanks to a vast range of apparel and bike accessories, to be presented in November, the Ducati Scrambler offers a virtually unlimited range of exclusive personalisation and lifestyle options. The Ducati Scrambler name has much in common with the verb to scramble - mixing up, blending, letting the imagination run free, sharing with others. The Ducati Scrambler is the two-wheeled alter ego of those who ride it, a cultural movement in and of itself. It's free-spirited, positive and anti-conformist, open to encounters with other philosophies and styles. Ducati Scrambler isn't just a bike, it's a world. The Ducati Scrambler will be in Ducati Dealerships starting form the end of January 2015 and the first of the four versions to become available will be the Icon. | |
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