When the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled debuted, I said that this was the scrambler model the Bologna should have released first. Built actually to go off-road, it is the real scrambler in Ducati’s Scrambler lineup.
Now, I have a feeling that in a few months’ time I’m going to be saying this phrase again about a different bike, as there are some rumors floating in the Bothan Spy network that an 1,079cc version of the Desert Sled is set to debut for the 2019 model year.
This supposed Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled 1100 (try saying name that three times fast) will add to the Scrambler 1100 lineup from Ducati, adding some off-road prowess to a family of bikes that is really just a reworked Ducati Monster 1100.
No replacement for displacement, a Desert Sled 1100 (a much easier name to say) would offer more power than the 803cc version, while the added weight of the air-cooled 1100 v-twin engine shouldn’t increase the overall weight of the Desert Sled too much.
I don’t expect to see much changing in terms of form of features, from the 1100 to the 800, though perhaps the 1100 will add some more electronic features.
In an ideal world, Ducati would make the 1100 a unique machine, and take a page from the concept bike Alex Earle created. It is simply gorgeous, but this is surely a pipe dream of my own creation.
Of course, such a machine would position Ducati well in this segment, especially as we continue to see spy photos of Triumph’s Bonneville-powered scrambler model, which looks like it will give the Desert Sled a real run for its money, and come in two-price point configurations.
My biggest concern for the Desert Sled 1100 is pricing. I already feel that Ducati has priced the 800 model too high with its $11,700 MSRP, and anything beyond that price tag makes zero sense to my mind, especially with bare-bones features.
Hopefully, the 1100 model slots in at the 800 price point, and the 800 gets a price reduction, but that is just my wishful thinking talking again. Stay tuned for more info on this bike, as we get it.
Source: Bothan Spies
