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The Ducati Scrambler: First Impressions
So I had been waiting a long time to ride this, considering all the hype, and most automotive magazines billing it as the most important motorcycle of the year.
Ducati Bandra finally got their test bike, and I headed over earlier today.
I spent a while sitting on it and getting a feel of it, exploring the super cool instrument screen etc. Immediately you realise how "usable" this bike feels. With a seat height of 790mm, its actually lower than my Duke 200 and weighing in at 180kgs, its pretty light for a 803cc bike.
Finally, we took it out onto the street.....
What I Love:-
1) The engine.
It is a Torque Monster. I dunno why they said this is a beginner's bike, it isn't. The torque kicks in from 2000rpm, and the bike literally runs away from you while you struggle to hang on for dear life. There is no gear indicator, which I felt was odd, but with that amount of torque, i realised it doesn't really matter what gear you in. This bike just pulls and pulls. Yes its flat higher up the revs, but you'll keep shifting early due to the low end grunt.
2) Build Quality:
Ducati seems to have cut absolutely no corners here. Maybe its just cause its a new bike, but everything felt so solid! No cheap wiring, no cheap plastics nothing. All top notch.
3) Brakes:
Oh man, these are so confidence inspiring. They don't kick it suddenly, and its very easy to get them in progressively. Plus they use Brembos and not Nissin like most entry level premium bikes do. I didn't test the ABS, but its great to have it
4) Size:
This bike is really compact. Its small enough to fit into all our gaps, and you can really use it as a daily bike
5) Suspension:
I went on some bumpy roads, mounted a few footpaths to bypass traffic, and was pleased to see it soak it all up better than my duke would! Thats saying something!!
6) Price:
At 7.9lac on road, its a mad bargain for the engine and equipment on offer. Plus the Ducati heritage and lifestyle.
What I Dislike:
1) The Engine.
Yes, all that torque is insane. But within the city, its an accident waiting to happen. You have to slip the clutch ALOT to get a smooth start, and doing that all the time in traffic has a serious toll. So much torque, so low in the rev range makes it pretty tiring to live with daily.
2) Handle Bar:
The Handle is high. Like really high. And very wide. Reminds me of those aftermarket handlebars Enfield riders use. It makes manoeuvring in traffic a chore, and high speed turns or cornering feels very shaky and unnerving due to that handle. Plus, you get to apply literally no downward pressure on it, thus feedback is a total zero, you can't feel the road at all through the bars, which makes it very unsure for a rider. The only place it feels great is when you straight, but that is short-lived due to the next point....
3) Whack open the throttle on a straight, and two things happen. One, instead of getting thrown back, you entire body starts sliding back cause of the flat seat, so you have to literally pull yourself back front. Two, the high handles ensure you form a human sail, and that pushes you even further back. Doing anything more than 100-120kmph will need work, especially if you weigh 60kgs like me. And this is a shame, cause that engine is butter smooth and capable of so much more.
Conclusion:
I evaluated this mainly as a bike that you can use daily, and to help me choose between this and the Triumph Street Triple. For the money, its a great bike. Get the optional lower handlebar, and maybe a ECU remap to make the torque higher up, and you have an amazing bike. Its light, compact, looks great. Has a flat seat to accommodate a pillion comfortably. Has an underseat USB to charge your phone, and just has a lot of customisability. For me, though, The Street Triple is still the better bike. But the Ducati deserves a serious look, it really is very good.
PS: The guys at Ducati Bandra are really helpful and friendly. Ask for Roald or Rolin.
So I had been waiting a long time to ride this, considering all the hype, and most automotive magazines billing it as the most important motorcycle of the year.
Ducati Bandra finally got their test bike, and I headed over earlier today.
I spent a while sitting on it and getting a feel of it, exploring the super cool instrument screen etc. Immediately you realise how "usable" this bike feels. With a seat height of 790mm, its actually lower than my Duke 200 and weighing in at 180kgs, its pretty light for a 803cc bike.
Finally, we took it out onto the street.....
What I Love:-
1) The engine.
It is a Torque Monster. I dunno why they said this is a beginner's bike, it isn't. The torque kicks in from 2000rpm, and the bike literally runs away from you while you struggle to hang on for dear life. There is no gear indicator, which I felt was odd, but with that amount of torque, i realised it doesn't really matter what gear you in. This bike just pulls and pulls. Yes its flat higher up the revs, but you'll keep shifting early due to the low end grunt.
2) Build Quality:
Ducati seems to have cut absolutely no corners here. Maybe its just cause its a new bike, but everything felt so solid! No cheap wiring, no cheap plastics nothing. All top notch.
3) Brakes:
Oh man, these are so confidence inspiring. They don't kick it suddenly, and its very easy to get them in progressively. Plus they use Brembos and not Nissin like most entry level premium bikes do. I didn't test the ABS, but its great to have it
4) Size:
This bike is really compact. Its small enough to fit into all our gaps, and you can really use it as a daily bike
5) Suspension:
I went on some bumpy roads, mounted a few footpaths to bypass traffic, and was pleased to see it soak it all up better than my duke would! Thats saying something!!
6) Price:
At 7.9lac on road, its a mad bargain for the engine and equipment on offer. Plus the Ducati heritage and lifestyle.
What I Dislike:
1) The Engine.
Yes, all that torque is insane. But within the city, its an accident waiting to happen. You have to slip the clutch ALOT to get a smooth start, and doing that all the time in traffic has a serious toll. So much torque, so low in the rev range makes it pretty tiring to live with daily.
2) Handle Bar:
The Handle is high. Like really high. And very wide. Reminds me of those aftermarket handlebars Enfield riders use. It makes manoeuvring in traffic a chore, and high speed turns or cornering feels very shaky and unnerving due to that handle. Plus, you get to apply literally no downward pressure on it, thus feedback is a total zero, you can't feel the road at all through the bars, which makes it very unsure for a rider. The only place it feels great is when you straight, but that is short-lived due to the next point....
3) Whack open the throttle on a straight, and two things happen. One, instead of getting thrown back, you entire body starts sliding back cause of the flat seat, so you have to literally pull yourself back front. Two, the high handles ensure you form a human sail, and that pushes you even further back. Doing anything more than 100-120kmph will need work, especially if you weigh 60kgs like me. And this is a shame, cause that engine is butter smooth and capable of so much more.
Conclusion:
I evaluated this mainly as a bike that you can use daily, and to help me choose between this and the Triumph Street Triple. For the money, its a great bike. Get the optional lower handlebar, and maybe a ECU remap to make the torque higher up, and you have an amazing bike. Its light, compact, looks great. Has a flat seat to accommodate a pillion comfortably. Has an underseat USB to charge your phone, and just has a lot of customisability. For me, though, The Street Triple is still the better bike. But the Ducati deserves a serious look, it really is very good.
PS: The guys at Ducati Bandra are really helpful and friendly. Ask for Roald or Rolin.
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