MCN 15 December 2021

TOP STORY Ducati reveal their dirty desires Ducati have been dabbling in cross-over adventure bikes for years now, with the Multistrada – especially in ‘Enduro’ guise, being far more capable of dealing with the dirt than most riders could emulate. But their new DesertX, revealed this week, really pushes the agenda, and marks the arrival of a seriously attractive contender for the globe-trotting adventure crown with a seemingly perfect blend of power, tech and spec. PAGE 4 FIRST TEST ‘It never stops impressing’ Take one naked middleweight, add taller bars and a half-fairing and call it something different, and ‘hey presto!’ you have a new model. But while it’s easy to be glib about platform engineering, the truth is that if you take a superb middleweight master like the Trident 660, then engineer in more…

Hands up, who was sitting on the sofa this time last year thinking: ‘Ah well, 2021 will be better, Covid will be gone, and we can just crack-on again...’? Sadly, we appear to be going around in circles against our invisible foe, but despite the difficulties that have persisted throughout 2021, the year still delivered some phenomenal biking moments and reasons to be thankful – and we’re celebrating a lot of them in this special Christmas double issue. For me, 2021 has been defined by people. Behind every epic tale, from racing rookies taking series by storm; to the family and legal team of Harry Dunn who continue to fight for justice (see the next issue for a big update on that); to the bike designers who shape our world and the…

Watsonian have expanded their range once more, adding a fitting kit for the new Royal Enfield Meteor. There are plenty of classic or more modern options to suit the new little retro but Watsonian favour the lightweight Prescott, which is ideal for smaller machines. Made to order in the UK, the Prescott starts at £4895 while the fitting kit sells for £475. Watsonian offer fitting service and are also Enfield dealers, so can supply complete outfits ready to roll. Shred into Christmas Suzuki have knocked £600 off their RM-Z off-roader range with the RM-Z450 now costing £6399 while the RM-Z250 is £6299. The 450 was completely redesigned in 2018 with a new chassis and updated, more powerful engine, while the 250 got the same treatment in 2019. Both bikes have holeshot assist,…

NEWS EDITOR HIGHLIGHTS • 937cc Testastretta V-twin • 108bhp @ 9250rpm • 875mm saddle height • 202kg (dry) • £13,795 Ducati have combined two of the most popular market trends – adventure and retro bikes – to produce this, the new brand new DesertX. It’s the just-unveiled production version of the concept machine first showed in 2019. And with retro 1980s Dakar Rally styling inspired by the then firm’s Cagiva Elefant but bang-up-to-date electronics and off-road ability, it looks set to have all the raw ingredients to take the motorcycle world by storm. Unlike the concept, which was based on the air-cooled Scrambler platform, the production bike is based on the latest Multistrada V2. Powered by the same 937cc Testastretta V-twin, the DesertX has an impressive 108 horses on tap, 68lb.ft of torque plus all the recent updates…

There’s a groundswell of love for ‘rally’-style bikes right now, inspiring motyorcycle names, styles and even some of the electronics – but it’s rare for a manufacturer to come up with a bike that so deliberately delivers true rally abilities. The DesertX stands out for exactly that by having a series of features that make it suitable for big bike ‘consumer’ rally series (ie, we’re not talking Dakar here) straight out of the crate. Firstly, it has a ‘tripmaster’ function in the odometer, which is a key piece of rallying equipment. This allows you to adjust the trip odometer up and down to match the roadbook, just like on real rally bikes. Normally this requires a dedicated piece of equipment, or the use of a smartphone app, so by making it standard…

SENIOR WRITER ‘We want to start production in the new year’ Norton motorcycles have set clear targets for 2022, with plans to begin production of their V4SV superbike at their new Solihull plant and a continued focus on restoring faith in the brand after the turbulent Stuart Garner years. MCN sat down with new Norton CEO Dr Robert Hentschel at Motorcycle Live at the NEC – the firm’s first public appearance at a national show since Indian company TVS Motor bought the brand for £16m in April 2020. Despite only stepping into the hot seat at the start of June, Hentschel has overseen the completion of their new multimillion-pound Midlands factory and helped reveal a new V4CR concept – a naked version of the £44,000 V4SV superbike, making its physical debut at the show. “The…