Impressive review style and detail. I have owned my DesertX about 2 months and I think you are spot on with your comments. Service costs are not optimal but if the bike holds up in terms of reliability and durability I am OK with the investment.

Great review as usual - one thing I don't see in any reviews of this bike is showcasing the four year warranty - I think that is a great selling point

You were spot on about the side stand as Ducati have issued a recall to have them replaced for a slightly shorter version.

*_Damn, that's a good-looking bike. I would love to get one on my channel. Thanks for sharing._*

Good, honest review as ever. The rear subframe area looks unfinished to me or is this a ruse to encourage the additional of the auxiliary tank? As if……

I have an 2017 AT which I love to death. But like with this bike the valve service every 16k is roughly $ 1000.00 at the dealer as well. Absolutely crazy. So I’ll do it every 24k. Also the access to the air filter is not that easy as well. You need to take off the fairing. At least not the tank. But love the looks of this Ducati as well. Great great review you have provided. Down to the point without too much bla bla. That is the way to do it.

Great review, in fact I think this is the best one I’ve seen for this bike. Quite tempted to test one, which probably means testing the Multi too, then an Africa Twin, and some KTMs for good measure. All because of being tempted by this. Cheers

Excellent review sir 👍 At first I thought 14k seemed a lot but I can see where the money has gone. Just don't like them servicing costs...

I am bummed it has a metal tank. Especially how offroad capable it seems to be in other reviews. I hope to ride one at some point. It is an exciting bike 100%.

for sure this is one of the most best looking bikes, agree w everything what you said , pricing and servicing is steep but also is top heavy.... maybe is just me, KTM spoiled me with saddle bag tank...lol, excellent as always, ps: stay away from that pesky farm!!! Cheers V!

*_Great Review. You covered everything very well. That's really weird that the kickstand is so tall. LOL._*

Good review Tony, it's a fab bike, but I see it as a 'posh ' version of my brilliant T7, with 10 times the running costs!. The valve check costs are just daft. And the air filter access will be an issue on dusty rides. It will be interesting to see the bike in a different colour scheme..a full on Dakar one maybe ! Cheers, Steve

AWESOME VIDEO AMAZING FANTASTIC ! ! ! ! ! !

Hi, Question, hope you read this. As i can tell from this video, your gopro on the helmet is attached OFF-CENTER, what makes the camera lens CENTERED. I wonder how you did that. Any sugestions on adaptors ? Thanks thanks thanks

Great bike, pity it is so heavy but the main put off is the Desmo valve service because as a Ducati owner of 23 years experience, I know that no matter what the apparent qualifications of an official Ducati trained mechanic might be, the result can vary and that is a problem if you are going around the world. Big problem. Stupid really because with modern valve springs the Desmo system is totally unnecessary, it harps back to a time when valve spring metallurgy was inferior. Just look how much higher many other manufactures' bikes rev, nearly double. It is a traditional marketing thing not a real requirement, just like the single sided swing arm on the 916 that Foggy proved was costing him 1.5 seconds a lap when he had his team replace it with a conventional one but Ducati would not allow him to change for marketing reasons.

Looks like a nice bike, but for more road use why not take the V2s which has more manageable seat height & all the stuff this has albeit no real off road pretentious. Great review as always 👍

From what I talked with my local dealer they will change the side stand with the one in the lovering kit. I am at a crossroad in my life l, I have to choose between the Desert X and the 18 liter Africa Twin. I have two issues with the Desert X and 1 ca be fixed with the extra fuel tank, the wind protection not so much... I also have two issues with the Honda, they can easily be fixed with a steering damper and a tubless kit. Hard choice...

I love Ducatis, I've owned 2 of em. A 900SS and a Darmah. But that was back in the day when servicing costs were reasonable. Now, I would never buy a Desmo due to the valve check costs. Impossible for a mere mortal to service themselves. Perhaps it's time Ducati considered valve springs.

I'm sorry, a GRAND for a valve check??? WTF? It's a great bike (and a great review!) but a GRAND??? Jeez-o I used to do my own on my old 900ss.

All Desmo are eye watering on the major service.

Hi, Man Cave moto. I am wondering how come you didn’t mention anything about the gearbox, because I know from my experience with Italian bikes. Almost always the gearbox is clunky, not overly smooth and not precise. Many of the Ducatis I have ridden always had problems with false neutrals and I have heard that quick shifter is way smoother on the Husky Norden 901 for example? These 2 are actually the two bikes I like the best and I am still deciding which would be a better choice? I am a German car and bike guy so naturally I am leaning more towards the Husky 😊

Nice bike but I don’t see what it brings more than a KTM 890 Adventure that would justify the delta price..? Thank you for the video

Have you ridden the Tenere 700 world Raid at all ? Wonder how compares ?

Is this compatible to the Africa twin? If so, which would you pick?

Nice bike but those service costs could go towards another bike's payments but I consider Ducati a premium brand like BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc you pay for all the luxury and tech. I live in the USA and Harley-Davidsons can get up there with service costs as well in some cases an oil change can be $300.00 USD. If someone likes the bikes and doesn't mind the costs then go for it.

Great review as always Tony. Thank you for putting this together. As I’m considering adding a bike like this one to my collection. My main question for you is I’m 6’3” (so no problem with the seat height), just the non adjustable screen. Would I be getting an abundance of turbulent air hitting me in the face or is the screen high enough? 👍😎🇦🇺

Air Filter access is an issue for regular offroad riding

🏁🏆

Certainly a very good-looking bike in this class. Expensive. Good fuel capacity. I like the dash. Reliability? Or am I out of date? Laughable I should question the X's reliability given I have had two KTMs and a Buell, none of which broke down. But the demo-valve check price would cancel any interest I might have had, if I didn't have this in-built mistrust of Ducatis in the first place. Excellent review, Tony.

Have we been riding long enough, me and you, to know that you cannot ever underestimate being able to properly put ones foot down if you're going to be a serious rider and do say 10k a year plus. I think we all know what's coming if the bike is too tall. I do 15-20K a year and I know from experience that it's only a matter of time on a too tall bike. Of course you can be ultra careful...

Does it wheelie? And while it seems to be well designed not sure its worth 15K , 9 yes 11 maybe but + tax its not my cuppa. You can get a transalp for under £1500 that will do this and more....

Reminds me of my 2013 super tenere . only 100 pounds lighter!

Prefer my Multi V2S, much lower and in my opinion a lot better looking, if I wanted to off road it wouldn’t be on any Ducati and I’d choose something a lot lighter and smaller, they share an awesome engine though. Servicing is expensive but then it is every 9000 miles and overall I think it’s comparable with other premium brands.

What a looker.....

Ducati nailed an over-priced, complicated to maintain, perfect ADV. It's perfect if you are rich and pay people to work on your bike. Now, we just need someone like Suzuki or Yamaha to duplicate everything easy to maintain at a price that's half that of a Ducati, while fixing the engineering faults that make it hard to maintain by a wrencher.

It’s not an adventure bike if you can’t change the air filter yourself without taking the tank off. Sorry if this information triggers anyone, but I can’t help that. It might be ok in the uk perhaps, but here in Australia it will probably be reserved for wealthy posers who only ride on bitumen.

21 litres of petrol is circa 15.75 kg

I'm sure it's great utility bike, but... to me, in the white colour, it looks like fourteen grand's worth of fridge. It leaves me cold. ;-)

£1200 to change the oil and a valve check!. Hell😖

Ducati pricing is crazy, they're nuts. I mean it's a not a BMW after all. Build quality is even lower LOL

They are having a laugh over £1000 valves total joke unrealistic africa twin much better and running costs normal

Im sorry but the Africa Twin is a much better all round accomplished bike and much better looking, in my opinion anyway, i think its bland just my opinion

"all the reviews seem to be positive", hmmm, wonder why...did everyone get invited, all expenses paid, for by Ducati, to "review" this new bike?

Two things. Heavier than an 890 and the air box crap is a deal breaker. What if I wanna go on a long dusty ride and be gone in the bush for a week??? Come on Ducati. Your not dealing with cappuccino sipping Italians taking day rides into the forest. KTM gets it. Your dealing with ex dirt bikers or still riding them. Same with Africa twin or the tenere.

I'd prefer my $5000 1150 GSA over this one.

Compared with africa twin, errrrrrr looks too plastic electric bikeish. Not a looker.