Words Abhishek Pandey | Photography Saidatta Naik
There are motorcycles built to take you places—mile-munching ADVs that can cross continents with ease. And then, there are bikes purpose-built to tackle extreme terrain. But what happens when you merge both worlds? You get the Ducati DesertX Rally. A souped-up, rally-bred version of the already capable DesertX, now with hardware straight out of a rally machine. But does it justify its nearly ₹5 lakh premium over the standard bike?
Let’s find out. The DesertX has always been a head-turner. Its retro Dakar-inspired styling, twin-pod LED headlamps and that unmistakable Cagiva Elefant style front end set it apart. The Rally builds on this with a taller stance, red-black rally seat, high mounted mudguard, and graphics inspired by Antoine Meo’s Erzbergrodeo DesertX. The plastics are now mass-coloured and paint-less, making them more durable and better suited for hardcore off-road use. It honestly looks ready for the Dakar right out of the showroom.
While it retains the standard bike’s features— like the 5-inch TFT with nav and smartphone connectivity—the real story is in its hardware. You get a 48mm fully adjustable Kayaba fork with 250mm of travel and a Kayaba monoshock at the rear with 230mm. That’s proper rally-spec. Ducati’s gone all out—billet aluminium triple clamps, brake pedal, gear shifter and a carbon-fibre bash plate.
The Takasago Excel rims with carbon steel spokes and billet aluminium hubs are built to take a beating The rally-spec seat pushes the seat height to an alarming 910mm, making it one of the tallest production motorcycle around. If you’re under six feet, getting on and off might cause a hernia.
It runs the same 937cc Testastretta 11° L-twin producing 110PS and 92Nm. Peak torque arrives early at 6,500rpm, making it easy to ride with fewer gear shifts. Ride modes let you tailor power delivery and electronic aids. Urban mode limits output to 75PS with maximum assists, while Sport gives you the full 110PS. And if you’re brave, Rally mode mimics a real tripmaster and turns most assists off. We rode it in a mix of dry and wet conditions, and Wet mode really boosted confidence on slippery tarmac. Ducati’s electronics continue to shine with their seamless feel, be it on paved roads or off the beaten track.
Despite long-travel suspension and its height, the Rally feels surprisingly planted on tarmac. The Öhlins steering damper smoothens out high speed jitters. Off-road, the Kayaba suspension components shine, soaking up everything in their path. Interestingly, even with the lighter components, the Rally is a kilo heavier than the standard bike, but you’d never know from the saddle.
The chassis is brilliantly balanced, and the tall riding position makes it feel like a supermoto, prompting one to attack corners with a lot more confidence. Braking is equally precise with twin 320mm front discs and Brembo monobloc calipers up front, and a 265mm 78 disc at the rear. And the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres strike a great balance between road and off road usage, ideal for dual-sport adventures. Rain kept us from exploring trails in full, but even from the tarmac, its capability shines through.
The DesertX Rally isn’t just a sticker job or special edition. It’s a proper rally-ready machine that builds on an already great ADV. At ₹26.49 lakh, it demands a serious premium—but the hardware, quality, and performance are unmatched. If you’re after the most hardcore, road-legal ADV in India and can handle the saddle height, this is it. The DesertX Rally feels every bit like a factory rally bike—and wears that badge with pride.
