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Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 in the driving report

Hipp? Hipster? Scrambler?

Look, lifestyle, coolness: With these attributes the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 wants to inspire young, hip and solvent customers. It is now the entry point into the Ducati world. In rainy Barcelona, ​​41 V2 Desmo horses ask for a ride for the first time.

A light sandy beach, deep blue sea, bright sun: young, well-trained men with surfer hairstyles run laughing towards the promenade. They are greeted by pretty girls with sunglasses in tight bikinis. And always with you: the D.ucati Scrambler Sixty2. Ducati’s new machine for the hip generation, where moped riding should be part of the lifestyle again, the motorcycle is synonymous with freedom and joie de vivre. This is how Ducati’s marketing strategists envision their target group in the PR film. Nobody speaks of engine power or acceleration there. After all, the scrambler driver only drives from the beach to the cafe, from the old town to the skate park, from the theater to the office anyway. For that 400 cubic should be easy, right?

Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 in the driving report

Hipp? Hipster? Scrambler?

Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 is supposed to be the new entry drug into the Ducati world. With easy handling and premium quality at the same time, the aim is to bring the young people with the 400 scrambler onto the bikes from Bologna. With the sister with the 800 engine it worked extremely well. The recipe of reduced optics, classic lines and potent V2 clock led to the greatest brand success to date. For the first time in the company’s history, Ducati succeeded with the Scrambler in 2015, making it one of the ten best-selling motorcycles worldwide. After all, 16,000 copies were sold to men – or women.

41 HP, great looks and technical sophistication

You want to follow up on this success and show courage. Courage because the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 is a motorcycle with 41 hp, great looks and technical sophistication that is only slightly cheaper than its bigger sister. 

And that is where an experiment begins: After all, the 400 series appeals to a motorcycle-savvy clientele who have skateboard, surfboard and joie de vivre, but hopefully also have 8095 euros left over for the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2. The Icon with 75 hp currently only costs 1000 euros more, other 400s even cost many thousands less.

Technically, the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 is based on the 800

Will someone use the 400 scrambler? After all, the new Desmo engine undercuts the permissible Euro 4 emission values ​​despite classic air cooling. The big Scrambler will have to imitate that in the future. Otherwise, there are hardly any compromises to be made compared to other family members. Ergonomically, the little one convinces with an adult sitting position. No wonder, because technically the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 is based on the 800. So you sit upright at a height of 790 millimeters and sit very relaxed on the comfortable bench.

The strongly cranked handlebars stretch out towards the hands, the narrow 14-liter steel tank barely spreads the legs. The feet find support in a relaxed angle on the pegs. Nothing tweaks, nothing twists, big and small alike find a casual seating position for their first ride through Barcelona. This is where the professional world can test the 400 for the first time. The ambience fits, only it has been raining since last night, the asphalt of the Spanish metropolis is more like a slippery slide than a motorcycle playground. Well, let’s see how easy and playful the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 really makes it for its pilot.

The red button is pressed and it is immediately clear: an engine from Bologna is being started. As with Panigale, Multistrada and Co., the starter has to toil at least two crankshaft revolutions until the 90-degree Desmo-Twin starts working. Fortunately, anyone who expects the annoying sound of a sewing machine at 400 cubic meters will be disappointed. If you stand behind the stub pot of the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2, you would bet on a stately mid-range motorcycle compared to the Japanese or Austrian competition. In any case, the little one doesn’t whisper shyly.

Joy of life from 4000 turns

Contrary to hope, the non-adjustable clutch lever requires a relatively high degree of hand strength. For this, the clutch engages cleanly and without juddering. After you have warmed up with the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 and understood the unofficial Spanish traffic rules, you can playfully guide your way through the car corso thanks to the 183 kilograms and narrow handlebars. The scrambler rider is sure of victory, next to the assembled two-wheeler competition, on pole position.

A blink of an eye, then the traffic light turns green. You can skilfully snap the clutch, turn the whisk vigorously and beam with joy for the onset of the V2 thrust. But there is not much going on, the duel against the heated Spanish bikers goes in the pants. The small two-valve engine of the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 admittedly pushes forwards from 2000 revs, but seems constricted up to around 4000 revs. As if the fine dust of the Spanish metropolis had already badly damaged the air filter.

Ducati

The motorcycle is becoming a synonym for lifestyle and joie de vivre.

Even if the small scrambler sounds like a big one: It’s only 400 cm3, you shouldn’t expect too much pressure from the cellar. So new traffic lights, new luck. And a new tactic: this time the clutch is only engaged at a higher speed. And lo and behold: From 4000 revs the V2 of the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 develops an approach of joie de vivre, from 6000 revs it even changes its character.

From here on, the unit clicks up the speed ladder surprisingly energetically and with relish, pulls on the chain with a maximum of 35 Newton meters and 41 hp and only requests the shift foot to change gears from 12,000 revolutions. Responsiveness and load change behavior are not necessarily a hit, but are quite okay for a Bologna twin.

Focus on comfort

The transmission also makes a good impression. At least if the driver is not too hesitant to change gears, they will lock cleanly and precisely. The fact that the pilot has his head free despite the slippery tar cover underlines the feeling of well-being that sets in after a few minutes on the Duc. The Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 inherited this feeling of undemanding lightness from its big sister.

The tires also play a major role in this. The Pirelli MT 60 offer a lot of confidence and grip even in the wet. Except for the rear wheel dimension – the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 rolls on a narrower 160 mm tire at the rear – the tires correspond to those of the 800 mm Scrambler. The brakes have been changed: instead of a fat four-piston fixed caliper, the 400 series has to get by with a simple, floating double-piston caliper. Still, there is nothing to worry about. Two fingers are enough for the pliers to bite into the 320-millimeter disc and to slow the Duc vehemently if necessary. And in an emergency, the mandatory ABS – from Bosch – protects against overbraking.

In the end, the only thing left is the account

The non-adjustable telescopic fork and the modified suspension strut with adjustable spring base, basically adopted from the 800, harmonize perfectly with the bike. With a clear focus on comfort, the chassis impresses with its neutral steering behavior and light-footed handling. 

At no point does the driver have the feeling that the motorcycle is overwhelming. The Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 can be kept precisely in line at all times. Just like the product developers wanted it to be. Nevertheless, in the end, the account remains, premium or not. Drugs – this also applies to entry-level drugs – often have a prohibitive price.

Technical data Ducati Scrambler Sixty2

Ducati

Visually, the Sixty2 differs from the big Scambler mainly through its modified manifold routing, the muffler and the telescopic fork.

Interview with Federico Sabbioni

Ducati

Federico Sabbioni is Product Manager for the Ducati Scrambler family. MOTORRAD spoke to him in Barcelona.

MOTORCYCLE: Like its big sister, the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 has what it takes to become a bestseller?

Federico Sabbioni: Yes, we have great expectations. This model extends the Scrambler family downwards and enables us to reach new target groups in two ways: in terms of age and in terms of the customer’s driving experience.

MOTORCYCLE: The Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 is aimed at a young clientele. With a price difference of only 1000 euros to the 800, the question arises why one should even use the 400?

Federico Sabbioni: That’s right, the price difference isn’t very big. But you have to note that we offer a premium bike that does not want to compete with inexpensive entry-level bikes from other manufacturers. The motorcycle is of course also sold above its price, but that was not our primary concern when designing the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2. With the 400, we are expanding our portfolio in such a way that we can first tap into new customer groups. In other words: The Sixty2 is a real Ducati and has enough power to have fun. But not too much to worry about either.

MOTORCYCLE: Fortunately, the 400 cubic engine is air-cooled and still meets the Euro 4 standard. That was a challenge?

Federico Sabbioni: The Euro 4 homologation is a challenge for every engine. In principle, however, it is not more difficult to homologate an air-cooled unit to a water-cooled one. It just depends on the size of the displacement and the performance. Making a two-valve engine with a small displacement fit for the Euro 4 standard is definitely easier than a larger engine with four valves.

MOTORCYCLE: Will we also find this engine in other Ducati models in the future? The scrambler family will also be expanded upwards?

Federico Sabbioni: We think the Scrambler family is a good product to try out new things. However, we do not currently believe that the 400 engine will be used in other model families. We can certainly imagine a larger scrambler than the 800.

MOTORCYCLE: In which market do you promise yourself the greatest success with the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2?

Federico Sabbioni: In Europe especially in Italy and Spain. Probably not in Germany, as larger engines play a more important role here. With the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2, we now have a motorcycle for the Asian market that adheres to the 400 cubic limit.

Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 offers in Germany

1000PS marketplace app

The used prices of the Scrambler Sixty2 are attractive.

The Scrambler Sixty2 is considered a beginner-friendly entry into the Ducati family and accordingly it is also placed on the used market. The prices are comparatively low for a motorcycle from the traditional Italian manufacturer, but the availability is not very high. Here is an overview of the motorcycle market: used Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 in Germany.

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