The 2025 Adventure Bike That Blends Power, Tech, And Ruggedness

Ducati resisted the temptation to dive into the adventure bike market for years. The Multistrada eventually evolved into an ADV of sorts, depending on the trim, but it was always a little more street oriented. Then the Desert Sled came out, and while it may not have been a huge sales success, it certainly proved that there was a market for a dedicated adventure bike.

With consumers shifting towards lighter, more off-road capable middleweight bikes, the DesertX arrived at exactly the right time. The only downside to it is the fact that it is very expensive for a middleweight. You do get what you pay for, though, and we feel that the latest Discovery trim offers riders an almost perfect combination of power, tech, and ruggedness.

The 2025 Ducati DesertX Discovery Is The Adventure Bike That Blends Power, Tech, And Ruggedness

MSRP: $19,995

Ducati

In the past, Ducati was heavily criticized for selling overpriced motorcycles, and were often unable to live up to expectations. Ever since Audi – and by extension, the VW Group – took over, the same cannot be said. While the prices remain high, the quality rivals the very best in the industry. All the bikes are still built by hand, and you get what you pay for.

Robbie Bacon

The BMW F 900 GS Adventure is actually a fair bit cheaper, and has very nearly as much power as the Ducati. Unfortunately, once you start ticking the options boxes to try and match the spec of the Ducati, the price goes up quite a bit. Triumph offers the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, which is also a little cheaper, and it is certainly not short of features. The major point of difference with the Triumph is its triple, which certainly has its own character.

Honda

The two European bikes are the most like-for-like alternative, but if you are willing to consider an ADV that is a little more street oriented, it is hard to look past the Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT. Not only does it have a long name, but a long list of features, including an automatic transmission. It blends power and tech beautifully, but you forfeit a little ruggedness in favor of more comfort.

Rivals

• BMW F 900 GS Adventure
• Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
• Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT

The DesertX Discovery Has A Powerful Desmo-Equipped Twin-Cylinder Engine

Power: 110 Horsepower

Ducati

While this might be the first dedicated Ducati ADV, it isn’t the first off-road bike to make use of a Ducati twin. That honor belongs to the Cagiva Elefant, a bike that rather unexpectedly won the Dakar Rally back in the early 90s. An old 900cc Pantah engine was at the heart of the Elefant, and the current Testastretta has more than a little in common with it.

Both engines are 90 degree V-twins, or L-twins in Ducati speak. Both engines make use of Desmo valves, and the bore and stroke are surprisingly close to each other. Where things diverge is the fact that the Testastretta engine is Euro 5+ compliant. It is a thoroughly modern engine which makes a fair bit more power, but, the biggest difference between the two engines is reliability. No matter how much we love old Ducatis, none of them were ever particularly reliable. Modern Ducati engines are in an entirely different league, and it is a critical point of difference for a bike that is going to be used for travel.

Engine Specifications

Italian Charm Is Aplenty On The DesertX Discovery

The Right Kind Of Parts Bin Special

Ducati

All the DesertX Discovery is, is a parts bin special. While this is not usually something to be proud of, the features Ducati has added here are all functional, and add value. If you were to simply take a base model and add these parts from the catalog, the price would be a fair bit higher, and you would need to do without the unique livery. To put all this into perspective, just about anyone intending to actually take one of these big ADVs off-road will inevitably turn to the aftermarket for crash protection, and that alone would end up pushing the price up past that of the Discovery.

On a high-end bike like this, we have come to expect certain features, and the DesertX does not disappoint. Cornering ABS, lean sensitive traction control and ride modes are all standard features here. It also gets a quickshifter and cruise control, and a TFT dash. Over and above the standard features, the Discovery model also gets heated grips and turn-by-turn navigation. All these nice-to-have features make touring more comfortable, but there is always a price to pay. With ADVs, it isn’t just the sticker price, but weight. All these electronics add weight, and for the base model, it equates to 463 pounds (no fuel). Unfortunately, Ducati doesn’t publish any weight figure for the Discovery model (conveniently) but we are fairly certain you will be looking at around 520 pounds all told.

Ducati

That weight figure might seem a little on the high side for a middleweight, but this is not your average middleweight ADV. It is not a bike you would choose if you were looking for a pure off-road adventure bike. That is what the Rally is for. This model exists for a particular kind of adventure rider, for somebody serious about taking long trips that involve some pretty rough terrain. It is able to balance power, comfort and off-road ability better than pretty much any other bike currently on the market, for a price.

Discovery Added Features

• Higher spec handguards
• Radiator grille
• Skid plate
• Crash protection
• Center stand
• Heated grips
• Touring windscreen
• Turn-by-turn navigation
• Unique livery

Chassis, Weight And Suspension Specifications