[al399]

Has anyone made the transition for Urban Enduro or Icon version to the Desert Sled iteration of the Scrambler? How does the Sled feel compared to the other versions?
Is it a big difference in terms of suspension feel and travel? Is it a bit roomier to allow longer stretches on a fast road?

 

[Max Kool]

Ok, I never rode the regular Scramblers, but I have sat on them and found them to be too cramped for my 5'10" (with 32" legs). Especially in the leg room department. Seat to bars is the same on the DS compared to the FTP or Mach 2, same tank and bars. The pegs however are considerably lower on the DS.

The DS is heavier, has more suspension travel and a longer wheelbase, and as such should feel more stable. It's still a nimble bike though.

You should book a test ride on both, and whichever suits you best.

 

[al399]

I own an 2017 Icon. I booked a test ride but unfortunately was cancelled. I found a good deal for a 0 km white Sled and I am going for it...I'm selling the Icon but needed some more feedback...if it's worth to make the transition...Anyways thank you.

 

[denizerdem]

After a year and a half of riding on a 2015 classic scrambler, I'm now on a DS.
I can describe the overall impression in three words; plush, comfy and robust.
The suspension feels miles better. It absorbs bad road conditions very well but it's not overly soft so it still feels composed in the corners. I would say it feels like a road bike with very long travel rather than a dirt bike. My classic was good on corners but did not absorb anything at all.
Throttle is much softer. It's not just the throttle cam. I get almost no backfire on the DS which was very prominent on my classic. But I think this one applies to all 2017 models?
Does not feel as heavy as I thought it would but seat height makes parking maneuvers more of a challenge.
It's high but the seat is very narrow and the bike squats a bit so height is manageable. Leg room is great.
Pretty much everything feels thicker and stronger. Classic felt like it did not belong there when I ride a rough fire road. Unpleasent sounds and all... Ds is complete opposite.
On the downsides;
Not cheap. It certainly was an expensive upgrade for me.
Rear mudguard does not cover much.
A little bit less nimble with the 19" front.

I'm immensely happy with DS and would not consider going back.

 

[Max Kool]

I get almost no backfire on the DS which was very prominent on my classic

Admitted, I degutted the stock mufflers, but mine does a good bit of rumbling and backfiring, yes.

(not that I mind, au contraire)

 

[danketchpel]

Here's what I posted to a similar question on another forum.

I haven't owned any of the standard Scramblers but test rode 3 of them before buying my Sled, which I test rode twice 6 mos apart before buying.

Here's my observations;

The std Scramblers -
Are lighter and feel a little more nimble on the street
They have the "A" throttle cam so the engine feels very responsive but a tad abrupt off idle
They are much lower and with smaller ergos all around, to the point of feeling cramped, kinda like a mini bike
The suspension is shorter travel and a bit on the budget side, read kinda harsh overall
The cast wheels on some models are lighter and are tubeless


The Desert Sled -
Much taller and feels like a full sized bike
It's about 45 lbs heavier and you can feel the difference, but the bike doesn't ride like it's ~450 lb spec curb weight, feels more like 425 lbs or so, but not as light as the std Scrambler
It comes with the "B" throttle cam so it's very smooth and controllable down low but feels lazy through the mid throttle, then picks up very quick in the last 80% of twist
The longer travel suspension is higher quality and feels better but still feels on the harsh especially how many of them come set stock, my forks were setup stupid stiff. After some miles and many adjustments mine is starting to feel pretty decent. But I badly wish the rear shock had compression dampening adjustment. I "suspect" in the end the rear shock will get replaced with one that does have full adjustment.
The wire wheels on the Sled are quite strong but heavier than the cast wheels on the std Scrambler models. They are NOT tubeless regardless of what the tires say.
The seat on the Sled feels OK for about 20-30 minutes then not so much as the foam breaks down leaving you on the irregular shaped pan

Not to knock the std Scramblers, but for me there was only 1 choice and I wasn't planning to buy a std Scrambler ever, it was just too cramped feeling for me. If the Sled had never come out I'd have bought another brand of Scrambler, either Triumph or Guzzi. But I'm SO GLAD Ducati decided to build the Sled because it's exactly what I wanted, even more than I realized after my first test ride.

 

[al399]

Desert sled is the only real and true scrambler out there...I should have waited and go for the day from the beginning...

 

[jules]

Yep done it 2016 icon to 2017 sled , can you spot the sled differences

 

[danketchpel]

Yep done it 2016 icon to 2017 sled , can you spot the sled differences View attachment 33729

What pipe is that? I love how clean it looks now, plus much easier to service.

I guess you did some serious "massaging" of the airbox, EVAP can gone or maybe you don't have those in the UK, can't see the oil cooler on the other side.

Tail tidy, grill over the headlight removed, passenger pegs removed, no skid plate.

 

[jules]

Correct , uk has evap , everything's gone, sc projects pipe , no air box , lamda sensors , sas gone , sub air box/ breather box back of the air box , oil cooker gone plus all brackets and crap , remaped fuel and ignition and 2016 icon throttle tube fitted as orig to slow now all fuel sorted

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I rode a Classic during 2 years, then bought a Desert Sled and they are 2 really different bikes.

The Classic engine is less smooth than the Desert Sled, mainly due to a different throttle scheme on the DS.

About the suspension, there's a huge gap. A Classic with standard suspension is really tough, when the DS is really OK

With the DS, you get +7 cm between the saddle and the footrest compared to a Classic, which is really good when you're tall like me (1.85 m).

I wouldn't go back to the Classic although I liked it a lot.

 

[ScrambledInSeattle]

I too went from a 15' Classic to a 17' Desert Sled (year-end pricing, 0% financing).

It mostly doesn't feel like the same bike. As others have noted, a huge upgrade in suspension. I suspect the engine would feel mostly the same with a different throttle tube, but I like the tame one for offroad use. More upright seating and better suited to taller riders (I'm only 5'11" and found the classic a bit cramped). This also makes it a slight bit better with a passenger. Weight is noticeable when pushing the bike around, mostly forgotten when riding. Tires make significantly more noise.

All in all, it's everything I wish the classic had been. I could have done suspension, tires, exhaust, pegs, etc etc on the classic, but it probably would have cost more and been less bike.

 

[Florent]

Not to knock the std Scramblers, but for me there was only 1 choice and I wasn't planning to buy a std Scrambler ever, it was just too cramped feeling for me. If the Sled had never come out I'd have bought another brand of Scrambler, either Triumph or Guzzi. But I'm SO GLAD Ducati decided to build the Sled because it's exactly what I wanted, even more than I realized after my first test ride.

Absolutely agree!

 

[STAN!MAL]

Yep done it 2016 icon to 2017 sled , can you spot the sled differences View attachment 33729

I love this setup , especially the exhaust .

 

[Luce]

Correct , uk has evap , everything's gone, sc projects pipe , no air box , lamda sensors , sas gone , sub air box/ breather box back of the air box , oil cooker gone plus all brackets and crap , remaped fuel and ignition and 2016 icon throttle tube fitted as orig to slow now all fuel sorted

Yep done it 2016 icon to 2017 sled , can you spot the sled differences View attachment 33729

Yep done it 2016 icon to 2017 sled , can you spot the sled differences View attachment 33729

Hey Jules, love what you've done. I started with a 2017 DS and I've ended up very close to where you are now. What I still want to do is lose the standard airbox like you have. My question is what have you done to accommodate the air filter?

 

[reid]

I have never ridden a Ducati and purchased the Desert Sled. Only once have I taken a test ride on a motorcycle before purchasing. I've owned several. I sold my Honda cbr1000rr and my Cannondale/ATK 430 to purchase the Desert Sled. One Sled for me and one for my wife. She rode a Yamaha FZ09 and a KTM xcf350. We ride the Desert Sled more than the others combined. The suspension seems fine on road. I haven't changed stock settings yet. Off road it's a bit harsh on the small stuff and there just isn't enough suspension for big stuff. Short seat for her bike seems softer than stock. I put two layers of Luimoto gold gel on mine for extra comfort and a little more height. I do miss the power of the cbr1000rr. Pulling the front end up at 130mph sure is fun. Some hard hitting trails on a true dirt bike just can't be beat. We weren't doing enough of either so we got the Desert sleds to do a little of both. Lets face it, I'm getting old and have to work on Monday morning. So screaming down the road at 150mph or blasting through the woods seemed like a good thing to put in my past. So, yes I love the Desert Sled.