Ducati DesertX 2026 review: love after three days?

Hot nights in Spain are lovely, but not necessarily the best basis for a long-term relationship. At the, as always, rather brief first presentation in Almería, Spain, the new DesertX won me over. But does the passion survive a longer fling? Now the 21-inch adventure bike has to prove itself on home turf: three days, two nights, around 170 kilometres of travel from Wiener Neustadt via Vienna, followed by a colourful mix of narrow roads, bad tarmac and legal gravel sections. Our base is the MoHo Gasthof-Pension Drei Hacken in the Yspertal, where host Andi serves up not just great food but top route tips as well. Navigation pro Jakob Weinknecht guides us to the gravel lanes that are extremely rare in Austria, legal (!) and pretty well hidden. Here the DesertX can't just look pretty in front of the hotel; it has to work as an adventure bike. Is there true love left after the Spanish flirt?

The ride there first answers the unsexy but important question of long-distance suitability. The seat and knee angle had worried me in Spain, but after the roughly two-hour motorway stint there are neither pressure points nor aches. The sporty chassis doesn't clatter over Austrian road damage either, and the DesertX stays stable during quick lane changes. Despite temperatures above 35 degrees, neither engine heat nor vibrations bother me. No numb hands. The standard cruise control helps when cruising along, too. Only the wind protection remains mediocre. At my 1.85 metres, turbulence hits my helmet and shoulders loudly, even though I'm wearing earplugs. The fitted Adventure windscreen isn't adjustable. Anyone who rides a lot of motorway and is sensitive to wind noise will probably have to upgrade - even if a taller screen might somewhat spoil the lovely rally front.

The Testastretta V2 that previously beat inside the DesertX had more edges and a more distinctive pulse. Anyone who, like colleague Schaaf, enjoys riding sportily and likes a rawer engine might miss it. But in tight twisties, in town and on slow gravel hairpins, the new Ducati V2 shows why the swap is a net gain. Its 890 cc, 110.3 hp and 92 Nm aren't just spec-sheet fodder. It takes throttle cleanly even at low revs, doesn't shake the rider about in a huff if you're accidentally in too high a gear, and still fires willingly out of corners with the shorter gearing. Up top, variable valve timing lets it pile on another helping. The sound stays Euro 5+ compliant but lets out a pleasant roar. After three days, this engine doesn't feel characterless at all, but remarkably broad-based: docile down low, punchy up top and precisely for that reason damn well suited to an adventure bike.

Our test bike runs the Metzeler Karoo 4, and this 50/50 tyre suits the mixed programme brilliantly. On gravel, its distinctive tread blocks build up confidence-inspiring grip; on tarmac it rolls without excessive vibration and turns in surprisingly eagerly. At big lean angles you naturally feel the knobblies working, and 110 ponies can certainly overwhelm the rear tyre. But the limit announces itself predictably. The finely tuned electronics catch the rest. The traction control intervenes so smoothly that sometimes you only notice it through the missing acceleration. As the bike straightens up, it releases the power again. Enduro and Rally modes, cornering ABS and further control systems can be configured extensively. Almost too smooth, you could say. Where's the learning effect in that?

One big exception clouds the shiny electronic picture. The Ducati Quick Shift 2.0 no longer carries its sensor on the outside on the shift linkage, but inside the gearbox. That's supposed to work more precisely, but for me it repeatedly reacted oversensitively. Especially when upshifting from second to third, and occasionally in other gears too, the system cut drive abruptly. The gear engaged, but the ignition cut felt like it lasted forever. Mid-corner, that gives you a fright. Ducati explained this phenomenon, already noticed at the presentation, by saying the rider must give a clean shift impulse and mustn't leave the boot on the lever too long. Maybe so. On the three other bikes in this comparison test, the Honda Africa Twin, CFMOTO 1000MT-X and Husqvarna Norden 901, it didn't happen to me, though. If a system only works with a one-hundred-percent perfect foot, it lacks some error tolerance in everyday use.

With the fully adjustable KYB suspension, on the other hand, my verdict remains clearly positive. It sits on the sportier side and doesn't hide the surface under a thick comfort blanket. That's exactly what I like: you feel what's happening under the tyres. Even so, the setup never became unpleasant on our tour. Solo and with light luggage for two nights, it offered enough comfort without going soft when devouring corners at pace. With a full touring load or a sensitive pillion, you'd probably need to readjust. That wasn't part of this test. In the twisties, the firm basic character pays off. The DesertX can be placed precisely on line, stays stable and conveys plenty of feel for the front wheel. Its ergonomics also strike a good balance: neither perched exposed on top of the bike nor sunk deep into it. Riding relaxed, there's no pressure on the arms; when pushing on, a slight forward lean of the upper body and extended elbows are enough for more front-end feel. A real joy in the twisties!

The Brembo system strikes the same successful middle ground. Up front there's a crisp pressure point with enough bite for fast tarmac work, without getting grabby on loose surfaces. That means you can drop anchor hard on the road and still modulate finely on gravel. Only the rear brake demands rather a lot of lever travel before noticeable braking sets in. That's complaining at a high level, but on an expensive adventure bike it isn't entirely irrelevant.

Under Jakob's guidance, we also ride some legal gravel roads. These belong to the unpublished TET Austria and may not be real off-road, but they're a bit rougher and more demanding than the graded gravel highways. Just like in Spain, the DesertX is a joy on loose surfaces here too. It was before, but the engine is now even more approachable, stronger on torque and therefore more fun for me. It never runs roughly, delivering precise drive whenever you want it. Add to that the excellent ergonomics, the capable chassis and the mature electronics, which either spread a wide safety net or stay out of the game, as you wish. Overall, the DesertX feels so coherent because engine, chassis, ergonomics, tyres and control systems mesh together brilliantly. It's no comfy sedan chair, nor a nervous sports machine on stilts. It remains a Ducati that loves being ridden briskly, but with the new engine it makes slow and tricky sections much more relaxed than its predecessor did.

In Germany, the DesertX starts at 16,390 euros plus delivery costs. That's competitive among powerful adventure bikes. In Switzerland, Ducati quotes 18,290 francs. In Austria, the base price is currently 19,995 euros. Largely responsible for that is the extra NoVA tax, calculated based on fuel consumption. But that also shifts the benchmark on the Austrian market. For almost 20,000 euros, the DesertX can hardly afford excuses for the sensitive quickshifter and the mediocre wind protection. Fortunately, it rides well enough that you overlook these minor problem areas pretty quickly. Still, the buying recommendation depends more on the country than usual. In Germany the package looks attractive; in Austria it takes a noticeably fatter wallet and more love for the Italian.

After three days, the key question is answered: my enthusiasm from Spain was no brief holiday fling. The Ducati DesertX 2026 can do motorway, even if the wind protection is annoying. It tackles narrow, bumpy roads with glorious precision. And on gravel it makes life easier for less experienced enduro riders, because the engine and electronics don't punish every little mistake, while at the same time offering seasoned off-road cracks a whole lot of performance and appetite for adventure. The old Testastretta had more V2 braapapap, but the new engine suits this bike better as an overall package. The sensitive quickshifter remains the clearest technical weakness, the Austrian price the toughest hurdle. Anyone looking for a plush touring sedan chair will find more suitable bikes. Anyone who likes riding actively on and off the tarmac without constantly fighting a temperamental engine will find a damn versatile life partner here.