MALAYSIAN bikers don’t usually associate Ducati with off-road riding. In America though, Ducati has a long association with riding in the wilderness. This association started when the narrow case single Ducati Scrambler was introduced in 1962.
Last year, Next Bike Sdn Bhd introduced the Scrambler to the Malaysian market. Although its sales performance so far has been less than stellar, the new motorcycle gave Malaysian riders even more choices from which to choose from.
Earlier this week, Ducati launched a smaller derivate to the Scrambler, known as the Sixty2, priced at RM49,999 before GST, insurance and road tax.
The new motorcycle is powered by an air-cooled 399cc V-Twin.
Currently the smallest motorcycle available in the Ducati lineup, the Sixty2 produces 41hp at 8750rpm. Torque is rated at 34.6Nm at 8,000 rpm.
The bike is equipped with Bosch 9m ABS, with a 320mm disc up front and a 245mm on the rear. Differences with the bigger 803cc Scrambler include a 41mm conventional Showa fork up front, opposed to the upside down forks seen on the 803cc version.
The front fork is fixed, but the rear shock is adjustable for preload.
The bike has an 18-inch front and 17-inch cast rear wheel.
The cast aluminium swing-arm is also missing on this iteration of the Scrambler. In its place is a steel unit.
Equipped with LED head and tail lights, the Sixty2 shares the same circular LCD instrumentation as its bigger sibling.
Take a walk around the bike and you will notice that there is very little plastic on the bike. This is somewhat rare in the motorcycle world today. The Sixty2’s tank is steel, just like the bigger Scrambler.
Build quality is good, and the bike feels robust and well made.
During the launch event, strong winds blew the heavy metal backdrop. It came crashing down on a Scrambler parked in the driveway with a loud crash.
Journalists rushed out to inspect the damage, and found only a small dent and a scratch on the tank.
The Sixty2 is available in Atomic Tangerine, Ocean Grey and Shining Black.
The ride: Quick impression
We rode both the 803 and Sixty2 back to back on the winding roads of Bukit Tinggi, where Ducati hosted the launch event.
We started with the 803, before swapping motorcycles halfway through the ride to have a go on the Sixty2.
First off, it’s amazing how different the Sixty2 feels compared to the 803, when they share the same frame and engine.
The 803’s “kick in the rear” acceleration is absent. With its displacement effectively halved, the 399’s throttle has to be wringed to ellicit speed out of it.
This can be either a good or bad thing, depending on the type of rider you are.
If you are a beginner rider, the 803’s immense torque can be intimidating.
The Sixty2, however, is easy to handle. With just 41 horses driving about the same weight, the handling is smooth and predictable.
If you are a more seasoned rider, with just 41hp on tap, and a 183kg wet weight, you will immediately feel the shortfall in power.
Ride and handling are good. With bars even higher than the 803, the rider sits in an upright position which is quite comfortable. The Sixty2 feels well balanced, with a surefootedness that gives you confidence to lean it into the twisties.
You can attack the corners with an almost “motard” pose, shifting your weight back.
The motorcycle we tested was equipped with tyres, which felt sticky despite the Bukit Tinggi tarmac which was less than ideal.
Braking feels adequate, but not spectacular.
There was a bump on the circuit we were testing, and most riders just stood up on their pegs to ride over it.
With 5.9 inches of travel front and rear, and semi knobby tires, Ducati claims that the Scrambler Sixty2 possesses true off-road capability, and on paper has the credentials to bolster the claim.
This claim has yet to be put to the test, since our short ride was done entirely on tarmac.
However, from the short ride, it was clear that outright power is not the Sixty2’s strong point, it is almost up to par with the bigger Scrambler in other aspects.
The only bone of contention is the premium pricing. Next Bike may be banking on the Ducati logo to sell these bikes, but the price point puts it at loggerheads with some serious competition from other brands.