Ducati Scrambler 1100 First Ride Review

DESIGN AND STYLING OF DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100

The new Scrambler 1100 comes in three variants – Standard, Special and Sport. The Scrambler 1100 can be mistaken for its 800cc sibling on a casual glance but a closer look reveals some defining features. The headlamp has an X-shape design with LED DRLs lining the circumference of the circular unit. The 15L fuel tank has a teardrop design and our Sport variant came with two orange strips on the fuel tank. These nicely contrast the matte black like finish of the bike. The 1100 on the whole is slightly longer, wider and chunkier than the smaller one.

The handlebar is nice and wide and the seating position is upright. The foot pegs have a neutral position but they are placed a bit too far out from the bike which can take a little while to get used to. The new instrument panel is completely digital but is not a full colour unit which might go well with the retro theme but it can feel rudimentary at times. The display shows you your speed, rpm, fuel level, range, two trip meters, time, current gear, side stand indicator and your riding mode. You can navigate through the menu using a switch on the left side of the handle bar. Just below that is the indicator switch which also acts as an OK button. While this is not my favourite navigation environment (traditionally I have not liked Ducati’s menu navigation much) and since the functions are few, you can get the hang of it.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE OF DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100

The 1079cc L-twin motor is a lot of fun. The 86hp and 88Nm torque might not be chart topping figures but they add plenty of character to the bike and give it enough low-end grunt to cruise on highways and even take bike for mild off-roading. You can climb to triple digit speeds without much issue and in a very short time. Very high speeds are not recommended on this bike because there is no shelter from the wind blast and holding on to the bike becomes progressively more difficult with increase in speeds above 120kmph. The three riding modes – City, Highway and Active are actually a good addition. The bike unleashes its full fury in Active but you can also make the bike more city friendly in the appropriately named City mode. Doing so reduces the jumpiness of the throttle and you do not have to work as hard to keep this black panther from pouncing when stuck in office hour rush. We rode the Scrambler 1100 on the highways for a good while and that is when I discovered that while the seat is long enough to accommodate two people, the cushion is not the softest and long journeys can become a tad uncomfortable. I managed to extract a mileage of 20kmpl from the bike on highways. In the city that figure can easily drop to 15-16kmpl.

The Sport version of the Scrambler 1100 comes with Ohlins suspension setup. A 48mm inverted fork at the front and a monoshock for the rear. Both can be tuned to the user’s liking but in the stock state they are a bit too stiff to soak anything other than the occasional crack and bump on city roads. Due to the lack of a faring, the heat from the monstrous engine lashes on your legs when you are stationary in traffic. But to its credit, when you do start moving, the heat is pushed back and you only feel some of it on the underside of your thighs. Our unit came with a Termignoni exhaust that did produce a throaty rumble. As stock you still get twin exhaust, one on each side. This bike scores great points when it comes to braking and safety. It has the rider covered with twin disc brakes at the front, one in the rear, traction control, ABS and cornering ABS (which is standard in the Sport variant).

OFF ROAD PERFORMANCE OF DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100

As mentioned earlier, I did want to test the off-road capabilities of the Scrambler 1100, so I took it off for a jungle ride. First off, we do not encourage anyone to take this bike for extreme off-roading as it is not built for that and we did it with extreme caution and on known grounds. Despite Ducati making this Scrambler more for road use, I was surprised to see how capable it was on a narrow gravel track through the jungle. The fat tyres at the back and front relayed a lot of confidence. They only get better on roads and if you manage to find some sweet corners then you are bound to have a great time. The bike even managed to wade through some waterways without stalling, thanks to the high mounted muffler. The only wrinkle in this experience was the harsh response from the suspension which makes you feel every pebble that you trample.

VERDICT

The Ducati Scrambler 1100 manages to take bits from conventional scramblers and road bikes to turn into something that might not be a fully committed off-roader but one that does not shy away from a dirt trail either. Compared to the Scrambler 800, the 1100 is bigger and better in almost every aspect. The Sport variant that we rode comes at a cost of Rs 11.42 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and is not exactly cheap like the other Ducatis. You need to have very specific requirements if you wish to opt for this one. But once you do, there are loads of fun and adventure awaiting you.