Another piece of information we can extract from the same documents is that the weight would also remain unchanged. So, how does it differ from the normal version? Until these photos appeared on social media, we wouldn’t have been able to answer that, but now we can guess something. First of all, two elements stand out: a high enduro mudguard, in such a way that it looks more like an after-market than something new and definitive, and the side bags with an exhaust protection. However, if we look closer, we notice that the shape of the tank is also slightly different, suggesting a larger capacity; or maybe it’s just a trick of the black plastic? The rear frame, screwed as is typical of rally bikes and already is in the standard version, is red, while the fork has bronze bars instead of black. It immediately reminds us of the bike that Antoine Méo rode to victory at the Erzberg Rodeo. The modifications to his bike included a 48mm Kayaba fork with a larger diameter, compared to the normal 46mm, and a new shock absorber with more travel. There were also narrower wheels – 21 inches in the front and 18 inches in the back with Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires – and a stronger engine protection plate, as well as a Termignoni exhaust. Also impressive was the special color of Méo’s bike, created directly by the Ducati Style Centre… who knows, maybe the Rally is like that.
And will the DesertX Rally be the first novelty revealed by Ducati during the upcoming launch videos? The next one is scheduled for September 19, so we won’t have to wait long. The following ones will be on October 3 and 19, November 2 and 7.
