Now, any fuel economy run would produce preferable results on the road for almost any bike, but the DesertX test was conducted on an adventure-style ride, not just a highway.
From Alice Springs to Finke, Ducati Australia dubbed the project “Mission: UnFinkeble.” Wordplay aside, the person tasked with piloting the DesertX for this adventure was none other than Ducati Product Specialist and DRE Adventure Academy Chief Instructor, Nick Selleck. His goal was to ride the tough terrain between Alic Springs and the community of Finke, then back again, all in just one day, and one tank of gas.
The Tatts Finke Desert Race is revered and feared in equal measure, and the courses push athletes and machines to the breaking point each year. With remote areas in the itinerary, no gas stops were expected, and riders usually blaze through the trails in about two days based on the event calendar. Selleck, on the back of a stock DesertX, would have to complete the entire trip in just one day, with just one tank of gas, and on the one Ducati that’s the most ready of all the models in the lineup.
“It’s quite rare to be able to challenge both man and machine in this way, and the support and enthusiasm the project has received has been incredible,” Selleck recalled.
Ducati Australia Head of Marketing, Alana Baratto, instantly saw the potential to pit the DesertX, and Nick, against one of the world’s toughest tracks, to illustrate the capability of the new model in the harsh Australian environment.
“While none of us from Ducati Australia or our collegues in Italy had any doubt the DesertX could tackle Finke, the parameters we added to the challenge – riding there and back and with only the fuel the bike can carry – certainly had us all curious to see if man and machine could literally go the distance. The extra challenge of riding the track just after hundreds of racers have torn it to shreds, ensured that Nick and the DesertX were not afforded the smoothest of rides” Ms. Baratto explained.
Gallery: 2022 Ducati DesertX
With 230 kilometers each way, or about 142.915 miles, it’s one of the most grueling and the most difficult courses that you can go through in Australia. The red desert awaited Ducati’s machine, but to the brand’s credit, it’s one of the most capable from the factory floor. Equipped with a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear, it was more or less set for the task. Apart from that, the model features a 937cc Testastretta engine that punches out 110 horsepower which can be dialed back to 75 horses if necessary. What helped the DesertX complete the trip was an additional eight-liter (about 0.26 gallons) fuel tank that helped extend the bike’s range by up to 40 percent. With eight liters, plus the 21-liter main tank (about 5.55 gallons), the bike had 29 liters to get from point A to point B, the bike would have to average about 51 miles per gallon to make it.
Selleck crossed the finish line, relieved and impressed by the bike’s fuel economy, handling, and its overall performance. In his words: “I am immensely proud of what we as a team have achieved with this project. There was a lot of personal stress for me in the lead-up with the realisation of how relentless and dangerous the track is. Would the DesertX’s standard suspension handle it? Would my body handle it? Would I make it with no refuelling?”
“It was a big relief in so many ways to cross the finish line. Not just because of the fact that we made the entire 460km distance using only the factory fuel tanks, but that the bike fared so well in such brutal terrain. In fact, I didn't have to lay a spanner on the bike all week, except for making clicker adjustments to the standard suspension! That was astonishing to me and a testament to Ducati’s durability.”
“I am so impressed with how comparatively easily we accomplished this, and I would like to have another crack at it with the goal of setting a good time. Who knows, maybe we’ll give the race a go next time!"
If you’re interested in seeing the DesertX go off-road in the Finke Desert, Ducati Australia is preparing a short documentary, airing soon in August 2023.
