As well as the XDiavel cruiser, Ducati unveiled six new variants of existing models. Here’s the deal.
Multistrada Enduro
Ducati unveiled a true off-road contender in the adventure bike category overnight with the aptly named Multistrada Enduro.
It gets wire wheels, with a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear instead of the normal bike’s 17-inch alloys, rugged bodywork with a longer snout and anodised aluminium side panels. The tank, at 30 litres, is larger than the normal Multistrada and claims a 450km range, while the seat is higher at 870mm, but narrower than the roady.
Power comes from the same 120kW engine as the normal Multistrada, complete with variable valve timing, but there’s 30mm more wheel travel at both ends from the semi-active ‘Skyhook’ suspension. The swingarm is double-sided and the exhaust raised to avoid damage. An optional touring pack adds panniers and a top box if required.
All this adds weight, and the Enduro is 234kg dry – up from 209kg for the base Multistrada. That rises to 256kg wet, but makes it 4kg less than a significantly less powerful BMW R1200GS Adventure. Someone at Ducati is punching the air.
959 Panigale
The name tells you what you need to know – the 899 Panigale is gone for 2016 and it’s replaced with a larger-capacity version. Despite the 959 tag, the new version is actually 955cc, an increase achieved by stretching the stroke from 57.2mm to 60.8mm. And power is higher as well. The new machine makes 117kW, up from 110kW, and there’s a similar boost in torque. Reduced internal friction also helps with the power boost as well as improving the bike’s chances of meeting new Euro4 emissions rules.
In some markets, including Europe, the 959 loses the older Panigale’s under-engine exhaust in favour of stacked twin silencers on the right hand side, but Australia gets to keep the more attractive, old-style system — at least for the moment.
Less obvious styling changes mirror those of that the 1299 Panigale got when it evolved from the earlier 1199. The nose is wider, with larger air intakes than the old 899 version, and the screen is taller.
Hypermotard and Hyperstrada 939
It’s not just the smaller Panigale that’s getting a capacity hike as part of its 2016 remodelling – the Hypermotard and Hyperstrada get the same treatment. They rise from 821cc to 937cc (despite the ‘939’ name), however, the power rise doesn’t reflect it – at 84.3kW it’s just three percent higher than the earlier model, but at least torque is up by 10 percent at 97.9Nm.
The engine gets a bigger bore and a new exhaust, but it’s largely in pursuit of improved emissions instead of higher performance. There’s a Hypermotard SP model, too, with Ohlins suspension and Marchesini wheels, and the touring-oriented Hyperstrada also gets the 937cc engine for 2016.
Meanwhile, check out the XDiavel
Multistrada Pikes Peak
With the advent of the 2015 DVT-engined Multistrada, the old Pikes Peak model bit the dust – but it’s being revived for 2016, now based on the new version. As before, it’s a range-topper with high-spec Ohlins suspension and a Termignoni exhaust, plus lots of carbon fibre body parts.
Scrambler Sixty2
A smaller-engined version of the Scrambler has been on the cards ever since the original was launched, and now it’s here in the form of the 399cc Sixty2 model. You’d be hard-pushed to tell from looking at it that the engine is less than half the size of the normal, 803cc model, though.
In terms of performance, it means you get 30.5kW instead of 55kW, so while capacity is halved, power isn’t. Engine aside, the Sixty2 gets a cheaper, steel swingarm and right-way-up Showa forks instead of upside-downers, plus a more convention licence plate hanger than the bigger Scrambler. LAMS approved? We think so.
Scrambler Flat Track Pro
There are already several versions of the larger, 803cc Scrambler on sale, and for 2016 you can add another in the form of the Flat Track Pro.
As the name suggests, it’s a flat-tracker, with number-boards on the sides, a new seat and the world’s smallest front mudguard. The bike is inspired by the machine raced this year by Troy Bayliss, who was on hand to unveil it, it also gets a bag of bits from the options catalogue thrown at it.