We drove: Ducati Scrambler
My memory brings me back about two decades ago, when the craftsmen from Gorenjska helped us pull the motorcycle out of the shed in winter on the outskirts of Koper, in Marezig. He was nicely covered with a blanket, all the papers were saved. Red with a little chrome. Good. Ducati. Single cylinder 350cc Scrambler. Rare in the interior of the country, more often found near the sea. I bought it right away. Before that, I was a bit naive, believing that Ducati only makes sports bikes. Yes, then in the superbike championship the Reds burned the 851 car and the Tardozzi and Roch racers, before that we dreamed of the Pantah and Darmah models.
There is no point in losing a word about the SS750. However, in line with the trends of the 1963s, the Italians also in 250 created a single-cylinder 1976 cc Scrambler, a kind of enduro motorcycle, which was replaced by machines from 125 to 450 cc before the XNUMX. centimeters. It was the time in motorsport when Steve McQueen set fire to a crowd in Any Given Sunday, and also the first time in history that the "bad biker boy" was the rather plain Janez Nowak, who has a hobby on Sunday - riding a motorcycle. . For pleasure. Relax. Yes race. And that he's having a good time.
Born again 40 years later
In Bologna, they carried their Scrambler, presumably in Italian, emotionally in their hearts all these years, and the memory of it never faded. Until… until the time came when society and with it the motorcycle environment in the past went back in time and looked for inspiration in the seventies. Just look at fashion with bright colors: vintage, retro is back in fashion. This has also been embraced by the motorcycle industry, which has been offering more and more retro models in recent years. And these models are made for new types of motorcyclists. They are not interested in technical conditions, they do not squat every day in the garage with "grinning" hands and do not even follow the races. These are managers, students, doctors, architects (and everyone else) of both genders who are looking for something more in life. Pleasure, relaxation and fun.
Peter and I from the editorial office also went to Primorskaya again, even in winter. With the new Scrambler Icon. In the van. Yellow, Italians call it yellow for 62 years. This is now the color of the Scrambler. However, the bike is also available in red. Yellow is closer to me, as it expresses warmth, satisfaction with life, victory over this annoying crisis and life's difficulties. The interior of Slovenia was still covered with snow, but there, in the vicinity of Koper, we already felt spring. Sergei from Asa in Trzin, where the Ducati dealership was taken seriously and correctly, tells us that the bike is new, almost not run in, and the asphalt is still cold. We understand the hint and desire to return it safe and sound.
As we kick him out of the van, I think for a moment that I have that old Scrambler in front of me. This will be true, as Ducati says it would be the same if it was produced all the time. Well, this is definitely a brand new bike. Admittedly, it has the distinctive teardrop shape of the fuel tank with aluminum side panels, but is now powered by an 803cc twin-cylinder engine. Air-cooled, 90 degree distributed, direct fuel injection, 55 kilowatts (75 ft). horsepower ') at 8.250 rpm. / min. Enough to enjoy.
More than a motorcycle, it's a lifestyle
Peter and I wanted to test it in both environments: sandy and asphalt. Pirelli tires are tailor-made for him and are a mixture of road and off-road. They look cool too. The motorcycle itself is available in four modifications, which differ mainly in appearance, colors and equipment: Icon, Urban Enduro, Classic and Full Throttle.
Peter stumbles down the sandy path and loves to play with it. I set off on the tarmac myself and found it jumped on power thanks to the responsive generator. The wide-handlebar position is, um, traditional and reminiscent of seventies motorcycles. Brembo brakes with a four-position caliper and standard ABS are of sufficient quality to easily tame a 186-pound bike. The only gripes can be with the rear suspension (when there are two on the bike) and the only round LCD panel with a small dial that needs to be used.
However, the Scrambler is not just a motorcycle, it is a way of life, and as such it is also marketed by Ducati. The car dealerships also have a barbershop made up of yellow containers that "opens" you to fashion trends, and in the showcases you can choose from a variety of accessories, clothing and accessories. the legendary Aldo Drudi. And if you end up looking at the price, you'll find yourself buying a lot of motorcycles for less than ten dollars. And a lot of dreams. And that's exactly what Scrambler is about, isn't it?
text: Primož Ûrman
