2019 · Scrambler · Buyer's Guide
Italian Soul, Öhlins Backbone
The Scrambler 1100 Sport is the full-size take on the idea, and the hardware says it is not a costume. The 1079 cc air-cooled L-twin makes 86 hp and 65 lb-ft, with the torque peak at 4,750 rpm, right where you actually ride on a road. Behind the retro shape sit Ducati Ride-by-Wire Power Modes, cornering ABS and traction control, and the Sport carries an upside-down fork with damping adjustment at both ends. It looks like a period piece and behaves like a modern Ducati. That combination is the entire reason this generation exists.
Who it suits is clear enough. This is for the rider who wants the big Ducati twin as an everyday street motorcycle and wants it to look like nothing else in the lot. Travel is 5.9 in (150 mm) front and rear, enough to clear the scrambler bar and shrug off a gravel driveway or a graded fire road, not enough to call it an off-road tool. It should age well, because the air-cooled twin is mechanically straightforward and most of it is easy to reach. The honest caveat: with a 4.0 gal tank and no factory luggage, long hauls were never the brief.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 86 hp (63 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 65 lb-ft (88 Nm) @ 4,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 1079 cc |
| Engine | L-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 59.6 in (1514 mm) |
| Front travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Rear travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 454 lb (206 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15 L) |
| Fuel economy | 45 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Safety
Swing a leg over and the 31.9 in seat sits tall enough to feel purposeful without stranding average legs. The bars are wide and flat, your shoulders stay open, and the pegs are low enough that an hour passes without complaint. At idle the air-cooled twin shakes the mirrors the way these engines always have, then hardens into a dry bark once you are rolling. At a steady 70 mph you feel the pulse through the pegs and the tank, and it stays a pulse instead of turning into buzz. The 18-inch front wheel gives the steering a slow, deliberate first movement before the bike settles and sits still on a long sweeper. Weight carries low. At walking pace it feels lighter than 454 lb suggests, which matters more in a parking lot than any spec sheet does.
Safety recall: exhaust valve cable may contact battery cable (fire risk)
A routing issue on all 2018–2021 Scrambler 1100 models can cause the exhaust flapper cable to chafe against the positive battery cable, potentially causing a short circuit and fire. Affected bikes were recalled for a free repair (NHTSA 20V-781).
Where this Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Scrambler 1100 Sport is actually built for.
Vermont, the Kancamagus and Maggie Valley are exactly its pace, and it looks right parked outside any diner. Plan around the 4.0 gal tank and bring soft bags, since there is no factory luggage.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Torque low down and easy steering make it a natural on Hill Country roads, and it draws a crowd back in Austin. The transit miles are the tax: no cruise control, small tank.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
You get the noise, the presence and a brand story people recognize, but not cruiser ergonomics or bags for a Sturgis run. Right bike for identity, wrong one for the long-haul setup.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2018–2020
The Scrambler Look, Done Right
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
