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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 | 90° V-twinMotorcycles With V-Twin Engines → |
| 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
What follows comes from years of listening: paddock talk, owner chats on club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. On the 1100 Sport the pattern is consistent. Owners praise how it pulls and steers, and their complaints gather around top-end power, wind and price.
Most of the praise goes to the engine's low and midrange urge, which owners call flexible and fun without needing revs. Riders also describe the bike as nimble and easy to steer for its weight, with ground clearance to spare when they push. Owners credit the Öhlins fork and shock with a supple, composed ride, free of the choppiness they felt on the standard setup. The brakes earn trust with strong stopping and lean-sensitive ABS, and a few riders mention a smooth, precise throttle.
The most common gripe is at the top of the rev range, where riders feel outgunned by rival retros. Wind is the other one: with a naked layout, highway stints get tiring. Some owners question whether the Sport's premium over the base 1100 makes sense for casual riding, and one mentions real engine heat in slow summer traffic.
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 Park Loop Road · 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 Texas Hill Country · Texas Hill Country BDR-X · Twisted Sisters
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 Florida State Road A1A · Black Hills · Main Street, Daytona Beach
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.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
