2016 · Scrambler · A variant of the Scrambler Icon
Differences between the standard Scrambler Icon and the Flat Track Pro
Flat Track Fantasy Made Street
This is the Scrambler Icon in Flat Track Pro colors, and under the dirt-track styling it is the same honest Icon. The air/oil-cooled 803 cc L-twin makes 75 hp at 8,250 rpm and 50 lb-ft at 5,750 rpm, running through a six-speed box with a slipper clutch to a chain. ABS is standard, and the rest is kept simple. It rolls on an 18-inch front wheel with 5.9 in (150 mm) of travel at each end, which is right at the line where a scrambler earns the name instead of just wearing it. It weighs 410 lb wet and steers like less. Look at it three times and the build still holds up.
What sets it apart is how little it asks of you. This is a Ducati with real character that doesn't need a specialist in the seat. It's calm enough for traffic, stable at highway pace and happy on a gravel road. It suits the rider who wants style and a genuine twin without a learning curve, for town, back roads and weekend miles. The honest caveat is the front end. The fork has no adjustment and rides harshly on broken pavement, and only the rear shock takes preload. If you're buying used, confirm the side stand recall was done and have the oil filter and engine bolts checked for seepage.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 75 hp (55 kW) @ 8,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) @ 5,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 803 cc |
| Engine | L-twin |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 330 mm |
| Front tire | 110/80-18 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.9 in (1445 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 6.9 in (176 mm) |
| Front travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Rear travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 410 lb (186 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.6 gal (13.5 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
Over the years a lot of second-hand truth about this bike has reached me: talk at race weekends, owners who walk over after a group ride, the odd evening at a local bike night, and a steady inbox from riders who live with one. On this Scrambler, owners agree more on what they like than on what bugs them. The engine and the steering draw near-universal praise. The complaints are fewer and more scattered.
Owners most often describe the motor as punchy and happy to rev, with power you can actually use and a strong finish near the top. Many of the same riders stress the other side of it too: plenty of torque low down and a linear delivery without sudden surges, which they call friendly and accessible. Just as many owners agree on the handling. They describe it as light, narrow and easy to flick from one corner to the next, and the wide bar gets credit for making city streets and quick direction changes simple.
The flat-track look comes up almost as often as the riding. Owners mention the yellow paint, the number plate and the Termignoni exhaust, and they say it draws attention wherever it's parked. A smaller group talks about the finish: the steel tank, the Brembo brakes and an attention to detail they didn't expect from an entry-level bike.
Three complaints come up about equally often. Suspension leads. The fork has no adjustment and the shock only takes preload, and owners say the ride turns harsh on bumpy roads and the chassis loses composure. The small mirrors look right but show only a narrow slice of what's behind. And while throttle response is crisp, fueling at low revs can arrive abruptly. The rest come from lone voices. One owner says the single front disc can fade under hard use and lacks the bite of a dual-disc setup. Another mentions the air-cooled engine throwing noticeable heat onto their legs in stop-and-go traffic.
Side stand pivot bolt may detach
A defective bolt can cause the side stand position sensor to malfunction, leading to engine stalling or the stand deploying while riding. This led to an official recall (NHTSA 16V891000) affecting 5,502 units.
Warped front brake rotor
A few owners have experienced a warped front rotor, causing pulsation during braking; replaced under warranty in some cases.
Oil leaks from loose filter or bolts
Some owners report oil seeping due to an improperly torqued oil filter or loose engine bolts, often fixed under warranty but requiring dealer attention.
Shift lever bolt may become loose
The shift lever retaining bolt can vibrate loose over time, leading to difficult or missed shifts; easily fixed with thread-locking compound.
Where this Ducati Scrambler Icon 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 Icon is actually built for.
For Saturday loops out of Austin or San Antonio, this works. It's stable in fast sweepers and fun in the tight stuff, but the stiff fork will tell you about every rough county road.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
It has the looks and the relaxed upright seat for easy miles through small towns. Just know it's a 410 lb scrambler with a 3.6 gal tank and no luggage system, so pack light.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
If presence and identity matter to you, a Ducati twin with real character delivers. But this is a light, upright scrambler, not a big cruiser, so it works best as the fun second bike.
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 · 2015–2016
Pretty Bike That Actually Rides
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 Icon. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
