2017–2018 · Scrambler · Buyer's Guide
Joy With Actual Scrambler Looks
The Icon is the plainest reading of Ducati's Scrambler idea: an 803 cc air/oil-cooled L-twin making 73 hp at 8,250 rpm and 50 lb-ft at 5,750, wrapped around a sculpted steel tank and a yellow-lensed headlight that does most of the talking. Ducati kept it honest where this category usually cheats. Suspension travel is a genuine 5.9 in (150 mm) front and rear rather than naked-bike leftovers with off-road graphics, and ABS plus a slipper clutch are standard. At 410 lb wet it sits at the light, approachable end of the Ducati world without giving up the badge.
It ages the way a simple bike ages, which is well, and it rewards owners who make it theirs; the aftermarket around this platform is deep enough that few stay stock for long. The 31.1 in seat and wide bars suit riders who want presence and easy reach to the ground rather than equipment count. That is also the honest caveat. ABS is the whole rider-aid story, the fork offers no adjustment at all, and only the shock takes preload. Fuel economy of 47 mpg keeps running costs low, though the 3.6 gal tank keeps stops frequent.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 73 hp (54 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 | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 330 mm |
| Front tire | 110/80-18 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.9 in (1445 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 5.9 in (150 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) |
| Fuel economy | 47 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Drivetrain
Safety
Thumb the starter and the air-cooled twin drops into a lumpy, slightly impatient idle you feel through the pegs before you properly hear it. That texture never leaves. It reads as a warm mechanical hum through the tank at town speeds and a harder beat under your boots once the revs climb, with nothing in the way of bodywork to keep the noise off you. The riding position is upright and roomy, the wide bars put your hands out where a rider actually wants them, and your weight sits on your hips instead of your wrists. Feet land flat at the lights. Out on a normal road pace it feels loose-limbed and casual, the sort of bike you ride relaxed, elbows down, no ceremony about any of it.
None of this is my own riding note. It's what I've picked up over years of listening: riders who stop me at events, club nights where the same bike keeps surfacing, owners who write in with a question and stay to talk. For the Icon, that chatter falls into a consistent shape.
Two things dominate. Riders describe a bike that tips into gaps in town without being asked twice, and one that stays settled when the road opens into long curves. The twin collects the same volume of comment: usable drive from low revs, metered out smoothly, which is why newer riders say they stopped worrying about it early and long-time riders still bother to wind it up. Behind that, steadily: the look, how far owners take the personalization, and a riding position that suits short and tall riders over a long day.
The complaints come from fewer voices and stay narrow. Suspension comes up most, under-damped over broken pavement, with a wallow when riders push. Wind is next. With nothing out front, sustained highway running wears people down. And a handful bring up warmth on the right leg when traffic stops moving.
Shift lever bolt can loosen
The shift lever pivot bolt is prone to working loose over time, causing imprecise gear changes. Easily fixed with Loctite.
Stock chain susceptible to rapid corrosion
The OEM chain rusts quickly if not regularly lubricated, especially in wet climates.
Oil leak from loose oil filter
A small number of owners have reported oil seeping from the oil filter area due to insufficient tightening from the factory.
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.
Style, unhurried pace and roads with a bit of history are exactly this bike's territory, and it looks right parked anywhere. Plan short fuel legs and pack light; the 3.6 gal tank sets the rhythm.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It flows through the tighter Hill Country loops with almost no effort and has enough punch for a quick Sunday. If you push hard on long open sweepers, you will want more suspension than this.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
The look and the twin's off-beat pulse fit rally-week culture well. Just know this is a light, upright, short-range bike, better for riding in local than for piling on 500-mile days.
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.
Successor · 2019–2022
Italian Style You Can Ride
Competitor · 2016–2020
Boxer Soul, Nothing Else
Roughly $1,200 pricier used than this bike at 9 yr
Competitor · 2015–2021
Fun Chassis, Honest Soul
Roughly $1,000 pricier used than this bike at 8 yr
Competitor · 2019–2020
Classic Bones, Real Pull
Same Platform · 2017–2024
Dirt-Ready Ducati With Real Suspension
Roughly $1,100 pricier used than this bike at 9 yr