2016–2020 · Scrambler · Buyer's Guide
Real Ducati, Learner Friendly
The Sixty2 is the way into Ducati's Scrambler family, and it takes that job seriously instead of treating it as a stripped-down afterthought. A 399 cc air-cooled L-twin makes 42 hp at 8,750 rpm and 25 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm through a six-speed box and a chain. Around it sits a genuine scrambler chassis: 5.9 in (150 mm) of travel at both ends, an 18-inch front wheel, a single 320 mm front disc, and ABS as standard equipment. At 403 lb (183 kg) wet with a 31.1 in seat, the numbers describe a bike built to be ridden often, not admired from a stool.
It rides the way it looks. Light steering, low mass and a seat you can reach the ground from mean you stop thinking about the machine within a few blocks, and that ease holds up over a long Sunday loop. This is for the rider who wants Italian style and real character without a power figure that demands respect every time the throttle opens. The honest caveat: 42 hp arrives high in the rev range, so it wants to be revved to feel alive, and there is no traction control or ride mode to lean on when the road turns greasy.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 42 hp (31 kW) @ 8,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 25 lb-ft (34 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 399 cc |
| Engine | L-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 110/80-18 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Wheelbase | 57.5 in (1460 mm) |
| Front travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Rear travel | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 403 lb (183 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.7 gal (14 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Thumb the starter and the air-cooled twin settles into an uneven, off-beat idle that never quite goes quiet, and that is a large part of why people keep these bikes. Vibration arrives through the pegs and the bar ends as a warm buzz rather than a nuisance, growing as the revs climb toward the useful part of the range. The tank is narrow enough to grip with your knees, the seat is flat, and at a stoplight your feet reach the ground without a stretch. Out on real roads at 55 to 70 mph it sits steady and unhurried, the 3.7 gal (14 L) tank quietly setting the rhythm of your stops. Sound, texture, the small pop between shifts: the Sixty2 gives you plenty to feel at speeds that will not cost you your license.
This part isn't measured, it's listened to. Years of pit lane talk, dealer lot conversations, club nights, and a steady inbox from people who own one. What comes back on the Sixty2 lines up from one rider to the next: easy to get along with, good to look at, short on muscle when the pace picks up.
Four things come up again and again. Riders call the L-twin smooth and unthreatening, an engine that stays predictable even while a newer rider is still learning. Handling gets one word more than any other: nimble. Light to steer, balanced in traffic, settled enough through a set of corners that confidence builds fast. Owners rate the styling and finish well above what they paid, steel tank included. The front brake gets the same steady credit, strong and dependable.
Two complaints recur, and they're just as steady. Riders say the bike runs out of push on the highway and when a pass needs to happen quickly, describing the acceleration as leisurely rather than urgent. The other note is ride quality: with no adjustment at the fork and preload only at the shock, some owners find it harsh once the surface breaks up.
Side stand pivot bolt defect (recall)
The side stand pivot bolt may fail, causing the stand to deploy unexpectedly or the sensor to malfunction, potentially leading to engine stalling or riding with the stand down.
Oil leaks from filter or loose bolts
Some owners report oil leaks, often traced to a loose oil filter or improperly torqued engine bolts from the factory.
Where this Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 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 Sixty2 is actually built for.
Small towns, easy pace and roads like the Kancamagus suit this bike well. Just plan around a 3.7 gal tank and no factory luggage system, because both will shape your day.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It will happily string together the Hill Country loops if you keep the revs up. Riders chasing outright pace will run out of engine long before they run out of road.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
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 Sixty2. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
