By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Scrambler
Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled (MY2017) vs Scrambler Icon (MY2017)
Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled vs Scrambler Icon: buy with your heart, but read this first.
Tip the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled into a bend and it doesn't fight the bars: the balanced chassis drops in and begs for more pace. The Ducati Scrambler Icon flicks in off a bar nudge.
So which one do you buy?
The Scrambler Desert Sled has the edge if…
Real off-road capability
By a nose: Scrambler Desert Sled
On gravel and fire roads, the Scrambler Desert Sled is a touch more at home. It's down to more suspension adjustment and a tougher build.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Nose ahead: Scrambler Desert Sled
On a twisty road, the Scrambler Desert Sled edges ahead. What tips it: better suspension and a sportier chassis. Not by enough to settle it alone.
Daily commuting & city riding
Small edge: Scrambler Desert Sled
On the way to work, the Scrambler Desert Sled asks a little less of you. Close enough that the test ride should settle it.
Which one's the smarter buy
Money won't decide it
The Icon's lower sticker price doesn't settle which one is the better buy. Neither is the clear better buy for the money.
What makes each one tick
Scrambler Desert Sled
Loose gravel and rutted fire roads are home turf for the Desert Sled, whose long-travel fork and shock swallow the ruts where the pavement ends. The Desmodue twin answers the throttle with a thick shove from low revs, and there's more punch once it's spinning. You're perched upright on a seat 33.9 in (860 mm) up, behind a wide handlebar. Its front end carves pavement corners.
Scrambler Icon
The Icon darts through stalled city traffic from a seat that's only 31.1 in (790 mm) off the pavement. Torque swells smoothly off low revs. At town speeds, a pothole doesn't jolt through the soft suspension.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Scrambler Icon has the lower seat: 31.1 in (790 mm) vs 33.9 in (860 mm).
- The Scrambler Icon has the lower wet weight: 410 lb (186 kg) vs 456 lb (207 kg).
- Manually Adjustable Front Suspension: standard on the Scrambler Desert Sled, not offered on the Scrambler Icon.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not their thing
For all-day comfort, both fall short. Keep the rides short and you'll get on fine with either.
On character, these two are a wash. That's where your budget and your inseam get the final say.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Scrambler Desert Sled
What owners say
Strengths
- Agile handling on pavement
- Genuine off-road capability
- Torquey, characterful engine
Scrambler Icon
What owners say
Strengths
- Lightweight and agile handling
What they cost used
These prices compare a 9-year-old Scrambler Desert Sled with a 9-year-old Scrambler Icon.
- Scrambler Desert Sled
- $6,500
- Scrambler Icon
- $6,200
At nine years old, the Scrambler Desert Sled sits around $6,500 while the Scrambler Icon lands near $6,200. That's a $300 gap in the Icon's favor. These are recorded figures from the used market, not live listings.
What they share
- Displacement
- 803 cc
- Engine
- L-twin
- Cooling
- Air/oil-cooled
- Power
- 73 hp (54 kW)
- Peak power at
- 8,250 rpm
- Torque
- 50 lb-ft (68 Nm)
- Peak torque at
- 5,750 rpm
- Fuel capacity
- 3.6 US gal (13.5 L)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front brake
- 330 mm
Where the spec sheets split
| Scrambler Desert Sled | Scrambler Icon | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.9 in (860 mm) | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 456 lb (207 kg) | 410 lb (186 kg) |
| Scrambler Desert Sled | Scrambler Icon | |
|---|---|---|
| Front tire | 120/70-19 | 110/80-18 |
| Rear tire | 170/60-17 | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 59.3 in (1505 mm) | 56.9 in (1445 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 9.1 in (230 mm) | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Front travel | 7.9 in (200 mm) | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
| Rear travel | 7.9 in (200 mm) | 5.9 in (150 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Scrambler Desert Sled | Scrambler Icon | |
|---|---|---|
| Manually Adjustable Front Suspension | Standard | Not offered |
| USB Charging Port | Standard | Not offered |
| LED Headlight | Standard | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
