Headed up to Bloodworth Motorcycles in Nashville today to take a spin on the Ducati Scrambler Demo bike. Met with Kevin Harbour and filled out the paperwork for the ride. I was not familiar with the area so he hopped on a R Nine T and led me on a ride. We did switch up for a little bit because I wanted to see what a bike that cost double the Scrambler rode like.
The demo bike available was the Scrambler ICON in yellow. ($8595) The ICON red is $8495. The Full Throttle, Urban Enduro, and Classic will run you $9.995.
When Ducati says that is a modern interpretation of an iconic classic, they are describing this bike perfectly.
Here I am getting ready for the ride.
We switched bikes during the ride, so I was able to get some shots of Kevin on the Scrambler.
The 180/55 rear tire definitely looks beefy on this bike. No retro rubber on this ride.
The Demo bike has an aftermarket exhaust mounted and it sure sounds nice with a low growl. I need to figure out how to downsize a video for upload.
Shot of the R nine T. It was a nice bike, but not double the cost of the Scrambler nice.
A shot of the controls from the rider's perspective. The instruments include a lot of information, but not easy to see quickly while riding. The digital speed is plenty big enough though.
I really like this bike. It was a blast to ride. I did experience the abrupt throttle response when starting out, but adapted in about 30 seconds and had no issues during the rest of the ride. At 420 lbs wet weight, the bike was very peppy and flickable. The suspension had ample travel, but would probably be harsh in true rough terrain. Much better than the Triumph Scrambler though.
I am debating adding one to the stable. I have an agreement with my wife that I have reach my limit so something would have to go. They don't even have one on the floor so I have time to decide.
Bloodworth adds freight which is around $799, and a $199 doc fee. Not sure yet how that stacks up against other dealers. The bike is popular so don't expect too much negotiating.
