New Ducati Bikes You can Get in 2024 (And Why They're Special)

As one of the oldest bike makers on the planet, Ducati is also one of the most prolific, with no less than 45 models playing the game in 12 bike families. And although technically the offer does not target as many segments as is the case with other big names of the industry, it is still potent enough to ensure the company remains at the top of the sales charts.

Unlike most other bike makers out there, Ducati does not simply use a new model year to release new colors and a few technical upgrades to existing bikes. Whenever the Italians invent something new, they slap the novelties on new models that take their place in their respective families, increasing the number of available rides.

At the time of writing, of the 12 bike families in Ducati's portfolio, only about half of them (including the XDiavel, Streetfighter, Superleggera, and Scrambler) don't yet have anything new to show for 2024. All the rest have been gifted at times with multiple new models in an offensive the likes of which I don't remember Ducati ever conducting.

In this piece, we'll have a look at the motorcycles Ducati brands as being new for the 2024 model year. We'll discuss them one family at a time, trying to make sense of what separates them from the ranges they were born into, but also of what new stuff they are bringing to the table.

Ducati DesertX family – new model: DesertX Rally

The DesertX is one of the most recent motorcycle families offered by Ducati. The range first appeared in 2021 as the bike maker's first true foray into the world of off-road two-wheelers, with a special focus on the enduro and rally segments.

In the couple of years that have passed since the introduction of the DesertX the range gained a single other model to go with the original, the so-called Rally version. This one was introduced in the fall of last year and launched out in the open in January 2024 (March for the American market) as a tool meant to make short work of any terrain.

The Rally shares a lot of components with the original DesertX. The commonalities begin with the tubular steel trellis frame that wraps around the 937cc Testastretta twin-cylinder engine. The power levels are the same on the two machines, namely 110 hp and 92 Nm of torque.

Those numbers can grow by as much as seven percent when choosing to fit a Termignoni aftermarket exhaust system, which is offered as an option. They can also go down to just 47 hp, as the DesertX Rally is also available as a detuned variant of its normal self, meant for A2 license holders.

The Rally is equipped with a 21-inch wheel at the front and an 18-inch one at the rear, both of them wearing Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires (Scorpion Trail II is offered as an option). Worth mentioning is the fact the model thus continues the tradition (if it can be called that) started by the DesertX, which was Ducati's first-ever ride to use a combination of such wheel sizes.

The suspension system on the bike, of crucial importance for off-road riding, is supplied by KYB and comprises a closed cartridge fork up front that brings the wheel travel to a total of 250 mm, 20 mm more than on the standard DesertX.

At the opposite end, we've got a shock absorber and an aluminum swingarm that supply 240 mm of wheel travel, with the same 20 mm difference compared to the initial version.

Another thing setting the two bikes apart, albeit just barely, is weight. The DesertX tips the scales at 465 pounds (211 kg), while the Rally is 2.2 pounds (one kg) heavier.

The brand-new Ducati DesertX Rally can be had in the United States for prices that start at $22,995.

Ducati Diavel family – new model: Diavel for Bentley

The Diavel is the literal devil in the Ducati lineup. The moniker was born in the Italians' stables back in 2010 as the second cruiser made in Borgo Panigale after the Indiana that ran from 1986 to 1990. It too is presently offered in two versions, one being the V4 that was introduced in late 2022, and the other the mighty Diavel for Bentley that was presented at the end of 2023.

The bike is, if you will, a continuation of the Diavel 1260 Lamborghini that was launched four years ago, but also of the Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini that followed in 2022. All three bikes are crossovers made possible by the fact that Ducati, Lamborghini, and Bentley are all owned one way or another by Volkswagen.

The Diavel for Bentley is the first-ever collab between the car- and bike makers, and just like the other two before it comes as a limited production run: just 500 units are ever planned for production.

At its core the special motorcycle still is a standard V4. That means it packs the 1,158 cc Granturismo engine in the frame, capable of developing an impressive 168 horsepower that screams through a carbon fiber dual exhaust system.

But visually speaking the bike is a lot less like a V4 and a lot more like a Batur, the most powerful production car made by Bentley. And that's visible right from where the Diavel meets the ground with the purpose-built forged wheels meant to remind of the ones used on the British-made car.

The side air intakes of the bike have been designed in such a way as to bring back images of the Batur's front grille, while the rear extractors look like their counterparts on the four-wheeled vehicle. The upper side of the motorcycle, namely the front fender, fairing, and fuel tank have been made to resemble the lines of Batur's hood.

A seat in black Alcantara and a paint job in Scarab Green, taken right from the Mulliner catalog, wrap up the looks of this very special devil.

Just like its Lamborghini siblings, the Ducati Diavel for Bentley is not for those who are financially weak: the Italians are asking around $70,000 for one of these babies, or $90k if people go for the Mulliner version of the Diavel for Bentley.

That would be a special edition of the special edition meant solely for people who already own a Bentley car. It has pretty much the same characteristics as the other version, mechanically speaking, but it can visually be specced to look any way their buyers desire. These bikes, of which just 50 will ever be made, will also ship with a matching jet helmet and a technical jacket.

Ducati Hypermotard family – new models: 698 Mono, 698 Mono RVE

It doesn't happen all that often for a breed of motorcycle to be so greatly made by someone that it becomes indistinguishable from the company that makes it. Yet such things do happen, and there's no clearer example of that than the Ducati Hypermotard family.

The range was introduced by the Italians about two decades ago as their take on the supermotard class. It proved so impressive that not only does it soldier on, but it has also significantly expanded in recent years, and it now counts no less than five distinct models. And two of them are brand new on the market, having been announced at the end of last year: the 698 Mono and 698 Mono RVE.

There is one key aspect about these two new rides, and that is the engine they use. Launched in October 2023, the Superquadro Mono engine is the first of its kind Ducati launched in over three decades, making the two bikes the first Ducati single-cylinder supermotards ever.

The 698 in the motorcycles' names is there to reference the displacement of the single-cylinder. Ok, not quite, because the unit is actually 659cc in size, but more importantly than that it comes with a bore and stroke ratio of 1.86, the "most extreme value ever seen on a road single-cylinder engine."

When used on the two Monos the engine develops 77.5 hp and redlines at 10,250 rpm. That's the standard configuration, as the fitting of a Termignoni racing exhaust system brings power levels to 84.5 hp, a value no other bike in a similar configuration was ever capable of achieving. Going the other way, a detuned variant for A2 license holders capable of offering 43.5 hp is also on the table.

The 698 Mono is the base model of the range, and it comes in Ducati Red bodywork with a powder-coated frame. The RVE version is the one equipped with a DQS quick-shifter and is available with a black frame and dedicated graphics.

The Italians have imagined the two new bikes not only as a means to draw in new customers but also as a way for the brand to expand into unexplored segments of the industry. With that in mind, pricing is not prohibitive either: the regular Mono is selling from $12,995, while the RVE will set you back $14,495.

Ducati Multistrada family – new models: V4 S Grand Tour, V4 RS

Another motorcycle name Ducati will forever be associated with is the Multistrada. The breed was born in 2003 as a V-twin-powered touring bike meant to take on similar builds made by Europe's largest bike makers, especially the Germans from BMW Motorrad.

The present-day Multistrada range is made up of no less than eight distinct models, starting with the ever-popular V2. Of these eight bikes, two of them, the V4 S Grand Tour, and V4 RS, were launched in late 2023 as brand-new entries for the 2024 model year. They do share some hardware, but there are things setting them apart as well.

The frame of the V4 S Grand Tour has been designed to cradle the 1,158cc V4 Granturismo, a piece of technology that's derived from Ducati's MotoGP exploits and one of the most celebrated engines in the bike maker's portfolio. The power levels are impressive to say the least, with the Grand Tour delivering 170 horsepower and 125 Nm of torque.

The Grand Tour version of the Multistrada is a demonstration of Ducati's advancements made during the two decades the model family has been on the market. As such it is packed to the teeth with advanced technologies: Marzocchi Ducati Skyhook suspension gear, a minimum preload system to help riders lower the bike, and a long list of assistance systems, including the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD) first deployed on the Multistrada V4 in 2020.

The Ducati Multistrada V4 RS is the top of the range in the family and at the same time a rare mix between superbike and touring motorcycles. It is also the "sportiest, most sophisticated and exclusive Multistrada ever created," according to its maker.

The bike packs a Desmosedici Stradale engine that's not unlike the one already deployed on the Panigale V4. It displaces 1,103cc, and in this application, it is capable of delivering 180 hp when the needle hits 13,500 rpm.

Ducati launched the RS as a sort of limited series, but never said how many of them will be made. To make sure everyone understands its rarity, though, each model's production number in the series is visible on a black aluminum plate installed on the triple clamp and also featuring the Italian flag.

The Ducati V4 S Grand Tour is available on the U.S. market for a whopping $28,395. The Multistrada V4 RS, on the other hand, is even more expensive (and the second priciest model in the entire lineup of new Ducati motorcycles for 2024), selling from close to $38,000.

Ducati Panigale family – new model: V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916

Italians have always been known as makers of very fine sports vehicles, be it on four or two wheels. And their excellence in this field is more than obvious in the way they dominate the world's racing series, but also the roads of the continent with rides built with equally impressive capabilities.

Playing in the sports segment, the Ducati Panigale family has been around for more than two decades now, and it has always made a fuss about its connection with the racing world. One only needs to look at how some of the six models available are presently named: Bayliss or Racing Replica.

The most recent Panigale addition, dating back to the end of last year, is the V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916, a nod to the mighty three-decade-old 916 the world briefly considered to be the most beautiful motorcycle ever made.

The V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916 is a rare apparition on the motorcycle scene because, just like the model it's meant to celebrate, it is a fully faired ride.

The model is based on the Panigale V4 SP2, meaning it packs that bike's powertrain and capabilities: a 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine derived from MotoGP sitting in the frame, and power levels to shame the competition: 215 horsepower and 123 Nm of torque.

What sets the Anniversario apart from the machine it is based on is the color scheme and a series of special appointments.

The visual package was made in such a way as to display the Italian flag on the front of the fairing, and a combination of red, black, and white everywhere else. To top the visual package, the number 1 is proudly displayed on the front end – a subtle nod to Carl Fogarty and his 1998 Superbike World Championship win on the back of a 916.

Mechanical upgrades to the special model include the fitting of a billet aluminum racing fuel tank cap, air ducts for cooling of the Brembo brakes, and a heat shield over the exhaust. Carbon fiber wheels in a five-spoke design top everything off.

Ducati said when presenting the V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916 that only 500 units of the thing will ever be made. At the time of writing it is still up and running on the company's configurator (it only reached dealerships in March), going for $45,995 – the most expensive new Ducati bike for 2024.