Ducati Scrambler 800 Icon 2017 — Specifications

Are you looking for a Ducati that won’t make you look like a track rider on every corner? The 2017 Scrambler 800 Icon might be that motorcycle. It is the perfect antithesis of the brand’s over-injected machines, a return to fundamentals where style and simple pleasure take precedence over pure performance. With its L-twin 803 cm3 engine, it delivers 75 horsepower and 68 Nm of torque, figures that speak of flexibility rather than rage. On the scale, it displays 186 kg fully fueled, a weight that makes it manageable, almost relaxed.

Compared to its competitors in the neo-retro segment, such as the Triumph Street Twin or the BMW R nineT Pure, the Scrambler 800 Icon clearly plays the card of accessibility and fun. Its engine, derived from the older Monster 796, is a solid and well-known unit for its character and reliability. The power is there, but it is delivered with progressivity that won’t frighten the novice. The steel tubular frame, the 41 mm inverted fork, and the single shock absorber offer a honest technical base, without excessive embellishments. The braking system, with its single 330 mm front disc and its radial 4-piston Brembo caliper, is more effective than one might believe facing this moderate mass.

The real stroke of genius is its positioning. Ducati understood that there was a need for a machine to simply… ride and enjoy yourself. The Scrambler 800 Icon, with its 790 mm seat height and 13.5-liter tank, explicitly targets the urban wanderer, the one who wants a distinctive style without the complexity of a sportbike. It is also a gateway to the brand, more affordable than a Monster. Its look, inspired by the Scramblers of the 60s, is immediately recognizable and hits the mark. The Dark versions, with their matte black finish, subsequently amplified this success.

But this motorcycle is not without limits. Its price, around 9150 euros at the time, already positioned the machine in a premium segment. The tank remains a little small for long journeys, and the suspension, although sufficient for the city and light trails, is not designed for serious adventure. It is a motorcycle of style and atmosphere, not an off-road machine. For those who wish to personalize it, the Ducati Scrambler 800 Icon accessories universe is vast, with Akrapovič options or carbon fiber elements, but this quickly adds to the initial cost.

Ultimately, the Scrambler 800 Icon remains an important model in Ducati’s history. It has proven that the brand can manufacture an accessible, joyful, and stylish motorcycle, without sacrificing its mechanical identity. Ducati Scrambler 800 Icon tests often highlighted this unique character. For the price of a Ducati Scrambler 800 Icon today, you need to look to the used market, where 2015 to 2022 models are still circulating, offering the same breath of fresh air. It is a motorcycle that does not seek to be the fastest, but often the most endearing.