Ducati has dropped the biggest hint yet that it may be considering a larger engined Scrambler, possibly an 1100cc, at the recent launch of the Scrambler Sixty2 in Barcelona.
The Scrambler range has been the success that Ducati was hoping for, with the bike proving very popular around the world.
There are currently 7 variants of the Ducati Scrambler, including the limited edition Italia Independent, but the company has made it clear it wants to create more models.
Ducati has suggested there are possibilities of expanding the range even further with the current engines, but that there is room in the range for other engine capacities as well.
The largest engine currently used in the Scrambler range is the 800cc Desmodue that has been retuned for 55 kW and 68 Nm.
The 400cc engine in the Sixty2 is derived from that same engine but has a reduced bore and stroke. It produces 30.2 kW and 34.6 Nm.
Despite the “Sixty2” being a reference to the 1962 250cc Scrambler, a smaller engine variant than the 400cc has been ruled out and the Sixty2 will remain the entry level machine.
The larger engine is likely to be an 1100cc but not a variant of the high performance powerplants used in Ducati’s sports bike range because it would not fit with the two-valve, air-cooled engine philosophy of the Scrambler.
Instead, the most likely engine choice would be the 1100cc Desmodue Evoluzione that was last used in the Monster EVO in 2013.
That engine would need some re-working to ensure it met Euro 4 emissions standards, but that would probably be a more viable option than designing a new engine from scratch.
Whether the added capacity, power and weight of a bigger engine would appeal to the market or detract from the Scrambler heritage is something Ducati is certain to consider.