London’s upmarket Bike Shed Moto Show was the venue for Ducati’s unveiling of a pair of concept bikes based on its venerable Scrambler model. Called the CR24I and RR24I, the two bikes could perhaps give a glimpse at what we might expect from some future production machines.
Originally launched in 2015, the Scrambler has been a massive hit. It’s ridden the huge wave of popularity for modern retros and, although the sector has seen a downturn in recent years, it remains a good seller and a formidable entry into the Ducati family.
The RR24I is a more traditional scrambler design, with a hint of Husqvarna’s Svartpilen about it. Ducati’s press spiel talks of a design ‘deliberately essential and material, with strong references to post-apocalyptic Hollywood cult bikes’ and while that’s probably a touch over the top and a bit lost in translation, we kinda get what they mean. The concept bike is stripped back, with designers telling us pretty much anything unnecessary to the function of the motorcycle has been removed. Where production Scramblers are beautifully finished, with clever engineering to cover up any exposed wiring and pipework, the RR24I has an almost unfinished feel to it. Bolts where the tank is mounted and wiring are not only exposed, but celebrated and highlighted, while the tank side panels are also removed.
Tyres are semi-knobbly Pirellis, while the tank rack and two piece seat (with a removable pillion pad) allow luggage to be strapped to the bike, giving the feeling of a bike ready to take on that, erm, post-apocalyptic world. Ducati say the RR24I is only a concept, but for sure the bike displayed in London would not look out of place in your local Ducati dealership. We think it might well hint to something we might see on sale in the next year or two.
The other concept, dubbed CR24I, certainly takes the base Scrambler away from the traditional off-road styled retro you’d normally associate with the scrambler term. It’s a pure café racer design, complete with half fairing, low handlebars and bar end mirrors, which combines a lot of modern touches like the distinctive LED headlight and thoroughly modern 17” wheels, shod with sports tyres, juxtaposed against the Scrambler’s old school steel frame and exposed air-cooled V-twin engine.
Ducati says the CR24I is a throwback to the likes of the famous 750SS and Pantah of the Seventies and Eighties, while also taking inspiration from the classic British motorcycles which started the café racer scene in the early Sixties. It is certainly a more focussed attempt than the Café Racer variant which graced the first-generation Scrambler range.
With the market for ‘traditional’ scramblers seemingly saturated these two variants could well shake things up if they make it into production. Let’s hope Ducati get some positive feedback on the concept bikes, because the bikes shown at Bike Shed look like they could make it into production if the demand is there.
