Ducati rolled out a bit of a surprise at the recent Verona Motor Bike Expo in Italy. The company held an exclusive presentation of three Ducati Scrambler specials. They’re the first creations of what Ducati says are starting points for further joint projects. The aim was to highlight the Ducati Scrambler’s versatility and infinite customization potential.
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ight from the day of its unveiling at Intermot in Cologne, the Scrambler was all over the internet and within just a few hours and had numerous customization proposals from enthusiasts all over the world. The bikes on display at the Motor Bike Expo were created by Deus Ex Machina, Officine Mermaid and Mr. Martini, who interpreted the Full Throttle, Urban Enduro and Classic versions of the Ducati Scrambler, respectively.
The three custom builders were free to interpret one of the three versions of the Ducati Scrambler according to their own personal style. Deus Ex Machina from Milan put forward their idea for the Full Throttle; Officine Mermaid from Milan interpreted the Urban Enduro in their own special way, while Mr. Martini from Verona created their very own Classic. The three original bikes were meticulously designed and built to the standards of Italian workmanship to show the vast potential for customization.
Filippo Bassoli, MD of Deus Italy: “The main focus was on the aluminum bodywork, with a single-piece tail, number-plate support and a headlight inspired by speedway bikes. An asymmetric mudguard completes the project, together with lots of little
details such as the positioning of the conic filter within the frame, the disc brake and, of course, the dedicated exhaust. The name however comes from Carby, creative director of Deus Australia, who was in Milan at the time.”
Nicola Martini, Mr. Martini: “Thanks to the bike’s versatility, I decided to revolutionize the basic concept, from Ducati Scrambler to Cafe Racer. The style is reminiscent of American rather than British design, owing partly to the fact that the
roots of the original Ducati Scrambler project date from the seventies. Although the style is that of a Cafe Racer, this bike has a combination of elements that make it unique. Details such as the high exhaust and knobby tire retain a decidedly Scrambler flavor. This fusion gave our bike its name: S.C.R. – Scrambler Cafe Racer. We’ve changed the nose fairing, the tail-piece, the whole of the exhaust, the foot-peg and handlebar mountings and the rear suspension unit and have, of course, given the bike a new color. The Scrambler Cafe Racer is in ‘total black’ including the saddle, undertail and timing belt covers.”
Dario Mastroianni, Officine Mermaid: “We decided to customize the Ducati Scrambler because we immediately earmarked it as a uniquely convertible Italian bike. We’ve infused it with our unmistakeable Officine Mermaid style, with a kind of rough-and-ready look that’s spartan and basic. We named it using the English word Scratch, to convey the idea of it being scraped or damaged. This can 
be seen straight away from the fuel tank, which we stripped of paint and treated by hand – a procedure we use only on our most exclusive bikes. The metal mudguards have been left rough (a bit like us) and then hand-brushed at the workshop. We’ve left only what is essential on the bike – anything that wasn’t necessary has been eliminated. Even the exhaust, for example, while derived from the original, has been reduced to a minimum. For the front we’ve chosen a traditional stanchion fork with a wide 21” wheel and an 18” wheel at the back, while the saddle and handlebars are made of vintage green leather with a decidedly Western style. Our Scratch has a main rally-style headlight and a smaller lateral spotlight.”
The Scrambler has a huge range of accessories that can be used to make the bike both original and highly personal. The Ducati Scrambler Icon, available in yellow and red, is joined by three other versions – Urban Enduro, Full Throttle and Classic – which interpret the spirit of the Ducati Scrambler in different stylistic and functional ways. The Urban Enduro, with its Wild Green color scheme is aimed at those who love the enduro style and are ready to switch from road to off-road in an instant; the Full Throttle is for the rider who’s fascinated by the flat track racing world and has a penchant for pushing things to the limit while the Classic is for those who love the details and style of the ’70s but don’t want to forgo the riding pleasure and comfort of a contemporary bike.
