Ducati's DesertX is the most recent evocation in the rapidly growing neo-retro adventure bike segment. If a few years ago, you could say that ADV bikes were rather devoid of style and personality, it's clear that this is no longer the case. Rally-inspired adventure bikes such as the Yamaha Tenere 700, MV Agusta Lucky Explorer, and of course, the Ducati DesertX, breathe new life to the ADV segment.
As such, it's not surprising that the Ducati DesertX has gained considerable traction among ADV enthusiasts and Ducatisti alike. Naturally, when a bike is popular, aftermarket support grows at a rapid pace, too, and just a few months after hitting the market, nearly all aftermarket manufacturers have upgrades and accessories just for the DesertX. Take for example, Italian exhaust manufacturer HP Corse, who has just dropped a shiny new exhaust system for Ducati's rally-ready adventurer.
It's called the SP-1 Evo Short, and it tidies things up out back while marginally increasing performance, and of course, providing the much-desired sound of a raw, powerful L-twin engine. The exhaust itself sees the Dakar Rally as its inspiration, and keeps things simple with an oval canister and a slightly bent outlet spout. A removable dB killer is installed onto the outlet spout, allowing the pipe to conform to noise regulations. The body of the muffler has HP Corse's logo subtly laser etched, while the entire exhaust system is finished in a silver titanium color.
HP Corse's SP-1 Evo Short for the Ducati DesertX is available in two options—a standard low mount and a high mount. The low mount makes use of the bike's stock mid-pipe and catalytic converter, allowing you to run it in compliance with Euro 5 regulations. However, if you opt for the high-mount, you'll need to install the decat pipe which would inevitably render the bike non-compliant with the latest emissions regulations. As for pricing, the standard setup retails for 588 Euros, or the equivalent of $574, while the high-mount version goes for 641 Euros ($626) plus the decat pipe for 399 Euros ($390).
