In July 2023, Ducati announced that it had done something extremely impressive with the DesertX. Each year, the Tatts Finke Desert Race is a tough, gruel off-road event that spans two days in the Northern Territories in Australia. To test the limits of the DesertX’s capabilities, Ducati product specialist and Ducati Riding Experience Adventure Academy chief instructor Nick Selleck planned to go from the town of Alice Springs to Finke and back—all on a single tank of fuel.
The total distance for this trek was 460 kilometers—or just a hair under 286 miles. The Ducati DesertX in question was kept entirely stock and was not modified to accommodate a larger fuel tank for the journey. Now, talking about this in August 2023, the journey is done—and Ducati was proud to announce that Selleck had done it.
If you’re thinking that’s cool, but you really wish that you could see it on video, you’re in luck. Ducati recorded video of the feat, which it’s been busy assembling into a documentary film that it’s calling Un-Finkeable. While the full film isn’t available just yet, the official trailer is now here to help whet your appetite.
The trailer captures both the wild beauty and the hardcore nature of the terrain, as well as the capability of the DesertX as Selleck pilots it over the course. Most types of racing take a toll on the rider that is both physical and mental. While this may not be a traditional race, it’s most definitely a race against the clock—and while we can’t speak to what was going through Selleck’s head as he rode, it seems most likely that the adrenaline was high.
If you were wondering about the history of the Finke Desert Race, it’s been going on every year since 1976. At first, it started out with a small group of motorbike riders, but then expanded after the first year was a success. By 1988, the event introduced cars and off-road buggies. Together with the motorbikes, both two- and four-wheeled vehicles began to compete for the ultimate title of “King of the Desert” before eventually having winners awarded in different categories.
For those interested in experiencing the Finke Desert Race for themselves, it takes place during the second weekend of June every year. Check out the official Finke Desert Race link in our Sources for more information.
