Motorcycle review: Ducati thinks simple on Scrambler

• Low seat height%2C low weight makes it easy for smaller riders
• 75 horsepower%2C 50 pound-feet of torque makes for a peppy engine
• Starting at %248%2C495%2C the Scrambler is Ducati%27s cheapest model

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Ducati is reaching out with its reintroduction of the Scrambler.

Sure, it may be reaching out to nostalgic older riders who may remember the Scrambler of the '60s. But Ducati says it actually has a target on a younger market and female riders, especially in the U.S.

Women make up 25% of the motorcycle riding population in the U.S., according to 2012 statistics from the Motorcycle Industry Council, the latest available. That's up from 18% in 2003 but down slightly from 27% in 2009. The percentage of motorcycle owners being women, however, is on a steady rise: 9.6% in 2003 to 10.5% in 2009 and 12.5% in 2012.

When I spoke in March with Cristiano Silei, then-Ducati North America CEO and now vice president of sales and marketing at Ducati Motor Holding, he had hinted at a motorcycle being developed with the U.S. market in mind and something that would appeal to women in particular.

That motorcycle was unveiled in late September after extensive marketing. And about three months later, Ducati was ready to debut its new Scrambler in the desert of Palm Springs, Calif., to much fanfare. Journalists and non-traditional media types (emphasis on mobile/social media) were brought in from across the globe to participate. Staged at the Ace Hotel, Ducati also unveiled Scrambler apparel, accessories, gear (for women, too) and plenty of optional parts such as headlight grilles and plaid fuel tank covers. During the presentation, more attention was given to portraying a free-spirited lifestyle than specifics of the bike.

Ducati openly acknowledges that they are not just selling a motorcycle, but a brand. "Ducati Scrambler is a new brand, offering a whole new world made up of bikes, accessories and apparel that provide the last word in self-expression," the company says in a statement. In fact, at the ducatiusa.com website, the Scrambler isn't even listed under motorcycles, it has its own link at the top left of the homepage, which directs you to a different webpage when you click it.

Thing is, it isn't really all that new. Historically, the Scrambler was always built for the U.S. market. The original 250 Scrambler was built in 1962 after some prodding by American motorcycle distributing company Berliner Motor Corporation. The Berliner brothers wanted a motorcycle that would suit American tastes. Production of these earlier Scramblers ended in 1974.

I was among the first group of about 30 media types invited for the test ride. This was the first of three waves.

The ride route was a 130-mile loop from the hotel in Palm Springs up twisty, and at times chilly, State Route 243 to Idyllwild, elevation 5,400 feet. We continued to Apple Canyon Campground for a barbecue lunch at Camp Ronald McDonald. We then followed Highway 74 back down the mountain and into the city.

I'm a small female rider at 5-foot-2 and about 115 pounds. The Scrambler's narrow and short seat height of 31.1 inches made it easy to mount the bike. (Ducati offers an even lower seat, which brings the height down to 30.3 inches.) Its relatively light 410-pound wet weight was very easy to whip around through the mountain roads. Power delivery was smooth through all six gears, with plenty torque from low to midrange revs.

But this should not be considered a "girl's bike," nor is it what I would necessarily call an entry-level motorcycle. It may be Ducati's least powerful and cheapest in its lineup (starting at $8,495), but its 803cc two-valve, air-cooled L-Twin engine still boasts 75 horsepower and 50 pound-feet of torque. Add to that a very sensitive throttle (especially in stop-and-go situations) and there's enough power to get a novice into trouble. And the bike happily hums along at 80 mph on the highways.

By comparison, Royal Enfield's 535cc Continental GT has 29 horsepower and 32 pound-feet of torque. Honda's 250 Rebel (my first bike), had a top speed of around 65 mph and Honda doesn't even list its horsepower. (A quick search around the Web shows people reporting about 16 hp.) A two-door Scion iQ econo-car has 94 hp but weighs 2,127 pounds, over five times as much as the Scrambler.

Still, a sub-$10,000 Ducati is nothing to sneeze at. Like luxury car brands Mercedes-Benz, which introduced the sub $30,000 CLA250, or Audi (which, by the way, owns Ducati) and its $30,000 A3, Ducati hopes to open itself up to more buyers (i.e. a younger crowd with smaller budgets).

To stay within the price target, the Scrambler is devoid of a lot of Ducati's high-tech features such as the Skyhook suspension, Ride-by-Wire throttle or the computer-controlled ride modes. Stylish LED head and taillights, ABS, a USB socket and a digital display are about as fancy as the bike gets. There's no gear indicator on the single instrument panel, but it does have two trip odometers, a trip fuel indicator, air temperature display, clock, a fuel reserve warning light and maintenance reminders.

"Our bikes were going too far in one direction," says Dominique Cheraki, CEO of Ducati North America. The technology, engine size and performance were all headed toward costly, higher-end motorcycles. "We wanted to go a different direction."

Sometimes you don't want or need a bike with too much technology, Cheraki says. With the Scrambler, "you just turn the key and have fun."

Overall, the Scrambler is easy to ride and easy to maneuver at any speed, even for a shorty like me. I had no problems making U-turns and three-point turns, something I have struggled with on heavier, taller bikes. It was also light enough that I was able to save the bike from toppling over after I ran too far up a steep curb and lost my footing.

The semi-knobby Pirelli MT60 tires, customized for the Scrambler, gripped the road nicely and gave me confidence in some of the dirt areas we rode over.

The riding position is upright and comfortable and the hand controls easy to reach. The clutch lever position was a bit wide for my smaller hands, so after a day of riding I did feel some fatigue, but that's something that can be adjusted or changed out.

The single-disc, four-piston caliper Brembo brakes in the front and 245 mm disc in the rear felt plenty adequate for the Scrambler. Granted, I wasn't going 60 mph then mashing the brakes on a wet road. The Kayaba 41 mm fork front suspension absorbed bumps well, but it's no cushion like the Skyhook, so my rear end did feel it a bit by the end of the day. But to me, that's part of the joy of riding, and the Scrambler's simplicity brings a rider back to the basics of why we choose two wheels over four. It's just so much fun.

The Scrambler is available in four models: the Icon, the Urban Enduro, the sportier Full Throttle and the Classic. Variations can be found in the seats, handlebars, exhausts, rims mud guards and more.

Starting price of $8,495 for the Icon costs less than the stylistically comparable 865cc, 59 hp Triumph Scrambler, which starts at $9,099, and the 1140cc, 83 hp Honda CB1100, which starts at $10,399. Royal Enfield's 535cc Continental GT is

the cheapest, at $5,999.

Follow Andria Yuon Twitter and Instagram @sixspeedsis.