Pirelli Scorpion Rally, king of the desert, on the new Ducati Multistrada Enduro

The latest addition to the Multistrada family will be on sale with SCORPION Trail II as original equipment tyres but, as an optional fitment, SCORPION Rally which is better suited to off-road use is also available 

SCORPION Rally was created for Dakar and rally competitions in the desert and has become, with the evolution of its tread pattern, an excellent alternative for big enduro bike owners who love adventure

The new Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro, whose dynamic launch involving the international press is happening at the moment in the south of Sardinia, is Ducati’s entry into the world of maxi-enduro. It was born to travel and be unstoppable on any terrain, satisfying even the most demanding globetrotter.

The model is equipped with Pirelli SCORPION Trail II in 120/70 ZR19 M/C 60W TL (D) front and 170/60 ZR17 M/C 72W TL (D) rear sizes where the letter D in brackets indicates a specification developed specifically for the new version of the Multistrada family. The sizes chosen for the new Ducati Multistrada are now become the reference for the big endure bikes segment. For this reason, in the same sizes and as an optional fitment, Pirelli SCORPION Rally enduro on/off tyres, which are more suitable for off-road use and for the needs of bikers who love adventure, can also be mounted.

The modern day “enduro” segment began during the 80’s when motorcycles equipped with a 21″ front tyre began winning the most prestigious African rallies. Gradually, these bikes reached the road in long distance events, meaning the evolution of use reached a parallel evolution of the size of the tyres they mounted: the rear wheels became larger, while the front shrank to 19″.

This all changed in 2003 when Ducati introduced to the market the new Multistrada, a bike made to take on winding mountain roads and competitions such as Pikes Peak. As a privileged partner of Ducati and the Multistrada, Pirelli created the SCORPION Sync, the first ‘knobbly’ looking street sport tyre in 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 sizes.

Now, a decade later, Pirelli will once again be the leader of a revolution in this segment, thanks to the introduction of the SCORPION Trail range in the rear dual-compound 190/55-17 size. This marks the dawn of a new generation of street enduro machines, such as the new Ducati Multistrada 1200.

Meanwhile, the needs of the modern motorcyclist has evolved and the desires of some owners of big enduro’s is to have a versatile motorcycle that allows them to travel in total peace of mind, from the home to the office. This is rather than riders who are increasingly looking for adventure and new directions, who participate in medium and long-range trips that are not only on asphalt but off-road too.

Pirelli, realizing this was an evolution in progress and noticing the emergence of new needs on the part of the motorcyclists identified the SCORPION Rally, which was originally created for competitions, as a product that, with some necessary modifications, could well meet the new requirements.

Pirelli SCORPION Rally can rely on the pedigree of the SCORPION family which carries with it all the experience Pirelli has developed through decades of participation in different off-road racing on two wheels, as well as four-wheel, and on different types of terrain, from soft sand to hard rock.

This tyre has been subjected to numerous tests in collaboration with the best rally riders and teams, and the Dakar has been chosen for its launch due to the results gained from this popular event as well as the characteristics of its very demanding terrain.

The SCORPION Rally range is enriched with new sizes, including those for the new Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro, that have been designed especially for high displacement enduro street bikes which, besides being the preferred type of touring vehicle, maintain a strong propensity for off-road in their DNA.

These sizes were designed to guarantee excellent off-road performance including better traction, tear resistance and less wear on the ‘knobs’, thanks to Pirelli’s racing experience with the 90/90-21 and 140/80-18 sizes. Nevertheless, deserts and wildernesses are far from our cities and in order to reach them, long stretches of paved roads must be travelled.

This is why the SCORPION Rally sizes for big enduro’s were also designed to provide high mileage and excellent road stability, even at high speeds and fully loaded. The rear tyre also boasts better traction while the front capably transmits feeling and safety to the rider.

In the sizes for these big enduro bikes, the tread pattern of the front maintains the same 4-5-4 layout of the blocks with a central prism. The 7.7 mm height of the knobs was chosen deliberately to optimise handling, directional stability on sand and soft terrain as well as increase the life of the tyre. The rear size, on the other hand, has wider blocks with long transversal bridges designed to provide better traction on soft terrain and to reduce slides, so that the rider can have full confidence when leaning into turns.

The primary focus of the structural development was to provide the rider with stability at high speeds, confidence and safety, especially on long range street and motorway trips. Stability at high speeds was achieved thanks to the use of a carcass with ply cords with high thickness and stiffness, differentiated between front and rear and radially arranged in order to provide the optimal lateral rigidity. This helps to contrast the vibrations which are often associated with large enduro bikes at high speeds.

These structural characteristics of the carcass ply also guarantee a vertical rigidity which, together with the use of reinforcing elements for the tyre’s bead, provide a balance between the carcass and the tread which is itself softer thanks to the knobs. The result of all this is a tyre with a well-balanced and reliable performance, capable of providing comfort on asphalt in spite of a knobby tread pattern.

The sizes for large enduro bikes also have an innovative compound, developed with particular attention to the dual use of this tyre. In off road use, the compound is highly resistant to tearing, preventing cuts and ripping which would be even more dangerous when riding on asphalt. Great effort was also made regarding mileage: the tyre now has a longer lifetime and wears more evenly.

SCORPION Rally available sizes: