Presented at EICMA 2022, Zard Sabbia is the extraordinary new slip-on stainless steel exhaust system with Euro 5 homologation that Officine Italiane Zard dedicates to three of the most successful enduro-touring bikes on the market: the Ducati DesertX, Aprilia Tuareg 660 and Yamaha Ténéré 700. Inspired in its shape by the aesthetics typical of the great African rally-raid bikes but rich in innovative elements, Zard Sabbia is the result of extensive stylistic and engineering research shared by the Officine Italiane Zard R&D Team and Centro Stile.

Aerodynamic design: the style of Zard Sabbia

Zard's Centro Stile has incorporated some design elements that decisively define the identity of Sabbia.  The innovative graphic profile and logo are thus printed using a high-temperature resistant screen-printing technique in two colours, with the iconic red line echoing the colours of the Zard logo and the racing liveries of the three adventure bikes. The carbon fibre heat shield, on the other hand, is inspired in its complex shapes by Zard's 'Aero Technology' concept: its edges and curves in fact not only give dynamism to the exhaust design but also help to channel air flows towards the silencer and thus improve heat dissipation from the manifolds.

Performance and Euro 5 homologation

Design therefore, but not only. Developed from experience in off-road competitions together with the Team Guareschi Corse, engaged in the Italian Rally Raid Championship, Sabbia is a slip-on stainless steel exhaust system that is extraordinarily light and resistant even in off-road use. The Sabbia silencer tips the scales at 2.5 kg with a weight saving of up to 4.2 kg compared to the standard unit.  In addition to the weight saving, there has also been an improvement in the torque and power curves, with the latter improving by up to 1.8 hp while remaining within the Euro 5 homologation parameters for road use.

Not just exhausts: the new Zard Sabbia engine guards

As further proof of the quintessentially off-road purpose that guided Zard in designing the Sabbia, an exclusive range of engine guards has also been created.  An absolute premiere in the Officine Italiane Zard catalogue, the new Sabbia engine guards are made of aluminium alloy and provide the necessary protection for the two-cylinder engines of the three motorbikes on dirt roads, with the usual attention to detail and style of every Zard product. Each of the three motorbikes, namely the Ducati DesertX, Aprilia Tuareg 660 and Yamaha Ténéré 700, received a specifically designed engine guard: a clear sign of Officine Italiane Zard's desire to open up more and more to the world of accessories, not limiting itself to exhaust systems alone, as demonstrated by the range of carbon fibre accessories made for the Harley-Davidson Sportster S 1250 or the full carbon fibre fairing kit for the Ducati Panigale V2.