What Is The Ducati Desmo450 MX?

A few weeks ago, Ducati finally announced its all-new motocross bike, the Ducati Desmo450 MX. Ducati’s new dirt bike is a bold move for the Italian brand, marking a return for Ducati to the sport and opening up a new off-road chapter. Last year, Ducati announced its plans to release several off-road models in the coming years. Along with this, Ducati has also established a new racing division within its factory, known as Ducati Corse Off-Road. The Desmo450 MX is presented in racing livery that it will sport in competition in the Italian Motocross Pro-Prestige MX1 Championship.

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According to Ducati, the target of the first season of racing is to acquire data and information in racing to contribute to the development of the Desmo450 MX that will go into production in the second half of 2025. Alessandro Lupino will take part in all the tests of the Italian Championship, as well as in an intensive test program in which he will be supported by Antonio Cairoli. The first outing on track is on March 16-17, 2024 in Mantua for the first round of the Italian Motocross Pro, Prestige MX1 Championship.

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The Ducati Desmo450 MX is powered by a 450 cc single-cylinder engine, but specifications and details have not been announced.

At the heart of the Desmo450 is its 450 cc powerplant which includes Ducati’s renowned desmodromic valve system, used on all its sports bikes, including MotoGP. Ducati’s desmodromic valve system will be a first in motocross, and eliminates the need for springs and allow for higher revs from the engine without valve float issues. The engine is housed in a double-cradle frame with top-of-the-line Showa upside down forks and a monoshock at the rear. The Desmo450 MX runs on a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel combination, with Takasago Excel rims shod with Pirelli MX 32 knobby tyres. Braking duties are handled by hardware from Brembo.

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Apart from the engine displacement, Ducati has not revealed full specifications of the Demo450 yet, and nor is it clear at this point of time, if an enduro version will be made available at some point in the future. The official line is that Ducati intends to offer production models based on the Desmo450 to younger riders who will become future customers of the Ducati Multistrada and DesertX line. For now, the immediate focus seems to be to develope a capable motocross bike which will be made available in 2025. Once the Desmo450 MX is proven to be competitive, the next steps will likely be for Ducati Corse Off-Road to enter Supercross, in the US, and perhaps eventually, the Dakar Rally, the pinnacle of off-road rally raid events. Interesting times ahead!