Summary
- Features a striking red livery with sporty graphics, Desmo valves, and advanced features such as traction control and a quickshifter.
- Employs an all-new 450cc, single-cylinder engine, equipped with a desmodromic valve.
After a handful of teasers, Ducati has finally taken the wraps off its first-ever motocross bike. It’s called the Desmo 450 MX and marks a new off-road chapter in the 97-year-old Italian brand. More importantly, the aim is to replicate the bikemaker’s prowess in the road-racing world (MotoGP and WSBK). Here’s what you need to about the race bike.
A Stunning Ducati Panigale V5 Render That Will Have You Drooling Uncontrollably
Deep dive into the idea of the next-generation Ducati Panigale with our exclusive rendering
The Ducati Desmo 450 MX Matches Its Road-Racing Siblings
One look at the new dirt bike, and you’ll know it’s a Ducati. It adorns a smashing red livery from head to toe, ripe with sporty graphics and sponsor stickers. This is complemented by ‘Desmo 450’ decals, red fork covers, and a color-matched flat saddle. A close look reveals edgy shrouds in the tank area, complete with aerodynamic cutouts (identical to the Panigale V4’s fairing). Red grips and a muscular front fender round off the design. Considering there’s not much to play with on a motocross bike, this seems like a job well done.
Feature-wise, we know Ducati has equipped the 450 with all the necessary kit. You get:
- Traction control
- Quickshifter
- Dedicated engine maps
- Launch control
An All-New 450cc, Single-Cylinder Engine Powers The Ducati MX Bike
Under the skin lies an all-new Ducati engine. It’s a 450cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder powerhouse, featuring the company’s renowned desmodromic valve setup–the latter being a first for the motocross segment. Desmo valves allow a higher rev ceiling than a conventional spring-actuated valve, which is quite beneficial for small engines such as the one here. Power figures remain unclear–for competition purposes–but the performance would certainly be in the ballpark of its rivals. We’re talking about the KTM 450 SX-F, Husqvarna FC 450, Yamaha YZ450F, and Kawasaki KX450X. An Akrapovic full-system exhaust boosts performance, although the production model won’t have this.
The engine is nestled inside a double-cradle chassis, suspended on fully adjustable Showa upside-down forks and a monoshock from the same brand. A set of 21/18-inch Excel high-quality spoke wheels play the sidekicks here, shod with Pirelli knobby tires and loaded with Brembo brakes. We can also spot a D.I.D chain and a double-sided swingarm, carved from aluminum.
The Ducati Desmo 450 MX Will Go On Sale Next Year
Love what Ducati has done here and dreaming about taking it home? Then, we have some bad news. According to the Bolognese brand, the company plans to spend 2024 learning the ropes of the dirt bike world. It’ll fine-tune the motocross bike based on the results, and then, prepare a production version for you to take home in the second half of 2025. Till then, we advise you to follow the Italian Motocross Championship closely where the MX bike will make its on-track debut. The season kicks off on March 16, 2024, in Mantua, Italy, under the hands of celebrated riders Antonio Cairoli (nine-time MX world champion) and Alessandro Lupino (eight-time Italian MX champion).
Source – Ducati
