Ducati Unleashes the Desmo450 MX: A Game-Changer in Motocross Racing?

Developed by Tony Cairoli (9 x World Champion) and Alessandro Lupino.
Only bike in its category with a Desmodromic engine.
Completely new traction control system, unique in the Motocross world.

Ducati has officially entered the highly competitive motocross segment with the Desmo450 MX, a bike that brings the brand’s signature desmodromic valve system to dirt racing for the first time. This marks a historic moment for the Italian manufacturer, blending its high-performance engineering with the aggressive demands of motocross.

But Ducati isn’t just stepping into the off-road world—they’re doing it with a revolutionary machine that’s already proving its potential on the race track.

The Desmodromic Advantage

At the heart of the Desmo450 MX is its 450cc single-cylinder engine, which stands apart from the competition thanks to Ducati’s legendary desmodromic valve actuation system. Unlike conventional spring-operated valve systems, desmodromic technology uses mechanical actuators to open and close the valves, eliminating reliance on springs.

The Desmo450 MX also offers a very strong torque curve at low revs, ensuring an abundance of power out of corners, with a linear delivery and unprecedented acceleration for the category. This unique power delivery curve, which provides the rider with 70% of the maximum torque already at 4,200 rpm, makes the Desmo450 MX less demanding and tiring than a traditional 450, to the full advantage of track performance and riding enjoyment. This was made possible thanks to the Desmodromic distribution, which by reducing the energy needed to open the valves allows for more aggressive lift diagrams even when choosing large diameters for the valves themselves.

The maximum power of the Desmo450 engine is 63.5hp at 9,400rpm, and the maximum torque delivered is 53.5Nm at 7,500 rpm. The limiter intervention is set at 11,900rpm, a new benchmark for the category.

Chassis, Weight, and Handling

Ducati knew that power alone wouldn’t be enough. To compete with established motocross brands like KTM, Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, they had to create a lightweight, highly manoeuvrable machine. Therefore, the aluminium perimeter frame weighs only 8.9kg and is made up of only 11 pieces, about half compared to the competition, and is composed of cast, forged and extruded elements. Plus, it’s been designed with as few welds as possible to the benefit of the solidity, lightness and rigidity of the structure.

Ducati relied on the long experience in racing competition of Showa to provide the suspension for the new model and made the choice to use traditional springs rather than air for the forks (yep, some MX bikes have air forks…). The fork is fully adjustable, with 49mm USD stems featuring 310mm of travel and Kashima Coating treatment on the stanchions. The shock is also fully adjustable with a wheel travel of 301mm. As for the braking system, Ducati has also chosen in this area to collaborate with its long-standing partner Brembo on the development, also in Motocross, of benchmark braking systems as has been the case for many years on road bikes. There is a two-piston floating caliper at the front, and a single-piston caliper at the rear. Galfer brake discs are 260 mm at the front and 240 mm at the rear.

Electronics

Unsurprisingly, Ducati leant on their experience developing electronic systems for their MotoGP and Superbike machines to develop a system for the MX bike and the Desmo450 comes with what Ducati claims is the first ‘real’ traction control system on a dirt bike, one that is capable of offering benefits in terms of lap time, rider safety and energy saving while riding.

Unlike the systems currently available in the segment, the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) implemented on the Desmo450 MX calibrates the power cut based on the actual rear wheel slippage and inertial measurements of the vehicle dynamics, thus guaranteeing an effective, prompt and linear intervention. This system is able to identify moments in which it should not come into action, such as jumps, automatically excluding itself. Furthermore, if the rider identifies points on the track in which he wants to make use of all the engine performance, he can deactivate the system with a light pressure on the clutch lever. The control will automatically return to operation a few moments later. Ducati Traction Control offers four different levels of intervention.

Other electronics include Launch Control and Engine Brake Control, which, like DTC, can be configured on different levels of intervention and associated with two Riding Modes that the rider can adapt to his needs and the characteristics of the track via the X-Link App. The gearbox is equipped with a Quickshifter in engagement.

Availability

The Desmo450 MX will arrive at selected European dealerships from June 2025, with distribution extending to North America in July, followed by the rest of the world. Ducati NZ estimates the much-anticipated Ducati Desmo450 MX will arrive downunder in September with pricing starting at $17,793.

For further info: www.ducati.com