2026 Ducati Desmo450 MX First Look
Ducati’s Desmo450 MX will arrive at V1 MOTO in July.
Back in 1971, the Italian ISDT team decided to try the potential advantages of desmodromic valve actuation and asked Ducati to create an ISDT bike equipped with the historic 450 desmo engine. Enter the Ducati 450 R/T. Delivering 38 hp and proving totally indifferent to the abuse of extreme off-road competition, the engine was a very positive element. The chassis was big and tall and demanded a very strong rider to fully exploit the potential of the bike. Only three of the Italian ISDT competitors earned the gold medal, and the Ducati 450 R/T turned into an extroverted alternative to the Scrambler. But it had only minor success, with only 450 units built.
In recent years the mighty Multistrada set foot on friendly dirt trails at the most, with the DesertX getting a little tougher and competent in the moderate off-road use. Then, about two years ago, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali decided that it was time for the Borgo Panigale company to rise to the challenge of real off-road and launched the development program for a motocross model.
It all started from a white sheet of paper, and Ducati was assisted by nine-time World Motocross Champion Tony Cairoli and Italian champion Alessandro Lupino. The two took part in the definition of the main guidelines to obtain a competitive bike and then raced the prototype bikes since there is no better test and development terrain than real competition.
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The Desmo450 MX is the first dirt-only Ducati since the 450 R/T of the early ’70s.
The bikes proved extremely competitive from the start, strong and easy to handle even on the most demanding ground. The desmo engine is claimed to be a big advantage over the traditional “spring valve” units.
Desmo450 MX Engine
The engine is a highly oversquare (96.0mm bore x 62.1mm stroke) liquid-cooled unit that is very logically derived from the vast experience that the Ducati technical team gathered from generations of racing and production bikes on roadracing tracks and road.
The desmodromic valve train is capable of handling very high valve lift reliability. This fundamental evolution of the desmo valve train, due to former Chief Project Engineer Gigi Mengoli, delivers precision and absence of valve float to extract more torque and power, in addition to the ability to exploit forbidden rotation limits. The new Desmo450 MX unit delivers a claimed 63.5 hp at 9400 rpm with 39.5 lb.-ft. at 7500 rpm. The engine can be safely revved to 11,900 rpm.
As the numbers underline, the engine is tuned to maximum torque and flexibility, thanks to high valve lift and moderate timing overlap. On the other hand, the valve size is generous, with 40mm titanium inlet valves and 33mm stainless steel exhaust valves, which feature hollow valve stems filled with sodium for optimal heat transfer. Dual overhead cams are chain driven.
Nine-time World Motocross Champion Tony Cairoli was instrumental in the development of the Desmo450 MX.
The Desmo450 MX breathes through a 44mm Mikuni throttle body with Keihin injector; Ducati applied its experience in electronics to Desmo450 MX developing a traction control system specifically for motocross. It senses rear wheel slippage and the inertia of the vehicle dynamics and calibrates the power delivery accordingly with linear intervention. The system is able to identify the moments when it should not activate, like jumps, and it can also be temporarily deactivated by the rider by a light touch on the clutch lever.
The Ducati Traction Control system offers four levels of intervention. The electronics suite also includes launch control, engine-brake control, which can be configured in different levels of intervention, and the rider also can select two riding modes. The six-speed gearbox can be shifted without a clutch as it comes complete with a quickshifter.
Engine temperature control was a major issue, and to keep it at safe levels under the most grueling conditions, special rhomboidal liquid radiators have been developed. Testing confirmed that they ensure lower temperatures compared to the traditionally shaped ones.
The chassis has been developed in order to grant the best possible configuration to the inlet and exhaust ducts, and an Akrapovič exhaust system is available. Maintenance intervals establish that the piston must be replaced every 45 hours and the same time is requested between valve adjustments. Total engine overhaul is every 90 hours.
Desmo450 MX Chassis
The chassis is based on an aluminum frame featuring a twin-spar upper section that directly connects the steering head to the rear shock absorber mount. The main section of the frame is die cast, for minimum weight of just 20 pounds, The frame is made of only 11 components and the whole bike weighs 231 pounds. The chassis spans a 58.8-inch wheelbase with a rake of 27.3 degrees with a trail of 4.7 inches.
Suspension consists of a 49mm Showa upside-down fork with 310mm (12.2 inches) of travel; the shock absorber is also a Showa unit with 301mm (11.9 inches) of travel. Both suspension units are fully adjustable.
MSRP for the 2026 Ducati Desmo450 MX is set at $11,495.
The Ducati Desmo450 MX rolls on Takasago Excel rims with Alpina spokes, shod with Pirelli Scorpion MX32 in 80/100-21 front and 110/90-19 measurements. Braking is handled by a single 260mm Galfer front disc teamed to a Brembo twin-piston floating caliper, and a 240mm rear Galfer disc is matched to a single-piston Brembo caliper.
Desmo450 MX will arrive in North American Ducati dealers July 2025; MSRP is $11,495.