Ducati pull the covers off the customer spec Desmo450 MX motocrosser - and it's brimming with tech
Ducati’s long-awaited Desmo450 MX motocrosser has arrived in a production-ready guise.
Ready to ride – sans fuel – the circuit-use-only machine tips the scales at 104.8kg, while serving up a claimed 63.5bhp at 9400rpm, paired with a peak torque figure of 39lb.ft at 7500rpm.
That thrust, unsurprisingly, comes courtesy of a 450cc single-cylinder motor – standard stuff for the segment – but what is new for motocross is the introduction of Ducati’s signature Desmodromic valve arrangement, seen elsewhere on the firm’s MotoGP and Superbike offerings.
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The specifics of the motor include a bore and stroke of 96 x 62.1mm, with 40mm intake valves and 33mm exhaust valves. The former are made of titanium, while the latter are made of steel, with a hollow stem filled with sodium to improve heat exchange, which increases reliability and consistency of performance.
The Bologna firm says the motor has a particularly high rev limit, which, paired with a meaty mid-range, is a recipe for bagging holeshots.
The valve arrangement, allowing for more aggressive lift diagrams, helps the Desmo450 MX churn out 70% of its maximum torque at just 4200rpm. Ducati also suggests this will make it easier to ride than a traditional 450 motocrosser.
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Easy or not to ride, the bike is already proving to be plenty fast, with factory rider Mattia Guadagnini taking fourth place at the opening round of the 2025 Motocross World Championship in Argentina, using a production engine enhanced only by an Akrapovič exhaust – which is available to customers through Ducati’s Performance catalogue.
Another interesting component of the powertrain is the cooling system, which features twin rhomboid-shaped radiators that provide 6.5% more surface area compared to traditionally shaped units.
Moving on to the chassis, Ducati has gone with a twin-spar aluminium frame arrangement, featuring minimal welding points to increase rigidity, drop weight, and reduce potential failure points.
The whole frame, which weighs 8.96kg, is made up of 11 individual pieces and is said to feature construction technology borrowed from the firm’s Superbike building prowess.
Suspension comes courtesy of Showa, with the 49mm fully adjustable fork serving up 310mm of travel, made buttery smooth by Kashima coating treatment on the stanchions.
At the rear, the shock absorber is fully adjustable as well, allowing for 301mm of rear wheel travel via a progressive linkage design.
This setup was raced by Alessandro Lupino during the entire first part of the Italian Championship, using standard components.
Brembo hardware takes care of stopping duties, with a two-piston floating caliper at the front and a single-piston caliper at the rear. Galfer brake discs measure 260mm at the front and 240mm at the rear.
The brand also claims an industry topping electronics suite, comprising of an intelligent traction control system and more.
Ducati says: “Unlike the systems currently available in the segment, the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) calibrates the power cut based on the actual rear wheel slippage and inertial measurements of the vehicle dynamics, ensuring an effective, prompt, and linear intervention.
“This system is able to identify moments when it should not come into action, such as jumps, and automatically deactivates itself. If the rider identifies points on the track where they want to make use of all the engine performance, they can deactivate the system with a light press on the clutch lever. The control will automatically return to operation a few moments later.”
DTC allows for four different levels of intervention and sits alongside adjustable Launch Control and Engine Brake Control in the bike’s electronics arsenal. There are also two riding modes to choose from, which can be selected via an app, and a quickshifter.
A piston replacement interval is set at 45 hours of competition, together with the valve clearance check, while the total engine overhaul is set at 90 hours.
Customers can expect to see the Desmo450 MX in European dealerships from June 2025, with UK pricing announced at £11,245. North American customer will have to wait until July, followed by the rest of the world.
