2026 Ducati Desmo 450 MX

The dawn of a new era: the first Ducati motocross bike Born to compete, developed on track. The Desmo450 MX is the first Ducati motocross bike with desmodromic timing designed to carry Borgo Panigale racing DNA off-road. Lightweight, powerful and essential, it combines advanced technology and maximum performance to ensure speed, control and pure adrenaline. Engine DESMO450 - THE REVOLUTION STARTS HERE.: The Desmo450 MX was built around its beating heart: the 63.5 hp Desmo450 engine, the first four-stroke single-cylinder with desmodromic timing in motocross history. Designed before anything else, it was the engine that shaped the bike itself, redefining the concept. THE DESMO ADVANTAGE - HIGHER RPM, HIGHER ACCELERATION: The Desmo450 MX engine is a 449.6 cc four-stroke single-cylinder with desmodromic system, chain-driven four-valve DOHC, and magnesium alternator, head and clutch covers. Thanks to desmodromic timing, the Desmo450 engine can achieve 11,900 rpm[MR1] , ensuring greater acceleration and more efficient drive out of the gate. Without the spring of traditional timing systems, the desmodromic system allows for greater control and reduces friction loss, maximizing race performance. More revs, more power, and more chance to grab the holeshot. In fact, the Desmo450 MX snatched both holeshots on its debut in the 2025 MXGP championship. A WIDE TORQUE CURVE TO BE EXPLOITED AT ALL ENGINE SPEEDS: The Desmo450 offers a wide, well-distributed torque curve to ensure drive is always available, even at low rpm. This means greater traction out of the turns and less fatigue for the rider. Desmodromic timing reduces mechanical losses and allows for more extreme cam profiles to optimize combustion. The desmodromic system also affords the management of greater valve acceleration, allowing for higher engine speeds than traditional systems and thus allowing for the definition of more extreme cam profiles with the same valve diameter for a torque curve that is wider and more sustained. THE POWER OF THE DESMO450 SINGLE-CYLINDER: The Desmo450 engine delivers maximum power of 63.5 hp at 9,400 rpm [MR1] and maximum torque of 39.5 lb-ft (53.5 Nm) at 7,500 rpm. The limiter is set at 11,900 rpm, setting a reference for the category. To ensure consistent performance even in the most extreme conditions, the engine is equipped with rhomboid radiators with a 6.5% larger surface with respect to conventional designs. This ensures more efficient cooling, improving performance reliability and consistency without compromising the riders freedom of movement. DESMODROMIC TIMING - EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY: The bore and stroke measurements are, respectively, 96 x 62.1 mm, selected to achieve the ideal valve diameter. The intake valves are in titanium and have a diameter of 40 mm, while the 33 mm exhaust valves are in hollow-stemmed steel and filled with sodium to improve heat exchange. The chain tensioner is hydraulic to offer more precise and consistent action over time with respect to a conventional mechanical system. FOUR-VALVE DOHC: The Desmo450 uses a DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshaft) configuration with four valves for optimum airflow and combustion management. This guarantees an immediate throttle response and more efficient combustion, improving power delivery at all engine speeds. Power is managed by a Mikuni 44 mm throttle body, designed for a precise, direct response, while the steel and aluminum exhaust system with resonator guarantees maximum performance while conforming with 2025 FIM/FMI international racing regulations (109dB + tolerance of 2 dB). SERVICE INTERVALS: The reliability tests use the official Ducati riders as a reference, and all the service intervals are based on their usage to guarantee maximum reliability for both amateurs and professional riders. Despite this, the service intervals set a benchmark for the category. Piston replacement and the valve clearance check are set at 45 hours, while a full engine service is to be carried out at 90 hours. To make maintenance operations quicker and easier, the covers (alternator, clutch, head) do not use tricomponent putty as a seal but rather a gasket, composed of metal for the head and in rubber for the alternator and clutch. NOISE EMISSIONS: Complete with resonator and made from a blend of steel and aluminum, the exhaust respects the 2025 FIM/FMI regulation dictating that exhaust noise cannot exceed 109 dB with a tolerance of 2 dB. Ergonomics LESS THAN 19 LB (9 KG)AND JUST 11 ELEMENTS, FOR AN ULTRA-COMPACT, RESISTANT FRAME.: The Desmo450 MX vehicle was designed to ensure minimum bulk and maximum resistance. Developed directly on the racetrack, its structure affords agility, control, and extreme durability. The aluminum perimeter frame was designed with the minimum number of weld joints to eliminate weak points and heighten structural stability. Vehicle & Design CLEAN AND FUNCTIONAL FORMS.: A necessarily simple bike, where every detail is conceived and designed solely to provide performance and functionality. It features a lightweight, durable frame and a chassis crafted for maximum control. The Desmo450 MX is built to offer ultimate freedom of movement. Engine Type: Single-Cylinder Displacement: 27.4 cu. in. (449.6 cc) Bore and Stroke: Bore: 3.78 in. (96 mm); Stroke: 2.44 in. (62.1 mm) Cooling: Liquid Compression Ratio: 13.5:1 Fuel System: Gas Front Suspension: Inverted Fork Front Brakes: Hydraulic Disc Front Tire: Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft 80/100 R21 Rear Suspension: Twin Sided Swing Arm Rear Brakes: Hydraulic Disc Rear Tire: Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft 110/90 R19 Fuel Capacity: 1.9 gal. (7.2 L) Wheelbase: 58.8 in. (1494 mm) Seat Height: 38.2 in. (970 mm) Trail: 4.7 in. (118.4 mm) Rake: 27.3 Transmission: Manual Final Drive: 3.76