2026 DUCATI DESMO450 MX

THE DUCATI DESMO450 MX

Ducati Off-Road

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, essential, it combines advanced technology and maximum performance to ensure speed, control and pure adrenaline.

Developed on the racetrack, in the Ducati tradition. The Desmo450 MX was born out of a desire to expand and engage new enthusiasts. Launched in 2021, it fully embodies Ducati's development philosophy: to experiment and refine in competitions solutions intended later for production motorcycles.

Discover all the insights.

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


• A wide torque curve to be exploited at all engine speeds


• The power of the Desmo450 single-cylinder


• Desmodromic timing: efficiency and reliability


• Four-valve DOHC

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 new Desmo450 MX is built to offer ultimate freedom of movement.

Designed by the Centro Stile, the Desmo450 MX Factory stands out for its flowing, clean and taut lines, which ensure that unmistakable Ducati signature. Promising grip, responsiveness and speed, the design is pure function.

• FRAME — 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.


• CHASSIS — First-rate chassis: stability, grip and control with which to push to the max. Every element of the Desmo450 MX chassis has been developed to offer precision, control, and responsiveness by harnessing a select combination of materials and technical partners.


• DESIGN — In pursuit of performance and functionality. Centro Stile Ducati has designed an MX bike with clean, flowing, and taut surfaces, making the Desmo450 MX instantly identifiable as a Ducati. The design ensures the rider’s maximum freedom of movement and is entirely functional regarding seat movement, grip, responsiveness, and speed.

ELECTRONICS | At the service of performance

The Desmo450 MX brings Ducati electronics excellence to motocross. A technological package that, for the first time in MX, introduces adjustable Traction Control that can effectively measure rear wheel slip on the ground, intervening directly based on the loss of grip. The package comprises:

  — Riding Mode

  — Ducati Traction Control

  — Throttle Response

  — Launch Control

  — Engine Brake Control

  — Handlebar Switch Unit 

CUSTOMIZATION | Create your Desmo450 MX with Ducati Performance accessories.

With the Ducati Performance accessories catalog, the Ducati Desmo450 MX can be customized with the same components used by the Factory Team competing in the MXGP World Championship with Jeremy Seewer and Mattia Guadagnini. Ask your Sales Advisor at Bob's Motorcycles to show you the many customization options available to fine tune your Ducati's performance and personality to meet your needs.

100% Ducati Racing DNA.

The know-how gained in MotoGP and World Superbike, combined with comprehensive research work and the support of sector professionals, has resulted in the development of a motocross bike that embodies Ducati racing DNA. This race-ready production 450 is designed to provide both amateurs and pros with maximum performance and reliability.

Discover the KEY CHARCATERISTICS:

• Desmo450 single-cylinder exceeding 63 hp — The Desmo450 MX design started with the engine, which flaunts desmodromic timing. The Desmo450 engine delivers maximum power of 63.5 hp at 9,400 rpm and maximum torque of 39.5 lb-ft (53.5 Nm) at 9,400 rpm. The limiter is set at 11,900 rpm, a new benchmark for the category. The engine's ability to run at very high rpm means less gear shifting. In addition, the desmodromic system really comes into its own out of the gate, as the rider goes for the holeshot, pushing to be first out of turn one. The torque curve is very favorable at low revs, improving the drive out of the turns and making the ride less challenging and less tiring.


• Aluminum frame and subframe comprising just 11 elements — To achieve the straightest possible intake duct to guarantee the best engine performance, Ducati has opted for an aluminum perimeter frame with the fewest possible weld joints, achieving the best combination of lightness, reliability, and stiffness calibration. The Desmo450 MX frame is composed of just 11 elements, roughly half the number used in the frames of other motocross bikes on the market.


• Riding Mode — The Desmo450 MX fully utilizes Ducati’s experience in developing electronic control and riding assistance systems. In addition to the two standard Riding Modes, the user can create completely customized Riding Modes via the dedicated Ducati X-Link app, configuring the levels of throttle response, Ducati Traction Control, Engine Brake Control, and launch control.


• Ergonomics for maximum control — An extremely compact bike, designed according to Ducati style canons to maximize the rider’s freedom of movement and bike control. The contact surfaces beneath the seat are designed to provide the rider with references and facilitate their movements, with the textures of the frame’s side covers heightening grip. The superstructures and frame are specifically designed to facilitate trackside maintenance.


• Showa suspension — The suspension and brakes on the Desmo450 MX were a deliberate choice. Ducati relies on the extensive racing experience of Showa, its longtime partner for road bikes. Lupino's debut win at Mantua highlighted the high quality of Showa’s standard materials. The 49 mm USD fork provides 310 mm of travel, while the shock, featuring a 16 mm shaft and 129 mm of travel, is mounted on the cast swingarm. The total wheel travel is 301 mm.


• Brembo/Galfer braking system — The callipers and master cylinders are produced by Brembo, an historic Ducati partner selected to develop cutting-edge braking systems for motocross, just as it does for the road bikes. The discs are supplied by Galfer, single discs of 260 mm at the front and 240 mm at the rear.


• Advanced electronics with Ducati Traction Control —Traction control on the Desmo450 MX is a latest-generation system that estimates actual rear wheel slip by combining camshaft rotation speed with inertial measurement of the vehicle dynamics, thus ensuring intervention efficiency, promptness and linearity.


• Connectivity — Thanks to the Wi-Fi connectivity unit, which is available as an accessory, the user can connect to the bike and, with the dedicated X-Link app, customize the Riding Modes, keep track of the vehicle’s service history, and monitor its status.

Contact a member of Bob's Sales Team for more information.