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.
100% Ducati Racing DNA
The know-how gained in MotoGP and WorldSBK, 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 more demanding riders with maximum performance and reliability.
Engine
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 the history of motocross. Designed before anything else, it was the engine that gave shape to 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, 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 two out of two holeshots on its debut in the 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 9400 rpm and maximum torque of 53.5 Nm at 7500 rpm. The limiter is set at 11,900 rpm, setting a new 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 rider’s 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 air flow 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 aluminium 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 have 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, in 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 aluminium, the exhaust respects the 2025 FIM/FMI regulation dictating that exhaust noise cannot exceed 109 dB with a tolerance of 2 dB.
Clean and functional forms.
A necessarily simple bike, on which every detail is conceived and designed with the sole goal of offering performance and functionality. A lightweight and resistant frame and a chassis designed for maximum control. The new Desmo450 MX is designed to offer ultimate freedom of movement.
8,96 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 aluminium perimeter frame was designed with the minimum number of weld joints to eliminate weak points and heighten structural stability.
Robust and lightweight aluminium frame
The Desmo450 MX is equipped with an aluminium perimeter frame which allows for an engine intake duct that is as straight as possible and with the right incline, to optimize air intake efficiency and hence performance. This layout, in turn, dictated the use of aluminium for the frame, which is designed and built using innovative techniques to optimize stiffness, weight and strength. In developing a frame with limited elements, a “weldingless” philosophy was adopted, as reducing the number of weld joints as far as possible consequently limits the number of weak points, for heightened reliability.
Adjustable handlebar
The Desmo450 MX handlebar is designed to adapt to any riding style, with four positions that allow the rider to find their ideal setup. The handlebar stems are asymmetric so that the handlebar can be assembled in two positions, based on the mounting direction. In addition, the steering plates feature a double hole, to allow for two additional positions, for a total of four.
Contained weight for ultimate control
The aluminium perimeter frame is lighter with respect to steel tube solutions. In addition, the use of cast components allows the amount of material needed at every point to be carefully calibrated to ensure the right stiffness and strength without adding any unnecessary weight. This has resulted in an extremely light frame, weighing 8,96 kg, which significantly contributes to achieving an overall bike weight of just 104.8 kg.
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 di materials and technical partners.
Ducati 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.
Riding Mode
All the electronic controls are preconfigured in two Riding Modes, available as standard on the Desmo450 MX. By adding the WiFi connectivity module, the Desmo450 MX can be connected to a smartphone with the X-Link app. With this app, the user can configure the Riding Modes as they wish, varying the control intervention levels. It is also possible to save the customised Riding Modes in the app and upload them to the control unit depending on the conditions of use. The Riding Modes are managed via the switch unit on the left side of the handlebar, allowing the user to change the selected Riding Mode, activate or deactivate Traction Control and the Quickshifter, and enable Launch Control. The five LEDs on the panel indicate the status of the electronic controls and WiFi activity.Ducati Traction Control
Traction control aboard the Desmo450 MX is a brand new system (patent pending) that can control the actual degree of slip, making a tangible contribution in terms of rider safety and performance, at every level. In a series of comparison tests, the DTC system made for lap times that were between 0”3 and 1”6 quicker, depending on the rider’s level, with an average improvement of about one second. Contextually, the same test carried out on bikes with a conventional system identified improvements of between 0 and 0”5, if not slower lap times. The DTC on the Desmo450 MX can be adjusted according to four levels, with logic linked to system intervention. The lowest levels indicate freer, less intrusive control, while the higher levels are designed to increase vehicle stability. The system can of course be deactivated.
Throttle Response
The throttle response of the Desmo450 engine can be adjusted with two different throttle response maps. With the Smooth setting, the engine response is smoother and more progressive than with the Dynamic setting, which promises more direct delivery.
Launch Control
The Launch Control system, which can be set according to three intervention levels, acts on the rev limiter to help the rider best exploit the engine power at the start. Levels 1 and 2 indicate less invasive intervention, while level 3 ensures safer and more stable behaviour out of the gate. The system automatically deactivates on reaching fourth gear or when the throttle is released.
Engine Brake Control
The engine brake control is designed to help riders optimise vehicle stability in situations of extreme corner entry, balancing the forces to which the rear wheel is subject in cases where there is intensive application of the retrograde torque resulting from engine deceleration. The EB monitors the position of the throttle valve, selected gear and crankshaft deceleration during aggressive braking, and adjusts ignition and ignition advance to balance the torque forces applied to the tyre. Engine brake control can be set according to two levels.
Handlebar switch unit
The handlebar switch unit allows the rider to:
Check the connection status of accessory WiFI module
Select one of the two Riding Modes uploaded to the control unit
Activate Launch Control
Activate and deactivate DTC and DQS
Contact dealer
Contact your nearest dealer for more information on the new Desmo450 MX: you will be contacted for additional information, offers and active financing proposals. Pricing starts at $11,495 and features a lot of tech. Contact Dealer
