It’s time. The new Ducati Desmo450 MX bike has hit the market and could cause the biggest off-road upset we’ve seen from anything wearing knobbies in recent years. So grab a snack, and get ready to feast on the details.
The Desmo450 MX, which was developed by Tony Cairoli and Alessandro Lupino for racing, and which did amazingly well in its inaugural races last year as part of its development, is ready for the public to get their hands on. Being a Ducati, there are a few trick features that you won’t find on any other bike.
It’s powered by a single-cylinder 449.6 cc engine, which is nothing new in this category, but the Desmodromic distribution certainly is. According to Ducati, “It offers the ability to maximize every gear ratio at the start and through corners, thanks to its particularly favorable power delivery, which combines torque at low and medium revs with impressive over-rev capabilities.”
Photo by: Ducati
Twisting the throttle will unleash 63.5 hp at 9,400 rpm and 39.5 lb-ft at 7,500 rpm, and you’ll eventually hit the limiter at a scorching 11,900 rpm. If these numbers are correct at the wheel, the Desmo450 MX is putting out 15-20% more horsepower and torque than the rest of the bikes in the 450 class—as if this class needed any more power.
Of course, the hottest question after talking about a Desmodromic engine and massive power numbers will be service intervals, and to be fair, they’re perfectly reasonable versus the competition. Piston replacement and the valve clearance check are scheduled for 45 hours, while the total engine overhaul is established at 90 hours.
Housing the powertrain is an aluminum perimeter frame that was designed to allow the engine to have as straight intake and exhaust ducts as possible for maximum performance. The engineers tried to use as few welds as possible while still keeping the desired rigidity and a structure that weighs just 19.7 lbs.
According to Ducati, “the bike’s weight, which, in a ready-to-use configuration but without fuel, stands at 231 lbs.” Well, I’m not sure what bike is ready to use without fuel, but still, it’s a pretty impressively low weight. The frame consists of just 11 pieces, which is around half that of the competition, and is comprised of cast, forged, and extruded elements.
The compact frame design is meant to ensure the best ergonomics for the rider while still allowing quick and easy maintenance. This is particularly true when it comes to disassembling the shock absorber, which is positioned centrally and operates using a cast aluminum swingarm and a forged aluminum linkage.
Speaking of suspension, Ducati opted for fully adjustable Showa 49 mm upside-down forks with 310 mm travel, and Kashima Coating on the fork legs. These spring-based forks were selected due to their ease of setup for amateurs versus air-based forks. At the rear, you’ll find a Showa fully adjustable monoshock with 301 mm of wheel travel.
Bringing everything to a stop is a Brembo braking system with single Galfer discs, 260 mm (front) and 240 mm (rear).
Photo by: Ducati
The suspension and braking system were going to be difficult to mess up, as they were tried and tested parts from third-party manufacturers. But there’s a world of electronic systems at play in the off-road world now, and that’s an area Ducati had to develop for the Desmo450 MX from scratch. But, to be fair, they had some pretty good places to draw from on their experience, i.e. its MotoGP and World Superbike teams.
The Desmo450 MX features Ducati Traction Control (DTC), which is integrated into the bike. The system calibrates power adjustments based on rear wheel slip and inertial measurements of vehicle dynamics, which is meant to ensure effective, prompt, and smooth intervention.
This system can also recognize times when it should disengage, like during jumps. It has four levels of intervention, but if riders find any areas where they would like to unbridle the full potential of the engine, then a light pull of the clutch will briefly disable the system.
The Desmo450 MX will also feature rider aids like Launch Control and Engine Brake Control, which can also be set to different levels of intervention. Finishing the list of electronic features are two riding modes that the rider can adapt to their needs and the characteristics of the track via the X-Link App, and the gearbox is equipped with a quickshifter.
The bike runs on Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft tires, 80/100-21” and 110/90-19”, and only comes in Ducati Red. It’ll arrive in North American dealerships in July and cost $11,495 in the United States. The only question left unanswered is whether you’ll add one to your stable.
