DUCATI 450 EDS: CHEAPER THAN YAMAHA?!

It sounds like we weren’t the only ones to do a double-take in June, when Ducati Australia revealed that their all-new 2027 Desmo450 EDS – the first enduro model the 100-year-old Italian manufacturer has ever produced – would hit Australian dealers late this year … at a Ride Away price tag of just $17,725!

Huh? Less than $18K? Ride Away price? Are you sure, Ducati?

It didn’t sound right because, as many of you pointed out to us, that price would position this all-new Ducati’s price tag below every other comparable 450cc enduro bike on the market (whereas we were expecting that, like the Desmo450 MX model, Ducati’s first enduro bike would carry a 5-15% price premium over its classmates). And many of you thought the price we published for the 450 EDS was a typo, especially when that same article revealed the top-shelf componentry this landmark Ducati comes with as standard equipment.

But sure enough, Ducati’s quoted $17,725 Ride Away price is correct (“Ride Away Price” includes GST, freight, Pre-Delivery Inspection, and On-Road/rego Costs). It’s consistent with the pricing listed on Ducati Australia’s website, and was subsequently confirmed directly with us by Ducati Australia.

So, what’s going on? How is it that Ducati’s 2027 Desmo450 EDS can be cheaper than its counterparts from Beta, GASGAS, Yamaha, Triumph, KTM, Husqvarna and Sherco (in that order of price differential, as illustrated in the table below)? Is this aggressive pricing simply an introductory offer, designed to maximise immediate impact on market share?  Or is there some fine print we missed?

When it comes to pricing strategy, Ducati Australia has a corporate policy of not providing official comments to media. But they did clarify a couple of questions we asked about the bike’s $17,725 Ride Away price, so we can confirm that:

• The quotes price does not include a derestriction fee. From what we understand, Ducati dealers will charge a derestriction fee (this may vary from dealer to dealer, but will involve around 3.5 hours’ labour) if the customer wants the ADR homologation gear removed before taking the bike home from the dealership; and
• The Ducati Performance Racing Kit will cost $371. Aside from enabling all the features of the bike’s sophisticated electronics package (via the five-LED, handlebar mounted switchblock and WiFi module), this racing kit also includes components for the engine’s intake and exhaust system, 13T and 51T sprockets for race-spec final drive ratio, and an additional replacement silencer (all of which means the bike would be configured for closed-course racing use only).

In other words, anyone looking to configure their Desmo450 EDS for racing, or to enable all of the electronic features (two riding modes, Throttle Response, Traction Control, Engine Braking, Quickshift and Launch Control) will be looking at spending something like $600-$700 on top of the $17,725 Ride Away price tag.

450cc ENDURO MODELS – ‘RIDE AWAY PRICE’ COMPARO

NOTE: 

• Because Yamaha, Triumph and Sherco are yet to announce prices for their 2027 enduro models, their 2026-model prices are listed in the table;
• Beta does not offer a 450cc enduro bike, so we included prices for both the 430 and 480cc RR X-Pro models; and
• GASGAS’s EC450F is no longer available in Oz, so the EC500F model appears in the table instead.

DUCATI DESMO450 EDS – FIRST TEST!

Transmoto’s Andy Wigan has just returned from Ducati’s international media launch in Italy, so stayed tuned to Transmoto’s digi channels over the coming two weeks for a bunch of video content about the all-new Desmo450 EDS. Aside from bringing you our own ride impression, we’ve also got some cool video interviews with this landmark model’s key test rider, Antoine Meo, and project manager, Tommaso Bracco.