FIRST LOOK: DUCATI DESMO450 MX FACTORY

One year on from Ducati’s Desmo450 MX debut, the Italian brand has gone all-in on the red-plate fantasy with the release of the Desmo450 MX Factory Edition – a race-ready motocross bike built to line up on the most demanding MX gates. Lighter, sharper and kitted out on a premium level, this edition sheds 0.8kg to weigh in at just 104kg, while rolling out of Borgo Panigale with Dark Kashima-treated Showa suspension, an Akrapovič full system and billet triple clamps. Already landing in EU and US dealerships, this is Ducati’s clearest statement yet that its motocross program is here to win. Read Ducati’s full press release on the model below…

With the Desmo450 MX Factory, Ducati confirms its commitment to the off-road world. A project that began with the successful development of the Italian Prestige MX1, enriched by podium finishes in the MXGP World Championship and Tony Cairoli’s historic top-10 finish in the Motocross of Nations, and which now rises to a new level with its historic debut in AMA Supercross.

The Desmo450 MX Factory is equipped with a complete Akrapovič titanium exhaust system with dedicated engine mapping, which reduces weight (-1.7 kg), improves power delivery and offers a fuller and more sustained torque curve. The Showa suspension with Dark Kashima coating on the fork legs and shock absorber body, and TiO superfinishing on the stems and rod, offers improved smoothness and resistance to wear and chipping. The billet Factory triple clamps further reduce weight by almost 200 grams. The skid plate and front disc guard protect against mud and stones, and the O-ring RK MXU chain, the same used on factory bikes, offers improved durability and reliability.

The holeshot device, available as standard on the Factory, compresses the front fork when starting, increasing stability and acceleration when exiting the gate. The WiFi module allows the rider to customise the Riding Modes through the X-Link app, defining all parameters – throttle map, launch control, engine brake and Ducati Traction Control. Finally, the Ducati Desmo450 MX Factory is even more beautiful and evocative thanks to the special Ducati Corse livery, which recalls that of the official bikes taking part in the MXGP World Championship.

Single-cylinder engine with Desmodromic valve timing

The Desmo450 MX Factory engine features Desmodromic valve timing, the system used on all Ducati racing bikes, including the MotoGP Desmosedici. This feature offers several advantages to the Desmo450, first and foremost the ability to run the engine at very high revs, thus offering greater over-rev capabilities and reducing the number of gear changes required over the course of a lap. Moreover, this increases the chances of getting off the line faster than rivals at the gate and winning the holeshot, the coveted prize that goes to the first rider who exits the first corner.

The Desmo450 MX Factory also offers a very sustained torque curve at low revs, ensuring great acceleration out of corners, with linear power delivery and acceleration unknown in this category. This unique power delivery curve, which provides the rider with 70% of maximum torque from just 4200rpm, makes the Desmo450 MX less demanding and tiring than a traditional 450, to the benefit of track performance and riding enjoyment. This has been made possible by the Desmodromic distribution system, which reduces the energy required to open the valves, allowing for more aggressive lift diagrams even when choosing large valve diameters.

The maximum power output of the Desmo450 engine is 63.5hp at 9400rpm, and maximum torque is 53.5Nm at 7500rpm. The rev limiter is set at 11900rpm, the benchmark for the category. Compared to the standard version, the addition of the Akrapovič titanium exhaust, with dedicated engine calibration, delivers a more sustained torque curve between 4000 and 7500rpm and greater power in the acceleration phase.

Chassis

The frame of the Desmo450 MX Factory is built on the same aluminum perimeter as the MX version. This configuration was chosen to create a lightweight structure that would allow the engine to have the straightest possible intake and exhaust ducts, thus ensuring maximum performance. The engineers at Borgo Panigale have succeeded in designing a frame weighing 8.95 kg, reducing the number of welds and achieving the objectives of lightness, reliability and rigidity. The frame plays a key role in containing the weight of the bike, which, thanks also to the high-quality components that characterise the Desmo450 MX Factory, is 104 kg ready to use but without fuel.

The extremely compact frame design has also been studied to ensure the best ergonomics for the rider and, at the same time, quick and easy maintenance in the workshop or at the track, where operations such as shock absorber removal can be carried out quickly. The shock absorber is mounted in a central position and works on a cast aluminum swingarm and a lever with forged aluminum links.

The Desmo450 Factory suspension was developed with Showa to improve performance and reliability for racing use. The surface hardness of the fork legs and shock absorber rod is increased by 60% thanks to titanium oxide treatment and superfinishing, thus improving resistance to wear and chipping from gravel. The Dark Kashima treatment on the fork sliders and shock absorber body increases smoothness, improving the ability to copy bumps and therefore increasing rider confidence. The fork is fully adjustable, with 49 mm upside-down stanchions and 310 mm of travel. The shock absorber is fully adjustable, with 301 mm of wheel travel. The billet triple clamps, made of Ergal and anodised in black, save almost 200 grams in weight. Finally, to bring the look of the Desmo450 Factory closer to that of the official bike, the front axle bracket is also anodised in black.

As for the braking system, Ducati has chosen its long-standing partner Brembo. At the front there is a floating two-piston caliper, while at the rear there is a single-piston caliper. The Galfer brake discs are 260 mm at the front and 240 mm at the rear.

Electronics

The experience in MotoGP and Superbike, where Ducati is a technological benchmark, has allowed the engineers at Borgo Panigale to introduce a genuine traction control system on the Desmo450 MX, offering benefits in terms of lap times, rider safety and energy savings when riding. Unlike the systems currently available in the segment, the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) implemented on the Desmo450 MX calibrates power cut-off according to the actual slippage of the rear wheel, thus ensuring effectiveness, responsiveness and linearity of intervention. This system is able to identify when it should not come into action, such as during jumps, and automatically disengages itself. Furthermore, if the rider identifies points on the track where he wants to be able to take advantage of the full performance of the engine, he can deactivate the system with a slight pressure on the clutch lever. The control will automatically re-engage a few moments later. Ducati Traction Control offers four different levels of intervention.

The electronic equipment also includes Launch Control and Engine Brake Control, which, like DTC, can be configured at different levels of intervention and associated with two Riding Modes that the rider can adapt to their needs and the characteristics of the track through the X-Link App, thanks to the WiFi module fitted as standard on the Factory. The gearbox is equipped with a Quickshifter.

Maintenance Intervals & Accessories

The maintenance intervals have been strategically developed to reduce costs for the customer. Piston replacement is set at 45 hours, together with the valve clearance check, while the total engine overhaul is set at 90 hours, benchmark values ​​for the segment.

Ducati Performance offers a wide range of accessories to create a replica of the Ducati Desmo450 MX competing in the MXGP World Championship. All the details of the works 450 MX are available to enthusiasts, with the sole exception of the official Showa suspension, which cannot be purchased by private riders. The special parts include high-performance rims with reinforced spokes and hubs machined from solid blocks, a racing seat and Brembo Racing brake calipers.

Finally, to complete the Factory look, Ducati Performance offers an entire technical collection created in collaboration with Drudi Performance. The selection includes a full Alpinestars set consisting of a jersey, pants, gloves, and boots, along with an Arai helmet, wind vest, softshell, and Spidi rain jacket.

Availability

The Desmo450 MX Factory is already available, in the Ducati Corse 2025 livery, in the European dealers selected within the Ducati network, in order to provide the maximum expertise and support in the offroad segment. The bike will arrive within January, 2026, in North America and, following, in the rest of the world.

Ducati Desmo450 MX Factory Edition

• Desmo450 single-cylinder engine (449.6cc)
• Maximum power of 63.5hp at 9400rpm, Maximum torque of 39.5 ft-lb at 7500rpm
• Titanium Akrapovič full exhaust
• Twin-spar Aluminum frame
• 7.2L fuel tank
• Showa 49mm upside-down closed cartridge forks, fully adjustable, 310mm travel and Dark Kashima Coating on the outer tube; TiO treatment with superfinishing on fork legs
• Showa fully adjustable (hi/low speed) monoshock, 301mm wheel travel, with 50mm piston. Dark Kashima Coating on shock body, TiO treatment with superfinishing on shock rod
• Billet Factory triple clamp
• Holeshot device
• Cast aluminum swingarm
• Brembo braking system with single Galfer discs, 260mm (front) and 240mm (rear)
• Front brake disc protection
• Skid plate
• Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft tires, 80/100-21” and 110/90-19”
• RK MXU Gold w/o-ring chain final transmission
• Takasago Excel aluminum rims with Alpina spokes, 21” x 1.60” and 19” x 2.15”
• 2 Power Modes, 2 Riding Modes
• Wi-Fi Module
• Riding Modes configurable via the accessory X-Link app
• New generation electronics package with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Power Launch, Quick Shift, and Engine Brake Control
• Piston replacement every 45 hours
• Valve clearance check every 45 hours
• Color: Ducati Corse 2025 Livery