Latest news with #DucatiDesmo450MX
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ducati Expands Off the Road to Gain New Buyers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For 80 years, Ducati has been known as an Italian motorcycle company, part of a post-World War II product evolution toward affordable, practical transportation. In the years since, the brand has evolved to be a performance champion. For decades, companies including Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda, KTM and Husqvarna have dominated the dirt bike industry. In 2025, Ducati will evolve its lineup further, entering the dirt bike segment for the first time to compete against them. Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock told Newsweek that the move comes at a pivotal time for the company and off-road motorcycling. "There has been a significant increase in off-road racing both on the professional and amateur levels. Competition is central to Ducati's DNA, and with the new off-road models we will launch over the coming years, supported by both a professional and grassroots racing program, is perfectly aligned," he said. The move into dirt bikes has been a long time coming. For many Ducati employees, the passion for off-roading started when they were kids. Chinnock reminisced: "For many of us at Ducati, our passion for motorcycling began with riding dirt bikes as it was also the first motorcycling experience for most Americans (as it was for myself). Expanding into off-road is a natural evolution for a brand deeply rooted in two-wheel performance and racing." A rider jumps with a Ducati Desmo450 MX. A rider jumps with a Ducati Desmo450 MX. Ducati Racing is core to dirt bike brand visibility and marketing efforts, and it is growing in popularity in one of Ducati's key markets, North America. "Off-road motorcycling is experiencing significant global growth, especially in North America. As an example, the new NBC/Peacock live broadcasts of SuperMotocross race events have increased the sport's visibility and reach. With 1.1 million total annual attendees, SuperMotocross connects with a wide and youthful audience. This makes it the ideal time for Ducati to enter the space and engage a new generation of riders as we continue to grow our brand," he said. Ducati plans to enter the market as a premium dirt bike competitor, positioning that aligns with its other motorcycle offerings. "As the aspirational motorcycling brand, Ducati is uniquely positioned to fulfill that demand with a premium motorcycle with a distinct character, exciting performance and built to our exacting standards—offering top-tier technology off the showroom floor at a competitive price making it accessible to the audience," Chinnock said. The first dirt bike Ducati will bring to market is the Desmo450 MX. It starts at $11,495 and is intended for use only in closed-course circuits. Production of the model began in late May at the company's Borgo Panigale factory in Bologna, Italy. The Ducati Desmo450 MX is driven through mud on a closed course. The Ducati Desmo450 MX is driven through mud on a closed course. Ducati "With the Desmo450 starting from a clean sheet, we were able to innovate key components like the chassis, engine, and electronics, leveraging our legacy of performance, innovation, and exclusive technologies," Chinnock explained. The company utilized its paved track motorcycle learnings to influence the development of the Desmo450. "Our experience winning the last three consecutive years in MotoGP has led to the development of groundbreaking technologies, such as the first off-road closed-loop traction control system, ultimately strengthening rider confidence while riding," he said. "The Desmo450 motor is also exclusive to off-road motorcycling, which features our signature Desmodromic Valve System. This offers the rider the ability to maximize every gear at the start and through corners, thanks to its particularly favorable power delivery, which combines torque at low and medium revs with impressive over-revving abilities. The frame is a unique aluminum structure characterized by the least possible number of welds, thus hitting the desired targets of lightness, reliability, and rigidity. The result of these innovations is a motorcycle that delivers exceptional performance while remaining highly rideable for a diverse range of riders," Chinnock said. Ducati intends to imbue each of its off-roading motorcycles with the same level of craftsmanship, precision engineering and attention to detail that the rest of its lineup receives. The Desmo450's "outstanding ergonomics and class-leading power create a motorcycle that is not only incredibly powerful but also intuitive, rideable, and enjoyable on any terrain," the CEO said. A rider drives the Ducati Desmo450 MX around a closed course. A rider drives the Ducati Desmo450 MX around a closed course. Ducati Ducati has appointed 55 percent of its U.S. dealer network (130 total dealers) as authorized off-road dealers for the Desmo450. Its Multistrada family was the best-selling motorcycle of 2024 for Ducati, exceeding 13,000 motorcycles delivered. Ducati delivered 54,495 motorcycles worldwide in 2024, with the U.S. accounting for 6,993 of those.
Man of Many
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Desmo450 MX: Ducati's ‘First-Ever' Motocross Bike Slated for September Debut
By Somnath Chatterjee - News Published: 12 June 2025 |Last Updated: 10 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Ducati has announced the Desmo450 MX; it's first production motocross bike . . The new motocross offering is due for launch in September 2025 with a price tag of AUD$16,300 . with a price tag of . Desmo450 MX is the first model in a complete range of specialist off-road bikes . . Highlights include an off-road spec suspension and a lightweight frame with the Desmodromic engine. As if the Multistrada and the Desert X were not enough to satiate off-road enthusiasts, Ducati has now entered its first proper motocross bike into production. The Desmo450 MX is the motorcycle brand's latest foray into the cross-performance market, offering improved suspension, a lightweight frame and, by the looks of the first images, a heck of a lot of fun. Most importantly, the Ducati Desmo450 MX is set to hit showrooms later this year, and it won't cost as much as you'd think. Slated for a September 2025 release and priced at a cursory AUD$16,300, the Desmo450 MX marks a new frontier for Ducati; one typified by reinvention. A cursory glance gives a clue as to how off-road-focused the Desmo450 MX really is, and the initial reports are promising. Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Desmo450 MX Powertrain Ducati revealed that the new motocross bike has been developed with World Motocross Champion Tony Cairoli and Italian champion Alessandro Lupino, in order to provide the most authentic trail-faring experience. The result is a 449.6 cc Ducati single-cylinder engine with Desmodromic distribution, where the powertrain has been tuned for off-road performance, allowing riders to make use of every gear ratio. The trade-off of this is that the power delivery has been prioritised for lower revs, which means this may not be a tarmac screamer like the typical Ducati fare that we are used to, but something more sinister. That being said, Ducati claims that the Desmo450 MX will still rev upto 11,900 rpm, which is nothing to sneeze at. 'We looked around, searching for the important unique features of our corporate culture and finding what I believe characterises Ducati like perhaps no other company: the closeness between the world of racing and that of production motorcycles,' Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali said. 'And discovering, at the same time, that we have an incredible resource in-house in the form of many off-road enthusiasts in the various departments. All this has allowed us to present the Desmo450 MX: an easy and high-performance bike, for amateurs and professionals alike.' Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Weight is also the mantra for the Desmo450 MX, where its lightweight aluminium frame, whihc measures in at 104.8 kgs, has been designed to have the least possible number of welds. Further, Ducati claims that this is the first motocross bike in the world equipped with a Traction Control capable of precisely defining actual rear wheel slippage. Of course, a Ducati will not be complete without a Akrapovič titanium slip-on silencer, with the robust suspension consisting of a 49mm Showa upside-down fork at the front and a fully adjustable monoshock at the rear. Brake power comes courtesy of Brembo, and the gearbox is a six-speed unit with a quick shifter. Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Desmo450 MX Style Styling-wise, Ducati hasn't strayed too far from the beaten path. The latest Desmo450 MX keeps the angular family DNA that the brand has become synonymous with, and it's not hard to see hints of the flagship Panigale amidst those sharp lines. More of the detail-oriented side, you can expect to find Takasago Excel rims laced with Alpina spokes being wrapped around Pirelli Scorpion MX32 tyres. At first glance, the Desmo450 MX does cut an imposing figure. Compared to the previous off-road-focused machines from Ducati, this is a far more serious product, designed with the singular focus of decimating dirt trails. Make no mistake, this is not a lifestyle bike, but rather a purposeful machine designed with a clean sheet of paper, which is a huge advantage when you take into account Ducati's trademark pomp and glamour. It might be a new segment for Ducati, but the brand has kept its core appeal well entrenched in this bike. The Ducati Desmo450 MX will arrive at selected European dealerships starting from June 2025. According to the brand, Distribution will extend to North America in July, and then to the rest of the world, with Australia slated for a September release. The new motocross bike will be priced at AUD$16,300 ride-away. Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati Desmo450 MX: Ducati's 'First-Ever' Motocross Bike | Image: Ducati
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Ducati Desmo450 MX enters into production. Check details
The Ducati Desmo450 MX is the company's first ever motocross bike. Ducati Desmo450 MX requires a piston replacement and valve clearance after every 45 hours of running which Ducati says is the best in the segment. Check Offers The Ducati Desmo450 MX has entered into production at the bikemaker's Borgo Panigale factory Borgo Panigale factory in Italy. In the aftermath of the second world podium conquered by Jeremy Seewer in the French Grand Prix, the first Desmo450 MX came off the production line. The Desmo450 MX is the company's first ever motocross bike. The motocross bike has been developed for racing by Tony Cairoli and Alessandro Lupino. As of now, Ducati has no plans to bring the Desmo450 to the Indian market because there is very little demand for motocross motorcycles in India. Claudio Domenicali, CEO, Ducati, said 'We looked around, searching for the important unique features of our corporate culture and finding what I believe characterizes Ducati like perhaps no other company: the closeness between the world of racing and that of production motorcycles. And discovering, at the same time, that we have an incredible resource in-house in the form of many off-road enthusiasts in the various departments. All this has allowed us to present the Desmo450 MX: an easy and high-performance bike, for amateurs and professionals alike." Ducati Desmo450 MX: Engine Ducati Desmo450 MX employs a single-cylinder 449.6 cc engine that employs Desmodromic valves. It delivers 62 bhp of maximum power at 9,400 rpm and a maximum torque output of 53.5 Nm at 7,500 rpm. The rev-limiter is configured at 11,900 rpm. It is equipped with a 5-speed transmission having quickshifter that operates solely for upshifts. Also Read : Ducati Desmo450 MX bike unveiled globally, is brand's first motocross bike Ducati Desmo450 MX: Hardware Ducati is employing an aluminium perimeter frame to support the Desmo450 MX. The frame is supported by 49 mm upside down forks up front and a monoshock at the back. The front has 310 mm of travel while at the rear it has 301 mm of travel. Naturally, the suspension setup is adjustable. Front braking is handled by a two-piston floating caliper and at the back, there is a single-piston caliper. Front and rear Galfer brake discs are 260 mm and 240 mm respectively. The motorcycle has front and rear wheels which measure 21 inches and 19 inches respectively and are shod in Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft tyres. Also Read : New-gen Ducati Monster with V2 engine spied testing in Europe: What you should know Ducati Desmo450 MX: Features Ducati Desmo450 MX comes loaded with electronic features such as traction control, launch control, two riding modes, engine brake control and support for X-Link app. Check out Upcoming Bikes In India. First Published Date: 28 May 2025, 17:00 PM IST
