Production of the Desmo 450 MX starts

Ducati starts production of the first motocross machine

28.05.2025

Production of the new Desmo450 MX, Ducati's first motocross machine, has started at the Borgo Panigale factory. After Jeremy Seewer's second World Championship podium finish at the French Grand Prix, the first Desmo450 MX rolled off the production line. The celebrations were attended by Tony Cairoli, who contributed his valuable expertise to the development of the bike, and Alessandro Lupino, who took the first victory and national title in motocross at the premiere for Ducati.

The Desmo450 MX has been designed and tested in racing to be powerful, lightweight and reliable. It supports riders – both professionals and amateurs – to reach their full potential, boosts their confidence and motivates them to continuously redefine their limits. A motorcycle that, thanks to the power delivery of its Desmo engine, its chassis and its innovative electronics, allows high performance with little effort.

The Desmo450 MX is the first model in a new range of off-road motorcycles with which the Borgo Panigale-based company aims to open up new markets and attract more motorcyclists to expand the Ducatisti community.

"We looked around and looked for the important unique selling points of our corporate culture and found something that I think distinguishes Ducati better than any other company: the proximity between the world of racing and production motorcycles," says CEO Claudio Domenicali. "At the same time, we discovered that with the many off-road enthusiasts in the different departments, we have an incredible resource. All of this led to the Desmo450 MX: an easy-to-ride and high-performance motorcycle for amateurs and professionals alike."

The 449.6 cc single-cylinder engine with desmodromics is unique in the off-road segment. Thanks to its power delivery, the gears can be better used at the start and between corners. It combines a rich torque at low revs with previously unusually high speeds. The lightweight aluminum frame has been constructed with a minimum of welds, which benefits the strength, lightness and rigidity of the structure.

The Desmo450 MX also sets new standards in this segment in terms of electronics: it is the first motocross bike in the world to be equipped with traction control that precisely detects the actual slip of the rear wheel and detects in which riding phases it should not intervene so as not to affect the performance of the motorcycle.

The Ducati Performance catalogue contains numerous offers to bring the Desmo450 MX closer to the racing bikes of Jeremy Seewer and Mattia Guadagnini used in the MXGP World Championship. The special parts offered include factory components made from solid such as wheel hubs and triple clamps, but also a complete exhaust system, an Akrapovič titanium rear silencer and Brembo Racing brake calipers. The list of available accessories is gradually expanding.

To complete the factory look, the Ducati Performance catalogue offers a complete collection of apparel developed in collaboration with Drudi Performance. The offer includes a set of jersey, trousers, gloves and boots from Alpinestars, an Arai helmet, a vest, a softshell jacket and a rain jacket.

The new Desmo450 MX will be on display at the MXGP race next weekend in Teutschenthal and will be presented live there. In addition, motocross fans will have the opportunity to test ride the Desmo450 MX for the first time at selected events from June 7 to 14. All information and the dates for the test drive can be found on Ducati.de.

The Desmo450 MX will be available from July 2025 at selected dealers in Europe and the USA. Sales will then be expanded to the rest of the world. The presentation video of the new Desmo450 MX can be viewed on Ducati's YouTube channel . The press kit with all technical information and other photos is available at the Ducati Media House .