FIRST RIDE: DUCATI DESMO450–THE WRAP

MotoFactory · 15 ноября, 2025

There’s never been a year like this. We are in the middle of a 12-bike 450 motocross shootout and so far so good. We’ve heard it said that it’s impossible to test 12 bikes in one day. That’s absolutely correct. That’s why we wouldn’t even try. This has been days, weeks and months in the making. In some cases, we’ve been riding these bikes for over a year. Five of them are completely unchanged from last year’s 450 shootout. Three others have minimal changes. The Yamaha and Beta have more substantial changes, but we have a fair amount of time on both as well as the new Kove MX450.

The Ducati has an MSRP of $11,495 plus “potential tariffs.”

The newest bike is the 2026 Ducati Desmo450. We have just enough time on the bike now to have a feel for it going into the shootout. Here’s what we know so far. In power output, the Ducati’s strongest zone is in the middle and top. It’s a little sleepy down low, but it really catches up fast. On the Pro Circuit dyno, it peaks out at 57.3 hp @ 9300rpm. That’s respectable–only the KTM-powered motorcycles and perhaps the Yamaha are substantially more powerful. For a look at the Desmo450 from a technical perspective, check out our “Desmo For Dummies” feature.

Measured on the Pro Circuit Dyno. The standard map is in red.

Best of all, it runs clean throughout the power curve. There are no hiccups or coughs and we never stalled it. At the very bottom, it has some on-or-off jerkiness, but you only notice it in super tight, low-speed sections. There are two maps available on the fly and most riders felt it ran best in the standard map. On the well-prepped tracks we’ve ridden so far, it was difficult to get positive feedback from Ducati’s traction control system, which is said to be more advanced than anything yet seen in the off-road world. More testing in varied conditions will be needed to see if it is, in fact, something different. To read more about the Ducati from a technical perspective, go to our Desmo For Dummies feature.

In overall handling, the Ducati isn’t far from mainstream 450s. It turns extremely well once you commit to the turn. But, the stock fork settings (10r, 10c) are soft for most riders. Initially we were reluctant to increase compression damping because it already had a harsh feel in front. Most of that is superficial, though. The seat is hard and the front half of the frame is rigid. It still works better with more compression up front. Interestingly enough, the rear half of the frame isn’t especially rigid.

On the track, the Ducati feels narrow and fairly light. It tips the official Dirt Bike scale at 234.5 pounds without fuel. How does that stack up to the others in our shootout? Here are all the weights as measured on the same scale with all fuel drained:

GASGAS MC450: 229 lb.
HUSQVARNA FC450: 229 lb.
KTM 450SX-F: 229 lb.
YAMAHA YZ450F: 231 lb.
KOVE MX450: 234 lb.
TRIUMPH TF450RC: 233 lb.
HONDA CRF450R: 237 lb.
BETA 450RX: 237 lb.
KAWASAKI KX450: 239 lb.
SUZUKI RM-Z450: 239 lb.
TM MX450FI: 241 lb.

Pete Murray on the 2026 Ducati Desmo450.

There are only a few complaints that surfaced. One is strong engine braking. With some of the other bikes, this is adjustable though a smartphone app. Ducati offers that, but you have to purchase the connectivity unit as an accessory. It also has a tiny fuel-filler and the Pirelli tires were no one’s favorite.

The real test for any new motocross bike, as always, comes when you compare it to the bikes we know well. That stage is coming next. We do know this; Ducati did well considering this is a first-year effort from a company that has never previously shown interest in motocross. Ducati is, however, quite interested in racing, and that’s doubtlessly the driving force behind this project. Stay tuned. The full 12-bike shootout is coming soon.