Yes, Ducati Does Make A Dirt Bike - Here's What The Desmo450 MX Has To Offer

Ducati is a major motorcycle brand known for its exotic bikes, but the manufacturer broke into the dirt bike game with the debut of the Desmo450 MX. In 2023, Ducati announced it was entering the off-road market with this bike, and it was going to add more motorcycles to the line as the years go on.

The Desmo450 MX is the first bike to join the lineup, and it's already turning heads. In March 2024, the Desmo450 MX competed for the first time at the Italian Motocross Championship where it was victorious in its debut. Of course, rider Alessandro Lupino has a lot to do with the success, but it shows this new Ducati bike is more than capable of hanging with the competition.

While the bike has already competed in races, it's not for sale just yet so don't expect to roll into the dealership and ride away with one. As of right now, it's expected to go on sale in the second half of 2025, so seeing the results of races is the only way to get a glimpse at how it performs so far.

Powering the Desmo450 MX is a racing engine at heart, but it has the durability of a street-legal one. Its racing performance shows this is a strong performer, and while the average rider won't be in situations like that, it has proven it's up to the task if it presents itself. The added durability helps cut back on maintenance costs in the long run, which ends up saving the buyer money — something nobody will ever complain about. If everything goes according to plan, this could end up being one of the best Ducati motorcycles ever made.

Ducati has said the goal of this bike is to offer a lightweight bike that still pushes boundaries thanks to broad power delivery. Ducati is known for developing a strong, steel frame for its bikes, but the Desmo450 ditches that in favor of an aluminum chassis. There are some benefits to this change, and the big one is more buckling resistance.

There's currently no MSRP listed, and it might be over a year before we find out what it'll cost to pick one up. We know the bike plans to compete in the 450cc range due to its name, so something like the Honda CRF450R could potentially be a bike we compare the Ducati bike to. The Honda's MSRP is $9,699, but Ducati bikes have typically been far more expensive that the competition due to factors like proven racing performance and name value.