We don’t always cover motocross bikes here – but we’re making an exception for this, the utterly gorgeous 2026 Ducati Desmo 450 Factory.
It’s an even fancier version of the already-trick Desmo 450 MX machine, with almost a kilo of weight shaved off (now weighing just 104kg wet, without fuel), standard full titanium Akrapovic race exhaust system, and super-posh Showa Kashima-finished suspension front and rear.
The heart of the bike remains the same single-cylinder competition engine, with the Bologna firm’s unique desmodromic valve gear. It’s a super high performance unit: peak power is more than 63bhp from just 449.6cc, which is about the same as we used to squeal about on old two-stroke MX bikes like the Honda CR500 and Kawasaki KX500.
You pay for that when it comes to maintenance though: Ducati says you’ll need to swap out the piston and check valve clearances every 45 hours of running time, with a full engine overhaul at 90 hours. Speed costs, as they say – and only a fool would try and push the life limits of the super-stressed piston in this high-tech motor.
Meanwhile, the Akrapovic titanium pipe fitted as stock saves nearly 2kg in weight, and boosts power and torque through the rev range.
Away from the engine, the chassis has a series of updates over the stock bike, including stiffer, lighter billet Factory yokes and uprated fully adjustable Showa suspension with 49mm USD forks and high/low damping adjustable rear monoshock.
The forks and shock feature ‘dark Kashima’ superfinishing on the fork legs and shock body, plus titanium oxide coatings on the stanchions and damper rod – reducing friction and improving resistance to wear and chipping.
There’s a ‘holeshot’ device fitted as standard for quicker starts, standard skid plate and front disc guard, and even the final drive chain is a special tough RK MXU Gold part, as used on factory-supported race bikes, with even more durability and reliability.
On the electronics front, you get the same traction control setup as on the stock bike, as well as launch control and engine brake control, plus quickshifter. The Factory also comes with a stock WiFi module which lets you customise the two Riding Modes through the X-Link phone app, adjusting parameters like throttle map, launch control, engine brake and Ducati traction control.
Finally, the Factory 450 gets a posh Corse paint job, and looks the proper business.
The new 2026 Ducati Desmo450 MX Factory is out now, priced £13,195. More info: www.ducati.com
Desmo450 MX Factory TECH HIGHLIGHTS
- Color
- Ducati Corse 2025 Livery
- Main Standard Features
- Desmo450 single-cylinder engine, 449.6 cc
- Maximum power of 63.5bhp@9,400rpm, Maximum torque of 39.5 ft-lb@7,500rpm
- Titanium Akrapovič full exhaust which saves 1.7kg
- Twin-spar aluminium frame
- 7.2 litre fuel tank
- Showa 49 mm upside-down closed cartridge forks, fully adjustable, 310 mm travel and Dark Kashima Coating on the outer tube; TiO treatment with superfinishing on fork legs
- Showa fully adjustable (hi/low speed) monoshock, 301 mm wheel travel, with 50 mm piston. Dark Kashima Coating on shock body, TiO treatment with superfinishing on shock rod
- Billet Factory triple clamp
- Holeshot device
- Cast aluminium swingarm
- Wet weight without fuel 104kg
- Brembo braking system with single Galfer discs, 260 mm (front) and 240 mm (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