Ducati Desmo450 MX

The weather was hot in Bengaluru, and I was constantly hydrating myself. Breathing heavily, I was gently massaging my aching arm and calf muscles after the four physically demanding sessions on this thoroughbred motocross bike around BigRock’s dirt track. I was mentally and physically too exhausted to go for the fifth and final session.

However, when a Ducati representative asked our batch whether we were ready to go for it once again, I was probably the first one to jump to my feet, grab my helmet and gloves, and walk towards the bike. After all, I might never get another chance to ride a bike as special as this - the Desmo450 MX, Ducati’s first-ever motocross machine that has already won multiple accolades in competitions overseas. I wanted to experience every bit of this opportunity.

The Desmo450 MX not only matches its rivals in terms of technology and equipment, but also outdoes them in some areas. Ducati takes a lot of pride in the fact that things like ride modes and engine brake control aren’t available in any other motocross bike. It also gets other crucial electronic aids such as launch control, traction control, and quick shifter (upshift only). Each of these functions can be activated/deactivated via a small control module on the handlebar while the ride modes can be individually configured through the Ducati X-Link mobile application which, along with the WiFi module, needs to be bought separately. Interestingly, the app also suggests optimum suspension settings for the rider’s weight.

What’s more mind-boggling about the Desmo450 is its engine and frame, which are among the lightest in this class. The 449.6cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine weighs just 26.8kg, courtesy of premium internal components. It comprises Ducati’s Desmodromic timing system and produces 62.6bhp and 53.5Nm of torque. This unit comes paired with a five-speed gearbox. Now, what makes these numbers further impressive is the wet weight (no fuel) of just 104.8kg, bestowing it with a terrific power to weight ratio.

The frame, again, is one of the lightest at just 8.9kg and it comprises 11 elements only; Ducati says fewer welds means fewer weak points. It works in unison with a cast aluminium swingarm and fully-adjustable Showa suspension at both ends. The front USDs are closed cartridge 49mm units with a staggering 310mm of travel, while the rear monoshock gets progressive linkage and offers 301mm of travel. The 21-19-inch spoke wheel setup comes shod with purposeful Pirelli Scorpion MX32 knobbies.

At a quick glance, the Desmo450 MX looks like any other dirt bike with a tall stance and minimalistic bodywork. However, look at it closely and the Ducati DNA starts coming to the fore. The attention to details with cuts and creases on the panels is typical of bikes from the Italian marquee. And courtesy of the red paint scheme and bold “Ducati” branding in several places, the Desmo can’t go unnoticed or mistaken for any other brand. And just like its road-going siblings, the quality is top-notch for a motocross machine. The Kashima coating on the front forks, magnesium engine cover, and welds and cuts on the frame and swingarm seem to have been executed with utmost precision.

The 970mm of seat height made me super nervous when I looked at the spec sheet of the Desmo450 MX. However, as they say, you don’t ride the spec sheet. While swinging my leg over the bike was a bit challenging, the narrow design of the bike and the suspension sag made tip-toeing on both sides easily doable for my 5’11’’ frame. As I thumbed the starter, the loud, brappy, and characterful acoustic of the Desmo450 plastered a smile on my face instantly. But that immediately turned into a fearful scream inside the helmet as I gassed my way out on BigRock’s motocross track.

Nothing can prepare you for the punch that its 449cc single offers, especially if you’re new to riding a pure dirt bike. Slight blip of the throttle and it greeted me with little wheelies in the first two gears on straights. And given the tight layout of the track and my slow pace, I never went into third gear. Every time I was about to reach the redline of the second cog, the bike had already catapulted itself frantically to reach the next berm or whoop. In fact, I tried being in the first gear most of the time in the first session and ended up overshooting jumps, scaring myself out to the core.

When I started getting comfortable with the bike after the first two sessions, the chassis’ compliant nature started making itself noticeable. I started being a bit more aggressive while going around bends or jumping over crests and the bike did not protest whatsoever, making me realise I was not even remotely close to its limits. And the faster you go, the deeper the tyres dig in to offer tremendous grip and confidence. At times, I even went hard on the rear brake but the immense tyre grip and long wheelbase always had my back and kept the slides in control.

The fourth session saw me act ballsy and turn the traction control off. This caused me to overshoot a slide around a flat corner and chop the throttle off abruptly, which made me almost run into a photographer standing close by. And mind you, all of this was in Rider 1 mode, which is supposed to be the more conservative one. Almost none of the journos, including myself, tried switching to the Rider 2 mode which is meant for a more grip-rich damp track and, of course, for more skilled riders.

The only small issue I faced during the ride, besides my lack of fitness and skills, is the clunky nature of the quick shifter which would, at times, require some effort or multiple attempts to upshift. Even the front brake offered too sharp a bite which took me aback by easily locking up the front and almost having a low slide on multiple occasions.

The Ducati Desmo450 MX costs Rs. 17.23 lakh, ex-showroom. And if you opt to kit it up with all the official accessories, you’d end up paying over Rs. 3 lakh extra, with the titanium Akrapovic exhaust being the most expensive at Rs. 2.78 lakh. Then there’s the limited availability as the motorcycle is available in four cities across India – Pune, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore.

The Desmo450 MX is everything a motocross machine is supposed to be – light, compact, punchy, a tad demanding, but also profoundly capable around a dedicated track. In terms of technology, it is also slightly more contemporary than its contenders. Yes, that price tag certainly makes the Desmo450 MX too expensive a proposition, especially when you consider its rivals like the KTM 450 SX-F and Kawasaki KX450, which are significantly more affordable. But that’s the case with all Ducatis – they are unapologetically expensive, mainly due to the feeling of owning something special that they evoke, which no other brand can match.