It’s a historic moment for Ducati as the legendary Italian manufacturer steps into uncharted territory with the recent launch of its first modern motocross bike, the Desmo450 MX. Leveraging decades of engineering mastery from MotoGP and WorldSBK, Ducati is blending its renowned innovation with the unique demands of off-road racing – a bold move set to shake up the motocross landscape. MotoOnline went in-depth with Ducati Corse off-road technical director Davide Perni to uncover the inspiration behind the project, the cutting-edge technology involved, and how this landmark development marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the brand.

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First of all, I wanted to get your insight on the connection between the Ducati brand and its previous experiences producing motorcycles, and then taking on a project like motocross. Starting with the Desmo450 MX, how much of Ducati’s past experience carried over into motocross?

As you know, Ducati has no real experience in this sector. If we go back 40 or 50 years, yes, there were some Scrambler-type models, but nothing truly like a motocross machine in the modern era. The closest product we’ve had recently was the DesertX Rally, but even that is still far from a pure motocross bike. Luckily, Ducati is full of passionate people from off-road in general. Personally, I come from motocross and enduro. I started riding when I was young, but eventually, I realised I wasn’t going to make it as a professional racer. So, with a close friend, we decided to create opportunities for young riders in my village to race motocross and enduro. We formed a team, and step by step, year after year, we grew until we were competing for four years in the MX1 class – the motocross world championship for 450s – between 2005 and 2007. At that time, we were supported by Suzuki. After that, I moved to Husqvarna, which was based in Varese, Italy, under BMW ownership. I spent two years there as head of vehicle development for both production and race bikes. But I’m not the only one at Ducati with this type of experience. Many of my colleagues, including Hermanno Barbari – who is responsible for vehicle design – are passionate enduro and motocross riders. There are many others within the team who either ride themselves or have worked directly in racing teams. In Italy, we are surrounded by motocross culture. HRC’s Gariboldi team, which competes in MXGP with Tim Gajser, is based in Milan. Yamaha’s Rinaldi team, a key development centre for Yamaha in Europe, is located in Parma, only about 60 kilometres from Bologna. KTM’s De Carli Racing Team, which has managed KTM’s MXGP effort for 20 years alongside Tony Cairoli, is based in Rome. So, Italy is filled with racing teams, riders, and people who understand the sport. Many of those now working at Ducati are passionate about motocross or have worked in these environments. This collective knowledge is a huge advantage. When you practice the sport yourself, you truly understand what riders and teams need.

From the very beginning, we created a to-do list for our Ducati motocross project based on these needs. One of the first major areas of focus was the engine. A key point for us was the engine’s weight, as it significantly affects the total weight of the bike. Just as important was torque delivery. This makes a huge difference, especially late in a moto after 15–20 minutes of riding. Riders need the right torque and power delivery – not just maximum power figures, which are, of course, important, but how that power is delivered is even more critical. We spent a lot of time analysing this because Ducati, especially through MotoGP and Superbike, is very focused on maximum power. But motocross is different. In off-road racing, ride-by-wire throttle systems are forbidden by the rules, so we had to approach engine design with this limitation in mind. This influenced everything – the camshaft profiles, piston and crankshaft design – to create the best possible torque characteristics for motocross use. The second major point was total bike weight and what we call ‘ease of riding.’ The bike should work with the rider, not fight against them. This isn’t just a philosophy – as engineers, we need to quantify everything with numbers. Translating the feeling of a rider into measurable data was a major challenge. We used our experience from both production bikes and racing bikes like MotoGP and Superbike machines to measure critical factors such as centre of gravity and inertia. With the advanced tools we already have at Ducati Corse, we were able to precisely map the three-dimensional inertia of the bike and reduce what we call the ‘ellipse of inertia.’ While these numbers may not mean much to a rider directly, they translate to a bike that feels easy to ride and reacts naturally. Achieving the right balance between engineering data and rider feedback was crucial. It was especially challenging because motocross suspension travel is so large – around 300 millimetres – compared to MotoGP or Superbikes, where it’s closer to 120-130 millimetres. Another key element was ergonomics. When you sit on the bike, it should feel natural, like being at home. Everything – the footpegs, levers, handlebars, seat – must be perfectly placed, allowing the rider to move freely and comfortably. We also paid close attention to the areas where the rider grips the bike, optimising surfaces for comfort and grip. Even small details, like the boot contact areas, were carefully designed to ensure the rider feels completely connected to the bike.

The model is called the Desmo450 MX, featuring Ducati’s signature desmodromic valve system. Can you explain how it works and its benefits for a motocross engine?

The desmodromic system is based on a different concept from conventional valvetrains. Instead of using springs to close the valves, we use a camshaft and rocker to both open and close them. At first, it may seem more complicated – but for Ducati, it’s something we’ve used for a very long time. The system was introduced by Mr. Taglioni decades ago and has become one of Ducati’s signature technologies. This concept isn’t exclusive to Ducati either – for example, Mercedes used a similar approach in Formula 1 engines back in the 1950s. The system allows for very high acceleration when opening and closing the valves, which reduces the time needed for these actions. This gives the valve more time to remain open, improving airflow and allowing more oxygen and fuel to enter the combustion chamber, ultimately boosting performance. Another major benefit is reduced friction. In a traditional spring-based system, energy is constantly spent compressing the spring, regardless of RPM. This creates friction and energy loss even at low RPMs. With the desmodromic system, there are no springs to compress, so friction is reduced to just the moving contact points. Lastly, the system allows for a higher maximum RPM. In a conventional setup, the mass of the valve and the strength of the spring become limiting factors. As RPM increases, the spring must be extremely strong to close the valve quickly enough, which adds weight and additional friction. In our system, this problem doesn’t exist, which means we can safely achieve much higher RPM. I can’t say what our max RPM is on our MotoGP bike, for example, in a production bike like the Panigale V4R, the rev limiter is set at 16,500 RPM – a very high limit for a homologated machine. For motocross, this brings several key advantages. It provides better torque at low and mid-range RPM because there’s less energy lost to friction. Even a small gain – about 1.5 to 2 percent – makes a difference. It might sound minor, but it’s energy that would otherwise be wasted. During testing, we also discovered an unexpected benefit. When riders are airborne over jumps, they often adjust the bike’s attitude using either the rear brake to drop the front or full throttle to lift it. If the engine hits the rev limiter mid-air, the rear wheel’s inertia drops suddenly, which can upset the balance of the bike. By having a higher rev limit, riders can keep the rear wheel spinning smoothly, giving them greater control and stability while airborne.

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Ducati has also introduced electronics like a quickshifter, adjustable engine mapping, and traction control. How important are these systems, and how do they differ from what’s currently on the market?

The quickshifter works for upshifts only – between second, third, fourth, and fifth gears. Downshifts are excluded to protect the gearbox. While quickshifters are not completely new to off-road, our experience from road racing allowed us to create a very well-calibrated system. It’s not just about having the feature – calibration makes all the difference between a good system and a great one. Our traction control is quite different from other systems on the market. It’s based on the rear behaviour of the bike, not just a fixed mapping of RPM and throttle position. Without going into too much detail – because we’re still waiting on patent approval – the system uses sensors to measure how the bike is reacting in real-time, drawing from our MotoGP and Superbike experience. This creates a true closed-loop system that adapts the power or torque of the engine dynamically. The result is significant – improved safety, reduced rider fatigue, and better overall control. Journalists who’ve tested the bike have described it as a huge step forward – the first true traction control in motocross that works based on the real conditions the rider is facing. For Ducati, this reflects our philosophy. It’s not just about building a bike but creating a complete product that includes service, accessories, and rider-focused technology. The rider is always at the centre of everything we do.

Finally, the frame. What makes the Desmo450 MX frame unique, and how did you identify and address the challenges specific to off-road use?

The frame was probably the most challenging component to develop on the bike. Two critical factors were weight and stiffness. We experimented with many concepts, including steel frames and multiple aluminium layouts, aiming to find the perfect balance. Welding is a major issue in frame design – it can reduce material strength and characteristic by 50-60 percent, whether it’s steel or aluminium. Drawing on experience from other Ducati models like the Panigale V4 and Multistrada, we worked to reduce welding lines as much as possible. This led to what we call a less welding frame, with a minimal number of welds to eliminate weak points. We also used a moulded aluminium front section, which allowed us to precisely adjust material thickness in key areas. This process requires extremely skilled suppliers because we’re dealing with very thin material – just 2.5-3 millimetres in some places. This approach lets us add strength only where it’s needed, reducing stress while keeping weight down. The result is a frame weighing less than nine kilograms, which is a remarkable achievement for a motocross bike. At Ducati, every single component’s weight is carefully measured – we even keep weighing tools on our desks! This obsession with weight ensured the Desmo450 MX frame is as light and strong as possible, contributing to the overall performance of the bike.