The new Desmo450 SM takes the MX platform and turns it into a dedicated, ready-to-race supermoto. And this isn’t simply a motocross bike with slicks and a big front brake bolted on. Ducati has gone deep, developing specific suspension, wheels, brakes, gearing, clutch and electronics to create a machine designed for the unique demands of supermoto racing.
The foundations remain the lightweight aluminium twin-spar frame and 449.6cc single-cylinder Desmo engine. With 63.5bhp at 9,400rpm, 53.5Nm at 7,500rpm and an 11,900rpm rev limit, it packs serious punch for a 450. Ducati reckons the desmodromic valve gear also helps deliver a broad, sustained torque curve, with 70 per cent of peak torque available from just 4,200rpm. The chassis gets suitably serious, too. A 49mm fully adjustable Showa closed-cartridge fork offers 280mm of travel, while the matching Showa shock provides 295mm at the rear. Both have dedicated supermoto settings, with the wider-spaced CNC-machined yokes helping provide the necessary support on tarmac without compromising its ability to deal with off-road sections.
Then there are the wheels. The Desmo450 SM runs a 16.5-inch front and 17-inch rear, wrapped in Metzeler Racetec Slick SM rubber – the same specification used in the World Supermoto Championship. The Bartubeless system removes the inner tubes, saving 1.2kg of rotating and unsprung mass. Braking comes courtesy of Brembo, with a Stylema radial caliper biting a 310mm Galfer floating disc up front, while a 240mm Galfer disc and Brembo caliper handle the rear.
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There’s plenty of electronic wizardry, too. Ducati’s patented traction control has been specifically developed for supermoto and can estimate actual rear-wheel slip, with four levels of intervention. There’s also Power Launch, two-stage engine-braking control, an upshift quickshifter and two configurable Riding Modes. The Suter slipper clutch is another interesting addition, specifically calibrated to help riders manage the rear-end slides that are all part of the supermoto game.
And because this is a race bike, you’ll need to keep an eye on the hours. Oil changes are required every 15 hours, with valve checks and piston replacement from 45 hours, while a full engine overhaul is scheduled around 90 hours, depending on usage and engine stress. The Desmo450 SM arrives at selected European dealers from December 2026, before rolling out to the rest of the world.
