FIRST LOOK! DUCATI CORSE R&D FACTORY MOTOCROSS BIKES

On Jan 22, 2024 Last updated Jan 22, 2024

FIRST LOOK! DUCATI CORSE R&D FACTORY DESMO450 MOTOCROSS BIKES

Ducati Corse Off-Road, the Ducati division in charge of racing activity in the world of knobby tires, announces the two prototypes that will be introduced by Antonio Cairoli and Alessandro Lupino in Madonna di Campiglio during the 2024 Campioni in Pista event. This will be Ducati’s first motocross bike since the 1971 450R/T Desmo.

The right side of the Ducati reveals a Showa shock, aluminum frame, Akrapovic exhaust system and nicely tucked reat brake pedal. The Beta logo on the swingarm, has nothing to do with Beta Motorcycles —It is a tool company.

This is the factory race bike, actually more of a prototype, since the production will not start until 2025. This will be Ducati’s first motocross bike since the 1971 Ducati 450R/T.

The left side of the engine reveals a convoluted, CNC-machined, shift lever that bends out to go around the ignition cover, Brembo hydraulic clutch slave unit, molded frame guards, electric starter motor and the forged swingarm pivot. What you can’t see is the Desmodromic valve system designed in 1956 by Fabio Taglioni.

The new model is named Desmo450 MX and is presented in the racing livery that it will sport in competition in the Italian Motocross Pro- Prestige MX1 Championship and by the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team that is managed by Corrado and Marco Maddii. The target of this first season of racing is to acquire data and information in racing to contribute to the development of the Desmo450 MX that will go into production in the second half of 2025.

The 2024 Ducati Corse motocross race team will be Tony Cairolii and Alessandro Lupino. The team will be managed by Corrado Maddii.

The race team will use Showa forks, Excel rims, Pirelli MX32 Scorpion tires and Mousseballs. On the front fender is a Get GPS unit.

The seat cover has molded grippers on the side of the cover, while the swingarm gets the same molded plastic cover as the frame guards.

Alessandro Lupino who will race all the rounds of the Italian Championship, as well as in the testing program, where he will be joined by Antonio Cairoli. The race debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX is planned for March 16-17 at the first round of the Italian Motocross Pro Prestige MX1 Championship.

Ducati will rely on Akrapovic for its exhaust system.

When the production Ducati Desmo450 MX is released next year it will only come in Ducati Red. That will be the third all-red bike on the track—after Honda and GasGas.

The brakes and clutch are from Brembo—even the throttle cable is sourced in Italy.

Don’t expect the production Desmo450 MX to come with Brembo’s works caliper, but if you want one they can be ordered from KTM Power Parts. They are expensive.

Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali said, “Today we present the official teams for the 2024 racing season: the Ducati Lenovo Team, the Aruba.it – Racing Ducati Team and the novelty represented by the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team. Seeing the three bikes next to each other was a great emotion for me because, although different from each other, they are part of a single project. This collection is underlined by the basic color of the liveries, Ducati Red, the same for all, and also by a completely new graphic logo that recalls the curve present in the Ducati logo, inspired by the most exciting part of riding a motorcycle— the bend. At the same time, these bikes are also an expression of the path that Ducati has taken in recent years to invest in its future. The entry into motocross is a clear example oft our will to improve and our desire to win have no limits. Challenges have always encouraged us to bring out the best and we feel absolutely ready.”