Ducati's Desmo450 SM supermoto enters production, priced at EUR 13,990 in Italy
Ducati has turned its Desmo450 MX motocross bike into a race-only supermotard, due in European showrooms in December 2026.
- 449.6 cc
- 63.5 hp
- 109 kg
- EUR 13,990
What Happened
Ducati has unwrapped the Desmo450 SM, the Italian firm's first proper entry into supermotard competition. The machine had its first public outing during World Ducati Week, and it now reaches production form with the Desmo450 MX as its starting point. No headlight is fitted, one of the clearest signals that road legality was never part of the brief. Ducati has shaped the bike's hardware, styling and servicing around racing rather than everyday riding.
- 49mm Showa USD sealed-cartridge fork with 280mm of travel, adjustable for compression and rebound
- Rear monoshock delivering 295mm of travel and fully adjustable
- Twin-spar aluminium frame carried over from the Desmo450 MX without change
- Dedicated brakes, engine internals and bodywork developed specifically for supermoto
Power comes from a single-cylinder engine of 449.6cc. Ducati lists outputs of 63.5hp and 53.5Nm. A Desmodromic valve train lets the engine spin to a limiter set at 11,900rpm, which Ducati says broadens the usable power and makes the bike flexible to ride. The tank holds 7.2 litres, and with it empty the bike weighs 109kg. Ducati claims the suspension work sharpens braking and corner entry while preserving balance and traction.
EUR 13,990
Equivalent to Rs 15.38 lakh, as announced at the time of writing.
European buyers get the bike from December 2026, with other regions to follow, though Ducati has not said whether India will be among them. Ducati expects to stage the official debut in September, when the full technical specification will be released. The machine already has a race win to its name, taken by multi-time world champion Marc Reiner Schmidt.
Ducati gives the Desmo450 SM its first public showing.
Official debut expected, with the complete technical specification to be issued.
Sales open in Europe, then expand to other markets.
Why this matters
The Desmo450 SM is Ducati's first machine in the supermotard class, a discipline the brand had not entered before. Because it carries no headlight and is built around competition use, it cannot be registered for the road, so it targets racers and track riders rather than everyday motorcyclists. Buyers outside Europe, including in India, have no confirmed date yet.
Terms in This Story
- Supermotard
- A racing class that blends motocross-style machines with paved-track riding, run over a mix of dirt and tarmac sections.
- Desmodromic valve train
- An engine valvetrain that opens and closes its valves by mechanical actuation rather than springs, allowing higher and more controlled engine speeds.
- USD fork
- Upside-down fork, a suspension layout in which the thicker outer tubes sit at the top, commonly used on performance motorcycles.
- Twin-spar aluminium frame
- A chassis made of two aluminium beams running from the steering head to the rear, bracketing the engine.
A brief summary; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.