2026 Ducati Desmo450 EDX – First Look
Enduro-cross model expands Ducati’s off-road lineup
Ducati announced a new Desmo450 off-road model designed for enduro and cross-country racing. Built off the MX motocross racer, the 2026 Ducati Desmo450 EDX will arrive in North American dealerships with a starting price of $12,495.
The Desmo450 EDX shares much in common with the MX, but expands on the concept with an 18-inch rear wheel, Enduro-specific suspension settings, and a 2.25-gallon fuel tank (vs. 1.9 gallons on the motocrosser.)
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The engine is the same 449.6cc Single, with Ducati claiming the same peak output of 63.5 horsepower at 9,400 rpm and 39 lb-ft. at 7,500 rpm as the motocross bike, with 70% of maximum torque available at 4,200 rpm. The four-valve DOHC engine uses Ducati’s signature Desmodromic timing system. According to Ducati, the Desmodromic system allows for more aggressive valve lift diagrams and a rev limit of 11,900 rpm.
The multiplate clutch and five-speed transmission are unchanged, as is the upshift-only quickshifter.
The aluminum perimeter frame is likewise unchanged from the Desmo450 MX. The frame is made from 11 individual components, much less than comparable frames, which means it requires fewer welds, helping reduce its weight to a claimed 19.75 pounds.
The fully adjustable 49mm Showa closed-cartridge fork offers the same Kashima treatment for the stanchons and 12.2 inches of travel as the MX’s fork, but it uses new 0.47 kg/mm springs and damping tuning to make it more suitable for enduro racing. The rear shock is also fully adjustable, with 11.9 inches of travel, and a spring rate of 4.49 kg/mm and new damping settings selected for enduro riding.
The Desmo450 EDX is equipped with Takasago Excel aluminum rims with Alpina spokes, like the MX model. The front wheel is the same 21” x 1.60” unit, but for the rear, Ducati swapped out the 19-inch wheel for a 18” x 2.15”. Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid-Soft tires come standard.
The braking system is unchanged from the Desmo450 MX, with a Brembo two-piston floating caliper and Galfer 260mm disc up front and a single-piston Brembo caliper and 240 mm Galfer disc for the rear.
The electronics package is also the same as with the MX, including two ride modes, launch control, engine brake control and a closed-loop traction control system that intervenes based on actual rear wheel slippage and inertial measurements. The traction control system is designed not to activate when in the air, while giving riders the option to deactivate it as needed by applying light pressure to the clutch lever.
Ducati claims the Desmo450 EDX weighs 236 pounds wet, but with no fuel. That’s 5 pounds heavier than the MX, and that’s without factoring in the extra 0.26 gallons of fuel capacity. Adjusting for the fuel, we anticipate a running weight of 246 pounds.
The Desmo450 EDX will arrive in U.S. dealerships in January 2026, for $12,495. The EDX will later be released in Indonesia and the Philippines, though no other markets were mentioned in initial communications from Ducati North America. We anticipate that wider market announcements come shortly
2026 Ducati Desmo450 EDX Specifications | |
|---|---|
Engine Type | Desmo450, single cylinder, Desmodromic timing system 4 valves DOHC, hydraulic tensioner, semi dry sump, liquid cooled |
Displacement | 449.6 cc |
Bore x Stroke | 96 mm x 62.1 mm |
Compression Ratio | 13,5:1 |
Horsepower | 63.5 hp at 9,400 rpm (claimed) |
Torque | 39.5 lb-ft at 7,500 rpm (claimed) |
Fuel Injection | Keihin injector, Mikuni throttle body Ø 44 mm |
Exhaust | Steel muffler with aluminum outer sleeve. Steel header with resonator |
Gearbox | 5 gears with Quick Shift only up |
Primary Drive | Straight cut gears; Ratio 2.45:1 |
Final Drive | Chain DID DMS 520 , Front sprocket Z13, Rear sprocket Z49 |
Clutch | Multiplate clutch with hydraulic control |
Frame | Aluminum welded, with cast, forged and extruded parts. |
Front Suspension | Showa upside down front fork Ø 49 mm fully adjustable. Outer tube with Kashima coating, 12.2 inches of travel |
Rear Suspension | Showa mono shock, fully adjustable; 11.6 inches of travel |
Front Wheel | Central spoked wheel, Takasago Excel rim 1.6'' x 21'' |
Rear Wheel | Central spoked wheel, Takasago Excel rim 2.15'' x 19'' |
Front Tire | Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid-Soft 80/100 R21 |
Rear Tire | Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid-Soft 110/100 R18 |
Front Brake | Galfer Ø 10.2" single disc, Brembo 2 piston floating caliper |
Rear Brake | Galfer Ø 9.44" |
Instrumentation | Hourmeter |
Wet Weight | 236 pounds (claimed, without fuel) |
Seat Height | 38.2 inches |
Wheelbase | 58.8 inches |
Rake | 27.3° |
Trail | 4.65 inches |
Fuel Capacity | 2.25 US gallons |
Safety Equipment | Riding Modes, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Engine Brake Control (EBC), Hourmeter, Ducati Fall Detection, Lithium-ion battery, Quick adjustment buttons, Quick shift up, Power launch |
Optional Equipment | Wi-Fi module and X-Link App |
Warranty | Ducati Conventional Warranty: 3 months or 20 hours of use |
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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I love real motorbikes, to much ele tro ics on new bikes, if you ride fast you navnt got time to look at anything other than tne road, unkess you have a death wish. We normal earthlonhs dont need go wrong e.ectronkcs.
Ducati as I suggested would have to cut their cloth accordingly with the price to match their competitors, but I feel a 400cc road new entry Ducati could steal a number of sales, even for the name alone and being different.