Ducati once again delights us with one of its latest innovations: the new Desmo450 SM, “Borgo Panigale’s first competition Supermotard”. A mount born from the platform provided by the Desmo450 MX and on which the necessary technical changes have been implemented to take it to another level within a completely different segment than the one in which the latter operates.
The suspension, triple clamps, wheels, braking system, final drive ratio, slipper clutch and electronics have been fine-tuned to work in unison, delivering precision, control and performance on the Supermotard circuit.
Ducati Desmo450 SM: a motorcycle designed by, for and from competition
Presented during the World Ducati Week, it is derived from the Desmo450 MX, a technical platform that immediately demonstrated its competitiveness in Supermotard racing, and that the multiple world champion Marc Reiner Schmidt and Team Undici led to victory in their world debut. For its part, the Desmo450 SM has been specifically perfected for Supermotard racing.
The Desmo450 SM is designed for racing and brings together in a single model all the solutions developed by Ducati specifically for the Supermotard. It is equally effective for both professional and amateur pilots. A motorcycle that, thanks to the power delivery of its engine, its chassis and its innovative electronics, is capable of offering high performance with minimal physical effort: a combination designed to promote regularity, efficiency and lap times.
Custom Showa suspension
Suspension has played a key role in the development of the Desmo450 SM; For the first time in a Supermotard, Showa has intervened directly to guarantee the balance required by this discipline. The 49mm inverted fork with sealed cartridge is fully adjustable in compression and rebound and has specific springs and adjustments, a travel of 280 mm and Kashima coating on the bars.
The left side features a radial mount for the brake caliper, while the steering posts machined from a block of aluminum have an extended center distance to provide enough front wheel clearance. The result is a front axle that guarantees the necessary support during the most intense braking, precision when entering corners and confidence on the road, while maintaining effective operation even on off-road sections.
At the rear, the Showa shock absorber Fully adjustable works together with a progressive link system and offers 295 mm wheel travel. Thanks to its specific settings, it contributes to optimizing the traction and balance of the motorcycle in the different phases of driving.
The rest of the equipment that surrounds the model
One of the main elements of the new Desmo450 SM is undoubtedly its lightweight aluminum chassis. It is the same as that used in the motocross variant and has been designed to reduce the number of welds to a minimum, in order to optimize weight, rigidity and strength, as well as to create an intake duct that is as straight as possible to ensure that the engine breathes as efficiently as possible.
The braking system has been developed to guarantee power and modulation in typical Supermotard driving conditions. On the front, it has a Brembo Stylema radial caliper and a Galfer 310 mm floating disc with aluminum flange. At the back, there is a 240mm Galfer disc with a Brembo floating caliper.
The wheels measure 16.5” at the front and 17” at the rear, with an Excel profile and the tubeless system that, by eliminating the inner tubes, reduces rotational and unsprung mass by 1.2 kgimproving the handling and behavior of the suspension. The factory fitted tires are the Metzeler Racetec Slick SMthe same ones used by World Championship drivers.
We cannot close this section without mentioning the hand guards and the shortened front fender, both redesigned to adapt to the demands of this discipline, while the fork protections have a reduced length to leave more space for the 125/75 slick front tire, the one used as standard in Supermotard.
An efficient and unique mechanics
The engine of this Desmo450 SM is another of the most unique parts that characterizes the model. We are talking about the only motorcycle in the category to enjoy desmodromic distribution. The valve system allows the rev limiter to be set at 11,900 rpmoffering a wide operating range that allows the rider to stay in each gear longer and reduce unnecessary gear changes.
This propellant The 449.6 cc single-cylinder Desmo450 offers a final power of 63.5 HP at 9,400 rpm and 53.5 Nm of maximum torque when rotating at around 7,500 revolutions.. For its part, the transmission, equipped with the active system QuickShift For upshifts, it has a Suter slipper clutch calibrated specifically for the Desmo450 SM, which helps the rider control “side slip” when entering corners.
Furthermore, the Desmo450 SM introduces the patented system in this segment Ducati Traction Controlcalibrated specifically for Supermotard and capable of calculating the real slip of the rear wheel. The system, which can be adjusted in four levels and deactivated, intervenes in the engine parameters to improve traction and stability in conditions of variable grip.
Directly associated with the mechanics we have the electronic functions designed to channel the power offered by the model. These include the Launch Control (output control) and the Engine Brake Control (Engine Brake Control), which, like the DTC, can be configured with different levels of intervention and linked to two driving modes that the driver can adapt to his own needs and the characteristics of the circuit via the X-Link app.
Maintenance intervals
The maintenance intervals are the usual ones in this category: the replacement of the pistons and the checking of the valve clearance are scheduled for the 45 hourswhile the complete engine overhaul is planned for the 90 hours and the oil change, every 15 hours. Furthermore, to speed up and facilitate maintenance, the gaskets of all the covers (alternator, clutch, cylinder head) are not made with three-component paste, but rather metal gaskets are used for the cylinder head and rubber gaskets for the other two.
The Desmo450 SM introduces the concept of predictive maintenance, developed to monitor the wear of engine components and evaluate the load to which they are subjected based on their use. Thanks to Com-Link moduleavailable as an accessory, it is possible to manage routine maintenance intervals more precisely and maintain efficiency and performance over time.
Main standard features
- Desmo450 single-cylinder engine, 449.6 cc
- Maximum power of 63.5 HP at 9,400 rpm; maximum torque of 53.5 Nm at 7,500 rpm
- Double beam aluminum chassis
- 7.2 l fuel tank
- 49 mm Showa inverted fork with closed cartridge, fully adjustable, 280 mm of travel and Kashima Coating treatment on the outer bars.
- Fully adjustable Showa monoshock
- Cast aluminum swingarm
- Brembo braking system with PR15x19 radial pump and Stylema radial caliper on the front wheel. Simple Galfer discs of 310 mm at the front and 240 mm at the rear.
- Takasago Excel aluminum wheels with Bartubeless system, 16.5” x 3.5” at the front and 17” x 5” at the rear.
- Metzeler Racetec SM 125/75 R16.5 and 165/55 R17 slick tires.
- DID transmission chain
- 2 Riding Modes
- Riding Modes configurable through the X-Link application, available as an accessory
- New generation electronic package with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Launch Control, Quick Shift and Engine Brake Control
- Piston replacement every 45 hours
- Valve clearance check every 45 hours
Price and availability
The Desmo450 SM will arrive at select European dealers starting December 2026exclusively under the color scheme Ducati Redwith an official price that will start from 13,990 euros. For information and details about the model you can visit the brand’s official website or visit your nearest authorized distributor directly.
