Desmo450 SM unveiled: Ducati’s first Supermotorad race bike
The Desmo450SM sports Desmodromic valve timing, with suspension developed by Showa and will arrive at dealerships in Europe by December 2026
Ducati has just unveiled its first racing supermoto bike, the Desmo450 SM. The bike is based on Ducati’s Desmo 450MX platform and gets a bunch of choice modifications that make it ready to go Supermoto racing.
Ducati Desmo450 SM ergonomics and design
The Desmo 450 SM is essentially a race-focused supermoto bike and is not road-legal, with a focus on precise handling control and performance. The entire frame of the Desmo450 SM consists of only 11 elements and is the result of a design philosophy that aimed to reduce the number of welded joints. The Desmo450 SM sports an adjustable handlebar, a shorter mudguard and a seat height of 929mm. The bike sits on smaller Takasago Excel wire-spoke wheels which are 16.5 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear, with slick tyres on both.
The engine will require an oil change every 15 hours of riding, with a piston replacement and valve clearance check every 45 hours, and a full engine overhaul every 90 hours.
Ducati Desmo450 SM engine and chassis
Powering the Desmo 450SM is Ducati’s 449cc single-cylinder engine that revs up to 11,900rpm and produces 62.6bhp and 53.5Nm, which is mated to a 5-speed gearbox with Ducati Quick Shift and straight-cut gearing. The Desmo450 SM features a twin-spar aluminium frame with a 25.4-degree rake and a 3.3-inch trail, and has a kerb weight (without fuel) of 108kg.
Showa has developed the suspension and has 280mm of travel at the front and 295mm of travel at the rear
Showa has developed the suspension and has adjusted it to the demands of the track, with the 450 SM featuring a fully adjustable 49mm USD fork at the front, which has 280mm of travel, and Ducati claims the front end delivers precision in corners and control under hard braking, while remaining effective in off-road sections. The rear features a fully adjustable Showa monoshock with a progressive link that offers 295mm of travel, which is the same as the 450 MX. Braking duties are handled by a 310-mm floating disc, chomped onto by a single Brembo Stylema calliper at the front and a 240-mm disc at the rear.
Crucially, the 450 SM will require an oil change every 15 hours of riding, with a piston replacement and valve clearance check every 45 hours, and a full engine overhaul every 90 hours.
Ducati Desmo450 SM pricing and rivals
Ducati already sells the Desmo450 MX in India, which is priced at ₹ 17.24 lakh. There has been no confirmation from Ducati on whether the Desmo450 SM will be making it to our shores just yet. If it does, it will have no direct rivals. The Desmo450 SM is set to arrive in selected dealerships in Europe by December 2026