Hey, Ducati. How about a road-going naked with this 449.6-cc mill?
Ducati is widely known as a tarmac-focused bike manufacturer. After all, even the off-road capable Multistrada gets a 17-inch front wheel in some variants. So the Desmo450 MX, which the premium bikemaker launched last year, came as a bolt from the blue. And now, Ducati have launched an even more hardcore version, called the Desmo450 MX Factory.
Yes, Ducati have used the old “buy on Saturday and race on Sunday” adage in the promotional video, evident by the Ducati Corse livery, like on the MXGP machines. But the changes are more than just skin-deep. The Desmo450 MX Factory gets top-shelf componentry including upgraded Showa suspension with high-strength Ergal aluminium machined triple-clamps. And, as with a “true” race bike, the Desmo450 MX Factory gets a holeshot device that compresses the fork to improve acceleration from a standing start.
To better handle the rigours of competition, the Desmo 450 MX Factory gets a Dark Kashima coating, a special black version of the proprietary hard-anodising process that infuses molybdenum disulfide into the aluminium on the fork outer tube, for improved sliding smoothness. This, complemented by the blue titanium oxide treatment on the fork inner tube and rear shock rod, also improves chipping resistance, so riders spend more time mud-plugging and less time worrying about dust seals.
The Factory’s 449.6-cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, boasting Ducati’s Desmodromic timing system for a more precise valve lift, churns out the same 63.5 hp and 53.5 Nm as the stock Desmo450 MX. However, the Factory gets a full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system with a dedicated map for a fuller torque curve and improved bottom-end power. All this, coupled with the overall weight saving of 1.7 kg, brings the Desmo450 MX Factory’s weight to just 104 kg.
The final piece of the puzzle that makes this focussed off-roader even more potent is the Com-Link Wi-Fi module, letting one connect the bike to their phone via the X-Link app. As on the stock Desmo 450MX, it allows one to modify the riding modes by modulating the throttle response, engine braking, Ducati traction control, and launch control setting. It even offers suggestions on suspension settings based on one’s weight, riding skills, and track conditions.
Ultimately, though, the chances of the Ducati Desmo450 MX Factory coming to India are non-existent. And even if it did, its asking price, a significant bump over the already astronomical €11,245 (roughly Rs 11.85 lakh, excluding taxes) price-tag of the Desmo450 MX will put it out of reach of all but the 0.01 per cent. Nevertheless, if you’re a suitably motivated, and moneyed, enthusiast, you could go for the KTM 450 SX-F; yours for an immodest Rs 10.25 lakh (ex-showroom).
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