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2027 Ducati Desmo450 SM: Ducati's First Racing Supermoto

Ducati's first competition-only supermoto is built on the Desmo450 MX with Showa suspension, a Brembo Stylema front caliper and a Suter slipper clutch. It reaches select U.S. dealers in spring 2027, a few months after Europe.

Trail Roamer Editorial TeamSep 22, 2026 · Updated Nov 1, 2026 · 3 min read
The 2027 Ducati Desmo450 SM in red, up on its stand trackside. - Credit: Ducati
GalleryMore angles(5)
Ducati Desmo450 SM in race red on a paddock stand. - Credit: Ducati
Track lean - slick-tired SM chassis at full lean. - Credit: Ducati
Dirt-section slide - the SM kicks up a plume of dust. - Credit: Ducati
Wheelie on asphalt - competition SM with high muffler. - Credit: Ducati
The Desmo450 SM cornering past the Lenovo barriers. - Credit: Ducati

Ducati now sells a real racing supermoto. The 2027 Desmo450 SM is the brand's first competition-only supermoto, built on the Desmo450 MX platform and reworked for supermoto tracks, and it comes to select U.S. dealers in spring 2027.

Ducati's U.S. model page lists the SM at $12,995 and directs buyers to authorized off-road Ducati dealers. The U.S. timing comes from Ducati North America's September 17 release from Sunnyvale, California, which Cycle News reprinted with full specs. Ducati's international Media House release says selected European dealers get the bike from December 2026, followed by the rest of the world, so the U.S. arrives a few months behind Europe.

What competition-only means here

This isn't a plated dual-sport with smaller wheels. The SM runs Takasago Excel spoked rims with the BarTubeless system, 16.5 inches at the front and 17 at the rear, and comes on Metzeler Racetec SM slicks, the same tires used in the Supermoto 1 World Championship. Ducati's U.S. spec notes are blunt about the front: the 16.5-inch rim is a dedicated racing wheel, it isn't compatible with standard 17-inch motorcycle tires, and there are no DOT-approved 16.5-inch front tires. Ducati says the tubeless setup cuts rotating and unsprung weight by 1.2 kg. It's a track bike, and you'll want a trailer.

Engine and claimed numbers

The 449.6 cc single uses desmodromic valve timing, which lets Ducati set the rev limiter at 11,900 rpm so you can hold each gear longer between corners. Ducati claims 63.5 hp at 9,400 rpm. Torque is 53.5 Nm at 7,500 rpm, which the release converts to 39.5 lb-ft and the U.S. spec page rounds to 39. Claimed wet weight without fuel is 240 lb, and seat height is 36.6 inches.

The fuel tank holds 1.9 U.S. gallons (7.2 liters), per Ducati's U.S. spec page and the Cycle News spec table. Ducati's own Media House release and the Motor Sports NewsWire reprint list "9 US gal (7.2 l)", which is a typo: 7.2 liters is about 1.9 gallons.

Suspension, brakes and clutch

Ducati says this is the first time Showa has developed settings directly for a production supermoto. Up front is a 49 mm fully adjustable upside-down Showa fork with Kashima-coated tubes and 280 mm (11 inches) of travel, and at the rear a fully adjustable Showa shock with progressive linkage and 295 mm (11.6 inches). The billet-machined triple clamps are spaced further apart to clear the front wheel. Braking is a Brembo Stylema radial caliper on a 310 mm Galfer floating disc at the front and a 240 mm Galfer disc with a Brembo floating caliper at the rear. A Suter slipper clutch calibrated for supermoto helps control the rear wheel on corner entry, and the five-speed gearbox has an upshift-only quickshifter.

Electronics built for supermoto grip

Ducati Traction Control is calibrated for supermoto, estimates actual rear-wheel slip, has four levels and can be switched off. Engine Brake Control, launch control and two configurable Riding Modes are standard, and Ducati Fall Detection is listed as safety equipment. Settings can be adjusted through the X-Link app with the Wi-Fi module, which is sold as an accessory.

Maintenance and warranty

Ducati's maintenance schedule calls for a piston replacement and valve clearance check every 45 hours, an oil change every 15 hours and a full engine overhaul at 90 hours. The optional Com-Link module tracks wear for what Ducati calls predictive maintenance. Warranty is Ducati's conventional cover of 3 months or 20 hours of use. That's normal for a race bike, so budget for parts, tires and service hours along with the bike.

The SM is part of Ducati's 2027 off-road range alongside the Desmo450 EDS, Ducati's first 50-state legal dual sport, and the Desmo250 MX, and it shares its frame with the Desmo450 MX. If you've wanted a supermoto built by Ducati itself rather than a converted motocross bike, this is it, as long as you plan to ride it on a track.

Sources

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