Ducati confirms motocross bikes for 2024

Ducati has confirmed rumours that it will enter the highly competitive motocross segment, with the Italian firm set to make its debut in the Italian Motocross Championship next year.

The Bologna-based manufacturer has been working on a 450cc motocross prototype for the past two years and is almost ready to enter it in professional-level racing.

Nine-time world champion Antonio Cairoli has signed on as a development rider after leaving Red Bull KTM, while Ducati has also signed a multi-year deal with Italian team, Maddii Racing. Eight-time Italian champion Alessandro Lupino has signed on to race.

“I am proud to announced Ducati’s entry into motocross,” said Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali. “This is a totally new world for Ducati, in which we want to bring our talent in designing lightweight motorcycles, with excellent components and high performance.”

Sicilian rider Cairoli, who has been under the KTM banner since 2011, is excited to be joining the Italian brand. “I am extremely happy to become part of the universe of Ducati, which has always been a symbol of Italian spirit throughout the world,” he said.

“Being able to make my contribution to the development of the Borgo Panigale motocross bike is a dream come true and a source of great pride for me.”

While details on the new bike are scarce, a press release suggests that Ducati will employ the desmodromic valve system used on its sportsbikes and MotoGP machines, in a bid to give the engine a broad “power delivery curve”.

Ducati also says that the focus of its dirt bike project is the “search for lightness pushed to the extreme” and the use of top-of-the-line components. In short, it is very likely that any Ducati off-road model will sit at the premium end of the market.

A production version of the Ducati 450cc motocross machine is likely still a year or two away, with the racing effort acting as a development program. However, Ducati said it is using the “multi-year project” to develop a full range of off-road motorcycles, starting with motocross. This means that the firm will also look to the enduro segment in coming years.

It is also possible that Ducati could be planning a tilt at the famed Dakar Rally in future years, having won two Dakar titles in the 90s with Cagiva.

Ducati’s entry into motocross coincides with Triumph’s development of a 250cc motocross bike that it will enter in major competitions in 2024. Italian enduro brand Beta is also ramping up its motocross efforts, meaning that start gates around the globe will look a lot different in 2024.

The big-four Japanese brands (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki) and the KTM group brands (KTM, GasGas, and Husqvarna) have dominated the motocross segment for many years. The addition of Ducati, Triumph, and Beta to the mix will likely shake up the industry.