The Motorcycle That Solves Problems You Didn’t Know You Had

At its core, any street-legal motorcycle has one primary function. It needs to serve as transportation. In the developing world, this is still the case for the vast majority of the motorcycles sold to the public. This is also still true to some extent in the developed world, but for the most part, motorcycles are primarily used as leisure vehicles. This changes things at a fundamental level, and choosing a bike that solves interesting problems is harder than it might look.

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When looking at motorcycles as leisure vehicles, the kind of motorcycle has nothing to do with whether it can get you from A to B. Choosing the right bike has far more to do with the kind of riding you want to do, and which tool is best suited to the job. All too often we end up getting the wrong bike for the job, and simply adapt to the motorcycle over time. This is something that can lead to frustration, and in some cases can be quite off-putting.

Jared Solomon / Valnet

With so many motorcycles at our disposal, this is the wrong approach. Adventure bikes have become exceedingly popular, and while it might be tempting to follow the herd, ADVs are compromised vehicles that are great if you need basic transportation as well as an occasional off-roader. If what you are after is a proper off-road bike that can get you to the trail, or at least get you access to trails other off-road bikes without plates can’t, then Ducati may have just solved your problem.

The Ducati Desmo450 EDS Is A Premium Dual-Sport

MSRP: $12,995

Ducati

When it came to light that Ducati was putting a street-legal dual-sport into production, we were, to say the least, a little taken aback. In the past, the Italian brand had been quite content to leave this type of thing to other smaller European manufacturers. But, clearly emboldened by success in other segments, the Desmo450 EDS promises the same premium feel as other Ducati models in a class where function is usually favored over form. In the case of the Desmo450 EDS, form follows function.

The Desmo450 EDS Brings Desmodromic Valves To The Off-Road World

Power: 42 Horsepower

Ducati

In an effort to take the fight to the established off-road motorcycle manufacturers, Ducati developed a brand-new single. Unlike any of the other high-performance dirt bikes on the market, this single-cylinder engine has desmodromic valves. While metallurgy has long since advanced enough for valve springs to work reliably in high-performance engines, valve float is still technically possible. The desmodromic valvetrain obviously completely eliminates that possibility.

Restrained Performance

Ducati

The Desmo450 dirt bike makes in excess of 60 horsepower, but for this more restricted street-legal model, the output falls to just 42 horsepower. That is only a smidge more than Suzuki’s DR-4S, which is a fair bit cheaper. Service intervals are also dirt bike short. While they are not measured in hours, 1,500-mile intervals for regular services, and 3,000-mile intervals for the dreaded desmo services will make this an expensive friend over time.

A Dedicated Race Kit Sweetens The Pot

MSRP: $261.70

Ducati

While in stock guise, 42 horsepower might seem a little meager, for most riders simply looking to hit the odd trail that will be more than sufficient. What you are paying for is a highly competent competition-spec chassis. The Showa suspension has 12.2 inches of travel at the front, 11.9 inches at the rear, and is fully adjustable. High-end Excel rims are also fitted as standard equipment. This, however, is not a bike that Ducati designed to be ridden stock.

For a mere $260, the Racing Kit will transform this dual-sport into a proper hard enduro racing machine. With the kit, you will get an additional 12 horsepower (which will take it to 54 horsepower), a Wi-Fi module and X-link app, ride modes, off-road traction control, and a quickshifter for upshifts. It is a comprehensive kit for what is a very reasonable price, all things considered.

Ducati

But that is because there is a catch. This kit is only intended for race use, and with it fitted the bike will no longer be street legal. Most manufacturers will offer two distinct models, and while there is no denying the fact that this is an unconventional approach, it does make a degree of sense. The sophisticated traction control system you get with the kit was designed for racing, and has not been homologated for road use.

An Unexpected Pivot Is A Big Deal

Ducati

Some years ago, Ducati had absolutely no interest in the off-road market. The Italian giant was committed to road racing, and building bikes that reflected that commitment. Gradually things changed, first with the Scrambler range, and then the development of a proper ADV seemed to spark something. Bringing out a selection of competition-spec dirt bikes resembles a pretty big pivot in strategy. It is clear that the Italian giant feels as though there is a demand for more high-end bikes in this space.

The Desmo450 EDS is an exclusive machine that certainly looks the part. It is also a bit of an odd duck in the sense that it falls between the more streetable dual-sports and the bikes that can be used for hard enduro racing when it comes to power output. At its core, it is without doubt a platform designed to go racing, but marketing this as street legal might only serve to confuse customers. Only time will tell if the buying public will understand just how much value that Race Kit offers. In the same breath, only time will really tell if Ducati really knows how to build competitive off-road machinery. All the specs tell us that it should be right up there with the very best.

Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications

Source: Ducati