DUCATI 450 MX DESMO TEST - ANTONIO CAIROLI & ALESSANDRO LUPINO

Jesus that track is gnarly.proper way to test !

I know they’re still testing but it doesn’t look good to me at all. Pass. Sorry Ducati 

That bike will be fantastic when it gets to the consumer.

Speaking of.... isn't it time to get rid of the homologation rule?  Or bring back one exemption per 250-450. This bike will be raced in the gp's next year, and they could be working out the kinks in 25' supercross.

Was going to make a new thread about this,  thoughts everyone?

What makes you think that after watching that video? 

Homologation needs to be a percentage of total number - for the 250 class. 450 class - run what you brung, no way any of 18 or so factory riders in that class are racing anything close to production anyway.

Chain slap louder than a KX! 
Looks like AC222 was trying to figure out what all the racket was. 
 

I really want to hear that Desmo motor pull some RPM’s beyond what our current conventional valve train factory bikes do. 

That was great! Track is tough!

but that's what I'm saying.  Bring back an exemption.

I agree, Ducati, Beta, Triumph should all be allowed a 1 year work’s exemption. 
it’s not like they are going to come in and dominate, and even if they did it would be awesome. 

Power looks super abrupt from a video I saw…like mid-90s KX250 meets 450 power. Looked like it would stand the chassis up any time the rider got into the throttle mid-corner.

Not much,  but they have time to improve, and I don't see them releasing a sub par 450.

I’ll ask you the same?
 

The track was absolute shit, not the bike. You could visibly judge absolutely zero anything about any brand of bike on that track. 

Hmm weird to say it doesn't look good when you don't have a baseline. We didn't see another bike on that track to see what it'd look like

It looks like they do not trust the bike yet.

Lol I don't think people around here know how testing works. You have no idea what they are testing in that video. You don't just test every part and every change by going out and smashing a 20 minute moto at 100% pace

They need to do something about the rear seat, rear fender transition, this is not a bike Cameron McAdoo could ride...

DV absolutely gutted how the bike looked on the Motocross Action Instragram post about it. 

I do understand the testing process. When riders are slapping the number plate, grabbing the tires and trying to see where a noise or loose feel is coming from it shows lack of trust to me. I was not slamming the bike, I was just making an observation. It is a new bike so you kind of expect some of this. May be thats why Triumph did not show any testing? 

And the rear fender was flapping in the breeze more than Ando's untucked jersey....  But it seemed like all 3 bikes had different parts.  Truly a prototype test.  Not something we usually get to see.

The last manufacturer to show prototype testing was Stark, they even let the media ride the prototype bikes, come on Ducati, MXA wants to test the prototypes!

DV is correct 

They looked uncomfortable. 

Track is Mantova after the International Italian championship on sunday. The bike is supposed to debut there in racing in one month, so i guess they want to test it in tough conditions. It's still a very rough prototype, as you can see, but the true version will be great, no doubt. 

It's been covered already numerous times that this version of test bike used the CRF restyle kit that's been available for a few years. The actual Ducati plastics that have now been unveiled are nothing like these, so you don't need to worry about it not matching the seat or flapping around...

Cairoli sponsored by Monster now. 

Triumph didn't put out any pics or video (without the bike being blurred beyond recognition) until they were good and ready and we all got mad.

Now Triumph are showing full on prototype / parts testing shenanigans, which is kind of a rare treat, and we're mad about this too?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't 😂

I've only seen this on a Phone screen, and, without my glasses.

So, it's all a bit of a blur until I see it late tonight, or tomorrow.

And, I stopped halfway through (due to said eyesight issues), so don't know if they filmed any of them 'arcing' it up a bit.

Looks like there was 1 Honda 'Mule', and 2 Dukes to me.

The day(?) after the Race there. So, nasty track conditions.

Oh, to the expectations of Mega revs being allowed by the Desmodromic Valve actuation.

Well yes, it can , most certainly allow that. But on a 450 - well, I doubt any Human being could cope with 14 /15 /16K revs being used on a 450. Now, in use on a 250F - well yes - some here will recall the purported 16500+K revs used on the 3 spd Dixon / Cosworth YZF250s, many moons ago.

The Real potential benefit of Desmodromics, with MX / Dirt Bike use, is, with its , let's say, Complete Control of the Valve actuation, is the ability to use Extremely High Valve lift, with short duration - ultra quick opening and closing. It's the modern way to really good low / midrange through to top end, over 'old school' relatively high lift, and long opening duration resulting in simultaneous opening of both the inlet and exhaust valves - overlap. It's something that really has come to the 'fore' over the years with regards to emissions. Emission control has really forced progress in Valve timings, whilst still having good, or indeed, better power characteristics.

If any don't / won't believe me, just go to a short explanation of the High Lift / Short Duration that Kevin Cameron mentions in his brief appraisal of the Ducati 450MXer and it's use of Desmo Heads - it's on Cycle World's web site, from, the last week or two. 

I've been around Desmodromic Valve actuation since the 70s. It holds no fear for me, and, I understand it very well. It's not hard to work on / with. Though, a wonderful thing for the home engine maintenance aspect, would be for Ducati to give the thickness spec for the Opening and Closing shims that each engine is set with from std - it would be a  boon for an owner to know where to start from / to have some shims on hand. Thinner for opening, thicker for closing .It would basically save a bit of time with a first  valve adjustment.

Though, valve shim fitment has become almost universal for  modern Ducati Engines (within model / engine types) now - their production tolerances rival Any manufacturers, nowadays.  And, it's incredibly rare for any adjustments to be needed on early inspection over the last 20+ years on most Ducatis. Not like the 70s / 80s and partially into the 90s, when you could be almost certain to have to do some shim changes as things 'settled' in.

At last, someone who understands that the advantage of desmo  for moto is not sky-high rev capability.

So, the Italian national championship at a track called Mantova allows prototypes to race, but the "premier" series - SMX - or whatever it is called now, does not? And now they are limiting the track obstacles, "fixing" the starts, handing out fines for aggressive riding, it is beginning to sound like remedial racing to match the remedial announcing. Feld is making this deal we love less and less a sport and more a spectacle.