Desmo 450 is retailing $11459

Village Idiot
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Village Idiot 3/14/2025 12:37pm
3/14/2025 12:37pm
Dirty Points wrote:
25% off seems an awful lot to ask tor a for a bike that still has to go through every single manufacturing step, have every single...

25% off seems an awful lot to ask tor a for a bike that still has to go through every single manufacturing step, have every single part, just has a slightly higher economy of scale due to extending the run another year.

Village Idiot wrote:
Didn't say it was realistic, just that it would be much more incentivizing than 8%. And are they actually extending the production run another year or...

Didn't say it was realistic, just that it would be much more incentivizing than 8%. And are they actually extending the production run another year or just assembling leftover stock and stamping the frame so that they don't take as big a hit as they would if they sold it as a year-old leftover while also reaping the benefit of paring down their non-current model parts inventory?

Seems like possibly some marketing psychology in play here.

Dirty Points wrote:
It's the same difference right? We never know when an exact part for a motorcycle was manufactured. But they have to produce enough quantity to manufacture...

It's the same difference right? We never know when an exact part for a motorcycle was manufactured. But they have to produce enough quantity to manufacture motorcycles and sell parts.

And the '23 and '24 R Hondas mostly had refinements, not major changes to separate them price-wise from the R-S, which switched to that generation platform in 23'

I have no way of knowing since I'm not at Honda. Just thinking out loud that perhaps the motivation wasn't so much a more budget-friendly bike but it was a way to help deplete some over-production via slick marketing, be it whole units, parts or both. It will be interesting to see if it hangs around, because as I mentioned, they don't currently list a '25 R-S, so it might just be a marketing gimmick to move old stock without the "leftover" stigma.

Also, manufacturers are required to supply parts for 10 years, but I feel certain Honda has a little bit of data on what they can expect to move during that period and perhaps they felt they needed to adjust the numbers by moving bikes as a whole. But again, just guessing since I'm of the opinion that 8% less for essentially a non-current model isn't that big of an incentive. 

Just speculating in the absence of facts; feel free to dissent.

Dirty Points 3/14/2025 12:39pm
3/14/2025 12:39pm
JBecker 72 wrote:

Based on the engine castings, it has to be a timing chain.

Mototech853 wrote:
I was in a dealer a few weeks ago and they thought it was belt but they admittedly didn’t have any solid info to go off...

I was in a dealer a few weeks ago and they thought it was belt but they admittedly didn’t have any solid info to go off of. It does look to be cast like it would be chain but I don’t think the traditional belt cover would hold up to off road conditions. 

JBecker 72 wrote:

I’m pretty sure all their modern water cooled bikes have a chain already. I know the Panigale V4 does. 

As does the 698 mono, which is going to be their closest to a new dirtbike engine.

StillSmokin
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StillSmokin 3/14/2025 9:06pm
3/14/2025 9:06pm

Gay ass front fender

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Press516
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Press516 3/14/2025 9:56pm
3/14/2025 9:56pm
Brad460 wrote:
Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…Bikes are already too...

Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…

Bikes are already too expensive for a lot of folks, now we just have one more..

 

I bet you can find a Kove in the price point you’re looking for.  Wink

Ok, I had it at $13,500…. So yeah, below what I thought it would be.

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rstaichi
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rstaichi 3/14/2025 10:23pm
3/14/2025 10:23pm
Brad460 wrote:
Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…Bikes are already too...

Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…

Bikes are already too expensive for a lot of folks, now we just have one more..

 

Don’t get into MTB’s…now that’s a rip off.

 

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Bearuno
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Bearuno 3/15/2025 12:49am
3/15/2025 12:49am
Mototech853 wrote:
I’m interested to see the valve service intervals and the belt adjustment intervals. I haven’t been around Ducatis since the mid 2000’s but I know belt...

I’m interested to see the valve service intervals and the belt adjustment intervals. I haven’t been around Ducatis since the mid 2000’s but I know belt adjustment was measured with a hertz gauge. I believe belt replacement is currently at 5 years. I wonder how or if this changes. 

They are Not Belt Driven  Valve Train engines.

And, Desmo inspection and adjustment intervals, rival / are longer than many  other high performance engines, nowadays.

 They've not released those details yet for the coming 450s, but I very much doubt they'd be much different to  their  Road Bike models.

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Spoonguy
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Spoonguy 3/15/2025 4:01am
3/15/2025 4:01am

I really do not understand the whole dirt bikes are so expensive narrative. Used bikes, Chinese knockoffs, TTRs, KLXs, CRFfs, and the like are still quite reasonable. Even when people give special situations like, we need three competitive bikes because as a dad and son we like to race together, it still is a very affordable motorsport. Compared to everything else in my world dirt bikes, even at $11,500, are a comparative bargain, absolute cutting-edge technology, extreme capabilities, ability to perform at the highest levels of competition, and relative durability for less than the cost of a commercial lawn mower, or tiny camper trailer with 50-year-old technology. Street bikes are becoming quite the deal as well.

rstaichi
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rstaichi 3/15/2025 7:25am
3/15/2025 7:25am
Brad460 wrote:
Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…Bikes are already too...

Cool,bike, but at that price they are bringing nothing to help the sport. Just another over-priced dirt bike….Not sure what the point is…

Bikes are already too expensive for a lot of folks, now we just have one more..

 

rstaichi wrote:

Don’t get into MTB’s…now that’s a rip off.

 

Could always buy a pedal bike (no motor) only $11,999.99 lolIMG 1719 2.jpeg?VersionId=SycDJk2kLje0

umagumadog 3/15/2025 8:11am
3/15/2025 8:11am
rstaichi wrote:
Could always buy a pedal bike (no motor) only $11,999.99 lol

Could always buy a pedal bike (no motor) only $11,999.99 lolIMG 1719 2.jpeg?VersionId=SycDJk2kLje0

How much are the pedals?

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rstaichi
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rstaichi 3/15/2025 8:22am
3/15/2025 8:22am
rstaichi wrote:
Could always buy a pedal bike (no motor) only $11,999.99 lol

Could always buy a pedal bike (no motor) only $11,999.99 lolIMG 1719 2.jpeg?VersionId=SycDJk2kLje0

umagumadog wrote:

How much are the pedals?

Only $229 moreWink

I’m really into MTB now days so know first hand dirt bikes are such a better deal. Don’t get me started on wheels, what a joke!IMG 1720 2

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