Revving the Future
Ducati’s Bold Venture into AMA Supercross with Troy Lee Designs by Their Side
By Florida Night Train
2/21/2025
Early February 2025, I was sitting at my desk and Bing! An email from my Ducati friends: “How are ya old friend? Do you want to go VIP to the AMA Supercross this month in Tampa? Ducati is getting in the game for the 2026 season and we are putting everything in gear!” “Whatt?????!!!! Of course!!” I said. Thinking about my eldest badass daughter, “Trinity,” who barrel races, fishes, wake surfs, and relentlessly asks for a motocross, I added, “Give me two tix, and I’m there!”
As it turns out, in a historic moment for both Ducati and American off-road racing, Ducati and Troy Lee Designs have announced a groundbreaking partnership, marking the Borgo Panigale company’s intention to enter Supercross off-road racing in the USA with the Ducati Desmo450 MX, a first for the company. This also marks the Desmo450 MX’s first public appearance in the United States, setting the stage for an iconic chapter in Ducati’s off-road racing history.
The first step in this partnership is the presence of the Troy Lee Designs team in Ducati Red at eight rounds of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, starting from Anaheim on January 11. The team will also have a special display at COTA MotoGP on Ducati Island, an exclusive fan experience that serves as a hub for Ducatista during the US-based MotoGP race. The American team will exhibit a protoype of Desmo450 MX in the Supercross paddock, with special graphics created by the well-known Californian designer.
After hearing this news, I followed that with a call to my daughter; “Hey, daddio! What’s up?” To which I responded, “Hey booboo! Wanna go to AMA Supercross VIP?” This offer was received with a “Heck yeah, dude!” Done deal. We sat there in the best seats in the company of Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America, and every Ducati dealer in Florida, including my good buddy Trever Varney of Ducati Tampa Bay, ranking #1 in the USA for “Service Score” and right up there in sales too, next to Miami’s dealership.
In the gripping saga of American off-road racing history, a new chapter is etched as two titans, Ducati and Troy Lee Designs, lock handlebars in a daring partnership. The grand unveiling of Ducati’s Desmo450 MX is not merely an introduction to a new racing machine; it’s an evocative symphony of engineering precision and visionary design, akin to a philosopher’s pursuit of an ideal.
Ducati, a name synonymous with revolutionary prowess, takes strides into uncharted terrain, heralding the entry of the Desmo450 MX into the American market. This audacious venture promises to redefine the racing landscape, evoking both the intellectual curiosity of great philosophers and the unabashed vigor of Moto GP Champions.
As the AMA Supercross circlet settles over the storied dirt of Anaheim January 11, 2025, all eyes pivoted to that iconic red—a hue of potential and prowess. Troy Lee Designs, with their unerring flair for style and innovation, joins Ducati’s cavalry, painting a narrative rich with cultural intersections and technological marvels. This is more than a partnership; it is a crusade toward historical significance in motocross, echoing the vital balance of order and chaos that drives humanity forward.
“Partnering with Ducati is a seismic event,” exclaims Troy Lee, whose legacy is built on melding safety with supreme performance. The excitement is not mere lip service—it’s a call to arms, preparing to immortalize their confluence in the annals of motocross.
The Desmo450 MX steps into the arena not just as any contender, but as the gladiator armed with the singular Desmodromic valve timing, traditionally a domain of MotoGP. It is this system that indulges in consistently higher RPMs, reducing gear changes during those crucial racing spurts and rallying riders to an echelon of mastery previously unattainable.
A parade of exhilarating stops punctuates this endeavor, spanning iconic circuits from Anaheim’s red clay to the Texan heartland’s MotoGP showdown at COTA. Each location is a testament to the indomitable spirit of racing, where Ducati North America will share insights into this avant-garde machine awaiting its US debut in July 2025.
In a climactic gathering, motocross virtuoso Tony Cairoli joins hands with Ducati’s Paolo Ciabatti, as they set forth to imprint their shared passion and ambition on the fans gathered around Ducati Island—an oasis for Ducatisti.
Anaheim to Salt Lake City, April to May—this isn’t merely a tour, it’s a comet blazing through the American motocross sky. With every race, every roar of the engine, and every heart pounding with anticipation, Ducati and Troy Lee Designs craft a shared vision not merely for racers but for thrill-seekers, dreamers, and relentless pursuers of passion.
This is not just the birth of a bike, but the dawn of a new era, where engineering brilliance and creative audacity merge to challenge norms and celebrate the pinnacle of human endeavor. Other leading factories, be advised. Get ready, America, for the Ducati Desmo450 MX and all it represents is not just coming—it’s already arrived in spirit and revolution.
Troy Lee Designs Ducati – Tour schedule
Anaheim 1, CA January 11th, 2025
San Diego, CA January 18th, 2025
Anaheim 2, CA January 25th, 2025
Tampa, FL February 8th, 2025
Arlington, TX February 22nd, 2025
MotoGP Austin, TX March 30th, 2025
East Rutherford, NJ April 19th, 2025
Pittsburgh, PA April 26th, 2025
Salt Lake City, UT May 10th, 2025
Source: Ducati
Photos: Ducati, Night Train
