Mitch Lees: 0:09

Alright guys. Welcome to the A DB podcast. It's Mitchell Lee, the host, and I have with me today Jeff Braco, our Endur editor, and we're here today to talk about the Ducati Desmo four 50 mx. That. Jeff flew all the way to Italy for us in a crammed economy seat to spend a couple of days on a bike and then fly all the way back to Australia. They're not as glamorous. These launches as they sound. You've done many of them for us. Oh no. Yeah. So tell us, tell us, what was the launch like?

Speaker: 0:38

Um, it was pretty cool. I didn't know what to expect. For me, it was just more so that I've been hounding you for months. I'm like, I wanna do the Ducati. I'm the off-road guy, but I wanna do the Ducati launch. So you gave me the opportunity, which was epic. Um, and I didn't know what to expect. I expected of a motocross bike, but the whole experience as a whole was just a thousand percent better than what I imagined. Um, the hospitality from Ducati, as well as how good the bike was to ride was just made the entire trip for 27 hours each way or whatever it was for essentially a couple of days on the ground. Made it all worthwhile. The bike was. So much fun to ride. Um, it was, yeah, just, I don't know. I've ridden a bunch of motocross bikes and stuff like that, but it was sort of like a, a nice balance between like a, a mellow yet, it's hard to explain, like it's sort of, it just revs, but it's not the same as a regular motocross bike where there. Punch and it rips outta your hands. It's very, very rideable. And so for me it, it made it actually like super enjoyable.'cause when I got tired I could still ride the bike to a lot, have a lot of fun. And it's real broad, like spectrum of capability of different riders in my, in my opinion. Whereas if you hop on a wise Z four 50, it's like an animal. I feel like this desmo, the way it worked for me, the way I felt like it, I felt like it, you could see be a gray rider. Um. And still enjoy and still enjoy the crap out of it. You know? It was, it was a lot of fun. It was, it was. It was, it was pretty damn good. So, and

Mitch Lees: 2:16

so compare it then to a bike. We haven't ridden it back here in Australia yet. It's still to arrive. Can you compare it to any of the Japanese or Austrian brands that you've ridden? Um, lately, any four fifties,

Speaker: 2:28

um, I had my, the closest thing I've had is I had a wisely four 50 fx. Um, so that's essentially, yeah, like a motocross bike with eight, an entry wheel and big tank. Um, and that thing was an animal. Um. The power delivery was just ridiculous off the bottom. So much torque and, and grunt. Um, sometimes it would be too much, but on a grass track was epic. And for me, the desmo was sort of, I don't know, like I, I found that I had short shifted the Yamaha, whereas this, it didn't want to be short shifted because of the whole, you know, the way that they have that there's no technology. You just wanna come outta the corner and just rev the absolute. Bejesus out of it, you know what I mean? And it would just climb and climb and climb and climb and climb through the rev range, and then you would then be like, oh, a short shift. So it was kind of felt like it, almost like you had to ride it like a smaller ball bike, but it still wasn't like just ripping out of your hand. So it was a nice, happy medium for me on a motocross track. I could get a little bit tired. Still be very, very in control of the bike. So I was happy with that.

Mitch Lees: 3:35

And so is it gonna be fast enough then in the four 50 class if guys are gonna get out there and buy'em stock and try and race'em without doing too many engine modifications? I mean, a four 50 cc bike nowadays is pretty much fast enough for anyone including pro guys without any engine mods. But you're talking about it being, um, a really easy to use power band. Is it still gonna be competitive from as a motor package in a four 50 class?

Speaker: 4:00

Oh yeah, for sure. I think so because it has so much adjustability. They have, um, far out, it was so long ago, but now, but it's, um, the maps and the traction control is different. Like I I from memory, the traction control on the Desmo is sensors through, I think it's through the counter sharp prop. Um. Versus the rear wheel, it might be the other way around. Um, so the actual traction control, I've never really played with traction control that much. And then on the design, we played with it a lot, and I actually noticed it a lot and I think I rode it on the aggressive map with traction control. So you can come outta the corners and just, just give it a handful and then it would still just pull out of the corners really nicely. I mean, Oli was there and he was. Going ridiculously fast on it. Um, some of the other motocross boys that were there, the Aussie guys, they were hauling as well, and all the American guys were just, they were, you know, I'm an off road guy, so I was a bit outta my depth with that. But, um, no, it was still plenty fast. It's just different in the way that the power gets delivered, that it's, it's, it's a very, it felt very linear, yet still very strong. But it, it wants to rev and Rev and Rev and Rev, whereas I feel like the Yamaha that I wrote is. You know, get more of a short shift thing. Um, but now I still, yeah, very much so believe it's super competitive engine package and it's their very first go at it. So you look at their motor GP bikes, they're the fastest things, you know, in the field. So surely they've got plenty to give. And, um, yeah, I mean it's, um, I think they've got pretty, pretty good go at it the first time around. Um, you know, there's a few different things here and there on it compared to other bikes, but yeah. I think it can be definitely competitive. This suspension's pretty awesome as well. It got me as the tracker rougher. Um, and just, yeah, little things like I got more and more comfortable on it, but I believe yeah, for sure the, you long-winded answer, but yeah, for sure. I, I think that the, the bike could be, yeah, more competitive over here. Our tracks aren't as fast as what we rode either, I feel, so I feel like the, the, um, that sort of thing, like the real top end stuff. I feel they have like super, super fast motocross tracks over here. Like in the us you know, they're third four 50 sort of thing. Whereas, you know, I don't even know of a New South Wales motocross track that's super, super fast. You know what I mean? They're all in quite small areas and whatnot. But, uh, yeah, for sure more than more than capable.

Mitch Lees: 6:22

Okay. Talk about the suspension. You mentioned the suspension felt, uh, pretty good. Is it half firm soft? Is it better for a c grater, a grater kind of out of the crate? Um, where'd you put the suspension package?

Speaker: 6:34

Um, the thing, the biggest thing for me with the suspension was how just sensitive they was. They told us that like. Five wheel through the clamps is, um, you know, the bike reacts very, very, very, um, sensitively to changes. And I was actually like, oh yeah, whatever, you know, and I say that sort of d we played around a little bit. I had a bit of trouble turning it to start with, and then we put the forks, uh, it was under steering, I think from memory, and so we put the forks through to the two mil line. It was like, oh wow, okay, now I can do what I want. So, but the track was so smooth that the bike felt amazing. For most of the day. And then as the track got rougher, um, then I was like, oh, I actually really enjoy this platform. Yes, it could be a little bit firm, but again, for a motocross bug, you want it to be firm so that you do over jump, you know, the dramas with it. But, um, no, I didn't really have any issues with it. I wasn't sore in the hands. That's a big thing for me now with suspension is like the, you know, you can sort of. I feel like if a bike's too firm, you get really sore in the hands. And, um, I didn't have any of that problem. Uh, I mentioned in my video that I had, um, issues with the seat being slippery, but um, once they put the grip of seat on there, that was, that eliminated all that, and that again, then that helped with the feel of the bike for me. Like I felt like I could. I was more on the bike and on top of the bike and in control of the suspension versus slipping off the back. And then when you slip off the back, that can change the way that you feel a little bit, you know, coming out of corners. If you get on the gas, the rear shock, if you're a bit farther back, it'll slip, it'll squat a bit more. But no, I think overall, like it was a very broad package, I felt like so catered to. A super wide variety for me, so,

Mitch Lees: 8:14

okay, so the seat, let's talk about the seat.'cause I believe you got the pinch, uh, kyli seat. That's gotta be pretty rare. What, what was, what happened? Yeah, what happened?

Speaker: 8:25

Oh, they all day, all day. I was asking for like, a grip of seat because I had some over there and I had so there and I was like, boys, can I just try it like I like. Um, and yeah, all day I was hounding him. No, they're prototypes. They can't fit, they can't fit, they can't fit. And I'm like, man, I just, I'm struggling with this, this feel. Anyway, um, I said to one of the mechanics, I said, can I just try it? Like, I just, I've been asking, I feel bad. I've been asking you all day. Can I just try it? And he was like, come on. Then like, come over. And um, we went over to Tony and he's like, I'm done for the day. And like, grab an. Oh, really? And then, so yeah, they just unbolted it straight off Coli's bike and then wheeled my bike over like, ooh, factory set up sick. And um, just parked my bike right next to the COIs. Took the bite, the seat off mine, put it on the grass, essentially grabbed Coli's seat, chucked it on mine. And I went out and I just, and I was already so tired'cause it was like 2:00 PM and I went out and did another 35 minutes. And I was like, this is pretty sick. This is just, I was out now I'm like, instantly. As soon as I went up the big hill, I was like, oh, I've been chasing this feeling all day. And I'm like, man, I feel faster already. And I just, yeah, it was, it was pretty cool. It was still warm. Like I know that's weird, but it was, it was still pretty, it was pretty cool. And he was going so fast, like it was, when you watch him, he just constantly, just 40 minutes just around and just picture perfect every lap. It was, it was cool. I, I have a, not that I don't admire what Bo crosses do, but I do have a general admiration for the, the sheer intensity that those boys can do. Constantly, you know, they think we crazy going the trees at mile an hour, but watch these. It's sick, it's football to watch.

Mitch Lees: 10:11

It's special. Especially the speeds that they seem to be doing nowadays. They're getting younger and younger and going faster and faster. Um, that's a cool story about the seat. I mean, not many people will be able to say they've ridden on Antonio Crowley's warm seat. He warmed it up for you and I hope it made you go faster. I feel like going anywhere near anything Antonio Crowley touches, you've gotta go faster. Um, yeah. Last car question then for ya. Um, if you could, when you, when you get a bike back here, we're gonna. Get a couple of B testing back here in Australia. If you could get one, what's the plan for, what would you do, the three things you'd do to modify it, to improve it, or to customize it? If you couldn't find too many areas to improve it, what are the first three things you'd do?

Speaker: 10:53

Um, yeah, obviously I would do either a grip of seat or a step seat. Um, I'd like to play with the gearing just because I feel like the, um, like I said over here, the are a bit tighter and a bit, you know, so I feel like the, if you were to come into a corner, uh. For me, I think I want the gearing a bit lower. I like riding in third, um, more than second. So for me, I would probably shorten it so the third's a bit lower. Um, and then maybe, probably just play around a little bit with the mapping maybe here and there. Um, there was a few issues with, um, just, just being so new. They had a couple little, um, some of the American guys were complaining about it got a bit like. Um, oh, would they say, they said that they almost like it was sort of a bit rich off the bottom, so maybe, you know, if it was a two straight, the, the jetting, I guess, was a little bit rich off the bottom, and so we sort of felt that a little bit. It could have been a little bit cleaner and crisper. I'm sure they'll cover that, get that sorted by the time we get out there. Um, I mean if Ducati wanna throw an acro system at me, I would happily put that on their bike. They always look so much better. But, um, no, I honestly like not into changing bikes a lot nowadays. Really just more just get suspension a bit. Maybe, probably a bit softer.'cause I would probably do a more like 50 50 off road motocross thing because, you know, there is, there is off-road stuff coming as well, which is pretty cool. Um, and then obviously the two 50 is coming as well, so. Um, but yeah, I keep looking over it'cause I'm just looking at the, looking at the cover right now. So, yeah, I'm just trying to refresh my memory. But, um, yeah, no, it was, it was cool. It was a really, really cool experience. And like I said, in the, in the real video we did that, um, if anybody gets a chance to go to see uc County or be there around it or whatever, just go because it's, it's. It's pretty cool what they go through in such a small factory and just what they can do and what they're achieving is, is pretty damn. And the people also, the people are unbelievable. I was. I don't know. I was blown away. I was just like, okay, this is a whole new respect. Like I want to go back. You know what I mean? So it was made it, it made for a pretty epic trip, to be honest. So

Mitch Lees: 13:04

yeah, there's no denying the Italian's passion with anything they do. And obviously motorcycles, you know, no exception. All the European manufacturers do a really good job at making you aware of how much they put into it. And I think some of those, um, yeah, the Italians especially do that quite well. Um. I guess that something you mentioned there that I'd love to ask about, because Ducati have been pretty open with what's coming up in information. But was there anything that they leaked or teased out at the launch in regards to future models? We know, we know the two fifty's on the way we've seen it coming with, um, that it's being raced obviously over there in the Italian two 50 championship. Uh, but. And, and, and they have mentioned to us, kind of off the record that there are Enduro models on the way to, I mean, anyone can work that out. Usually they're gonna follow a motocross launch. Um, yeah. Did they give you any information as to what might be coming next year? Um,

Speaker: 13:56

so obviously the two 50 was there. Um, and yeah, um, Alessandra Lapino was there writing that. He was telling us that that was. He was an awesome guy as well. And then, um, we walked into the engine rooms and they were like, oh yeah, this is our 2 4 50 motocross engine platform and this is our two 50 motocross platform. And I was like, oh, yeah, what's, what's that one there? And the guy said, us and goes, oh, that's our four 50 andro platform. And then engineers were like, no, no, no. Like, no. And um, but yeah, like you said, it's obvious that they, they're gonna go 4 58 across obviously, but, um. And then look, as we were walking through, there was a couple of like bikes that looked like their, had been ridden a lot. Uh, and they had headlights on'em too, so that was pretty cool. But, um, yeah, they're definitely, they're definitely all in, but like they said, they wanna do, they're not rushing anything. If it takes them three years to get in Dura bikes out, that's what they'll take them. They're not, they're crossing every t doting, every i, they are just taking their time, you know, to a certain degree. Like they said to us, they're taking their time. Figured it out. They're all in. You know what I mean? So it's, it's, um, it's pretty cool. I, it's, I even asked them about like just little things like, oh, how did you guys get the bike across the line without getting any spy shots? And, uh, the engineer Julio was like, oh, funny story. The very first day we took the bike outside the factory, it was blacked out and like nobody knew anything about it. And they, and someone took a photo of it and then they essentially had to, you know. Emailed them was like, I have the photo of this bike. And then they were like, oh, well we need to do whatever we can to not get it released. And then Ju had like, it never got released, but he had it on his phone. He showed us picture on his phone and I was like, that's pretty cool. But like, it was kind of like the paparazzi was like, I have this photo. How are you gonna help me out so that I can help you out? It doesn't get like leaked. So that was pretty cool. I was like, oh, okay. Tid of information, but um, bit of black. There's definitely coming. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. There's definitely aro coming. That's, that's gonna be pretty cool. I think it'll just be four 50 and two 50, but, um. I think it'll be a, it'd be a good thing for sure.

Mitch Lees: 16:10

Yeah. That's exciting. We do, we were made aware that there are in Juro bikes on the way as well, kind of semi unofficially. So it's cool that you guys got to walk through and see that they've actually done all the testing on them. And, um, yeah. That's interesting that even in our little industry, there's still blackmail that goes on with, with images. That was, it was cool and they were

Speaker: 16:27

all, they were all laughing thinking about it too, which was cool. Like, it was, I don't know, it was just a. It was just a really, really just good group of people, and I think that's what made it so inspiring to just ride the bike. And that made me appreciate more of what's going on over there with what they're doing. You know what I mean? Like they're going in Supercross, going in the mo, they're doing all that, you know, they just love it. They're really cool.

Mitch Lees: 16:52

Cool. Alright, well that's enough mate. Sorry we've kept you too long. The umati will be here later this year, which is exciting and we are hoping to get on one and do a bit more testing on one and, um, yeah, see how it performs down here in Australia because how. Bikes perform overseas, it's usually a little bit different. So stay tuned everyone. Yeah, yeah. As we get a chance to test one here in Australia. And, uh, we're gonna get Braco back on soon enough to talk us through the Triumph Enduro Range, which has also been down in Victoria, testing back here in Australia. He's been a busy man, so stay tuned guys, and uh, we'll have Braco back on to talk triumphs. See you next time.