Dakar 2027: Tiziano Internò's Ducati EDS 450 Rally

Ducati is returning to the Dakar, without a factory team. Tiziano Internò will line up at the 2027 Dakar on a prototype Ducati EDS 450 Rally built by Rebel X and shown at EICMA. He will compete in the Original by Motul category, but his job is mainly to test the bike in the African desert and collect data for R&D.

A production run limited to 35 bikes

The production version will be built in just 35 units. Pre-orders open in February, with deliveries following in July. No price has been officially announced.

The project is led by Rebel X Sports rather than by Ducati in Bologna: in July, CEO Claudio Domenicali ruled out a factory rally-raid team for the moment, saying the company has too much on its plate.

What we know about the bike

The bike is based on the Desmo450 enduro model. It was designed by Manuel Lucchese, a Dakar veteran sidelined by injury since December 2025, together with Hyle Project. The sources list several components:

• a full titanium exhaust from Akrapovič;
• an engine map and a GPS-enabled speed limiter (for liaison sections) from GET;
• Brembo racing calipers, front and rear;
• "non-standard" suspension components.

The rally version's power output has not been disclosed.

A rider who knows the Dakar

Internò rode his sixth Dakar in January and finished eighth in Malle Moto, in an "Ultra Dakar" approach in which he carried his own tools and belongings on every stage. The 2027 Dakar runs from 9 to 23 January, between Portugal and Morocco.

A piece of Dakar history

Ducati is no stranger to rally raids. In 1980, Michel Cheylan finished 18th overall on a Ducati 750 GT. The following year, Xavier Baldet climbed to third with a Ducati 500 Pantah before his bike literally split in half. Since then the brand has returned to off-road: HERO Racing won the Mint 400 and the inaugural American Off-Road Racing Championship on a Desmo450 this year.

Key takeaways for the 2027 Dakar

• The prototype is first and foremost a test bed: Internò competes in Original by Motul, with testing the bike as his main goal.
• The production bike, limited to 35 units, can be pre-ordered in February and will be delivered in July.
• Ducati is not creating a factory team: the programme relies on Rebel X Sports, with Hyle Project involved in the design.
• The 2027 Dakar runs from 9 to 23 January, between Portugal and Morocco.