The 1971 Ducati Desmo RT450
Did you know that Ducati once made a big, snorting 450 cee cee dirt bike that stuck terror into the hearts of riders and parts men alike? Yes, the RT450 Desmo was Ducati’s foray into the world of open class MX machinery, and while only produced for one year, it became an instant classics in the looks and performance department.
In 1967, Ducati introduced its first production desmodromic engine, a design that copied its valve arrangement from a 1951 W196 straight-8 Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix car. A trading house by the name of Berliner distributed Ducati in the USA, and tried with lackluster success to break into the US off-road market with some pretty odd styled small motorcycles.
Ducati didn’t stay within any given formula at this time, and made 160cc, 150 & 180cc single cylinder four strokes dirt bikes that had to race in the 250 class, since they were bigger than a 125, but smaller than a 250. This fact put the bikes at a real disadvantage, performance wise.
Also, parts distribution was handled by the Cosmopolitan Motors Corp. of Brooklyn New York, that was considered a joke at the time, since they would only order you a part if they had a gross dozen of the same part ordered. Sometimes getting stuff like a woodruff key for a clutch basket would take six months.
Berliner decided that what Ducati needed was a full 500cc motocross machine to make a big hit in the US market for dirt bikes. But by 1970 Berliner was at the brink of financial ruin - and Ducati with it. Bikes like the 160cc Monza & 200cc Junior were flops in the U.S. market, and followed a formula that could only be described as “off the mark” or “odd”. And the bike buying public in the US didn’t go for it.
Ducati's only real off-road, four stroke, competition motorcycles were the 1971 450 R/T and 450 R/S. The RT & RS had a new designed frame that looked great, especially when compared to the strange looking frames on other Ducati singles. But by 1971 it was too late, as the two stroke MX bike was just coming of age, and dominating motocross racing. Less than 70 1971 RT450’s were produced, making it quite a rare motorcycle today.
I had a very used ’71 RT450 back in the day, and remembered how nice it looked and rode, but when something broke, it would be down for months waiting for a part from Cosmopolitan Motors.
Also, it seemed only one place in Los Angeles knew how to adjust the complicated Desmo valve assy, and it was run by a soused German guy named Blair who worked out of a filthy garage in Glendale. So in 1976 the Ducati got traded for a 1972 Yamaha 360 Enduro and a .303 Enfield rifle.
Good timing, as a few weeks later the Ducati blew up, and spewed hot oil, ball bearings and gears all over the parking lot in front Murphy's bar in El Mirage. The stain is still there.
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