- To use the 890cc V2 engine from other V2 models
- Several changes to design elements and components
- Could be unveiled in the second half of 2026
Ducati showcased the upcoming DesertX V2 in camouflaged attire towards the end of 2025. Now, a few more details of the motorcycle have been leaked in design registrations.
The Ducati DesertX V2 has previously been shown wearing dazzle camouflage and missing several production-ready components, but newly filed design registrations now reveal how the finished motorcycle will look once those final details are in place.
Visually, the DesertX V2 remains closely aligned with the current model, retaining its retro, Dakar-inspired silhouette. Beneath the familiar styling, however, sits a new monocoque-style alloy chassis that brings the adventure bike in line with Ducati’s latest V2 platform. Power comes from the same 890cc liquid-cooled V-twin already used across Ducati’s Panigale, Streetfighter, Multistrada, Monster and Hypermotard V2 models, a move that increases parts commonality across the range.
The new engine is both lighter and more compact than the outgoing 937cc Testastretta unit. It also marks a technical shift for Ducati, abandoning the brand’s traditional Desmodromic valve system in favour of conventional valve springs. Variable intake valve timing has also been added, aimed at delivering a wider and more accessible spread of performance.
Compared with the previewed DesertX V2 shown earlier, the latest design filings reinstate several components absent from the show bike. These include road-going essentials such as mirrors and a street-legal exhaust system, replacing the Termignoni unit fitted to the prototype.
Further inspection of the registrations also reveals a two-piece seat layout rather than the single-piece design seen previously, along with a licence plate bracket. Aside from these additions, the images suggest the camouflaged DesertX V2 displayed at EICMA was already very close to final production specification.
