Just a year after the company's first foray into motocross bikes, Ducati has unveiled the Desmo250 MX, a fire-breathing featherweight built to dominate tracks with possibly the highest revving engine in its class.

Sporting an all-new powertrain with a desmodromic system that offers precise valve control and high valvetrain speeds, this baby makes 44 hp at 12,500 RPM and redlines at 15,000 RPM. That means you can hold a gear for longer on demanding tracks loaded with transitions.

The Italian marque notes that the torque curve and power are evenly spread across the Desmo250's rev range – so everything you've got to work with is predictably accessible when you're coming out of a corner, nailing a jump, or blasting through a rutted straight.

A lot of work has gone into developing the 250 over the last five years, from a collaboration with pro MX2 racer Alessandro Lupino, to borrowing engine tech from the all-powerful Panigale V4 R sportsbike, to building a model-specific 5-speed gearbox and a new exhaust.

The 250's chassis is largely similar to that of its older sibling, with a perimeter frame and aluminum swingarm derived from the Desmo450 MX that debuted last year. However, it gets its own Showa suspension kit, paired with Pirelli Scorpion MX32 rubber and a Brembo braking system featuring 260-mm and 240-mm Galfer discs at the front and rear, respectively. The entire package weighs just 227 lb (103 kg) without fuel.

On the electronics front, you can tweak the 250's throttle response by switching between two engine maps, and dial in traction control across three levels. Ducati is particularly proud of the latter, as it "calibrates power reduction based on actual rear wheel spin" to intervene effectively. Engine braking and launch control are also adjustable.

Another neat bit of tech on here is the bike's ability to calculate its own engine stress index, and report when and what sort of maintenance it needs. So depending on your riding style and frequency, the 250 will tell you via a mobile app when it can use a 'Mid' service (valve clearance check and piston replacement) or a 'Full' service (complete engine overhaul – typically between 90 and 120 hours of riding).

That's a nice bit of kit for serious motocross enthusiasts – and with a not-too-crazy US$10,595 price tag, the Desmo250 MX could give the beloved Kawasaki KX250F and Yamaha YZ250F a run for their money when it arrives in August.

If you want a rowdy little Ducati you can legally ride in and out of town, the new Desmo450 EDS is worth a look. Coming in at just under US$13,000, it's also expected stateside in August.

Check out the Desmo250 MX on Ducati's site.

Source: Ducati