For the better part of the last decade, Ducati’s been doing something few motorcycle brands can genuinely claim. It’s winning relentlessly on the racetrack while still selling aspirational bikes in meaningful volume. That combination is brutally hard to pull off. Racing success is expensive. Premium motorcycles are even harder to move in uncertain economies. Yet, heading out of 2025, Ducati is still standing, still loud, and still very much in the fight.
On paper, the numbers look like a step back. Ducati delivered 50,895 motorcycles worldwide in 2025, down 7% from 2024’s 54,495 units. That drop sounds pretty bleak until you zoom out. The global motorcycle market is shrinking in key regions, some by double digits. Europe is battling rising production costs and regulatory pressure. Exchange rates have been swinging. China continues to cool for premium brands. Add geopolitical noise on top of that, and it’s honestly surprising Ducati didn’t take a harder hit.
This wasn’t a demand problem as much as a perfect storm of timing, regulation, and supply constraints.
A big factor was Euro 5+. Ducati’s Monster, Hypermotard, and DesertX were either limited or temporarily unavailable while being reworked to meet the new emissions rules. Those aren’t niche bikes. They’re core parts of Ducati’s lineup. When you pull three popular models out of circulation, even partially, the numbers will feel it. Ducati’s already confirmed all three return in early 2026 with the new V2 engine, which should immediately stabilize that side of the portfolio.
Market-by-market, the story gets more interesting.
Italy stayed Ducati’s biggest market with 8,803 bikes delivered, even though it slipped 8%. That’s more a reflection of broader European softness than brand fatigue. The US was actually a bright spot, growing 4% to 7,268 units, making it Ducati’s second-strongest market. That’s no small deal considering how competitive and price-sensitive the American market has become in recent years. Meanwhile, Germany fell 12%, but Spain and Austria jumped 15% and 14% respectively, suggesting that Ducati’s appeal still cuts through when conditions are right. Japan also posted an 11% gain.
China, though, continues to be rough. Ducati was down 31%, following a 26% drop the year before. Premium European brands are feeling the squeeze there, and Ducati isn’t immune.
Now let’s get into the real story. The bikes.
If you want to understand Ducati’s modern success, you start with the Multistrada. In 2025, it was Ducati’s best-selling model range globally with 13,873 units delivered. That’s not an accident, and it’s not just because adventure bikes are trendy. The Multistrada works because it refuses to be one thing.
It’s fast enough to embarrass sportbikes on a mountain road. Comfortable enough to cross countries. Tall, upright, and confidence-inspiring for riders who don’t want to ruin their wrists. And crucially, Ducati didn’t dumb it down to get there. It still feels like a Ducati. You get real performance, real tech, and real character, wrapped in a package that doesn’t demand you ride like a MotoGP racer to enjoy it.
Versatility sells. Approachability sells. And the Multistrada has both, without losing credibility.
It also has history on its side. Ducati’s been refining this platform for over two decades. Each generation fixed real problems instead of chasing gimmicks. By the time the V4 arrived, Ducati had already built trust with riders who wanted one bike that could do most things well. The Multistrada V4 Rally doubles down on that with even more comfort, tech, and long-distance focus, which explains why the nameplate keeps growing instead of plateauing.
Second place went to the Panigale superbikes, with 10,606 units delivered. That’s impressive for a lineup that’s unapologetically expensive and unapologetically focused. Ducati’s superbikes aren’t entry-level anything. They’re halo machines. But as it turns out, racing success matters here, and Ducati’s dominance in MotoGP and WorldSBK feeds directly into Panigale desirability. Talk about win on Sunday and sell on Monday, huh?
The Scrambler family followed with 5,814 units, continuing to do its job as Ducati’s lifestyle gateway. It may not get the same hype as Panigale or Multistrada updates, but the Scrambler series remains a smart play. It pulls in new riders, urban riders, and people who want Ducati style without Ducati intensity. Plus, retro hipsters who want to ride the Ducati hype. There, I said it.
Then there’s the new wildcard. Off-road racing. And I'm not talking about adventure riding. I mean legit off-road motocross and enduro action. 2025 marked Ducati’s real entry into motocross with the Desmo450 MX, and this wasn’t some half-baked branding exercise. Ducati committed to racing. MXGP, National championships, Motocross of Nations, and even AMA Supercross for 2026. That's a big deal, because dirt riders can tell the difference between a legit machine and a marketing stunt from a mile away.
Ducati continues expanding its off-road lineuo with the Desmo250 MX and Desmo450 Enduro. This is Ducati doing what it does best: Learn through competition, then feed that knowledge back into production bikes. It’s the same playbook that built its road racing empire.
On the sporting side, Ducati’s 2025 trophy haul is ridiculous. Another MotoGP Riders’ Title. A sixth straight Constructors’ Title. A WorldSBK Manufacturers’ Title. Racing isn’t just marketing for Ducati. It’s a feedback loop that reinforces the brand’s credibility and justifies its pricing.
Which brings us to the big question: Can Ducati stay competitive as the industry shifts downward in displacement?
Pretty much every European manufacturer is diving headfirst into the 400cc to 450cc space. Aprilia, Triumph, BMW, and KTM all have strong contenders there. The logic is obvious. Lower costs, broader accessibility, easier global homologation, and a younger audience pretty much future-proof a brand.
Ducati, historically, hasn’t played this game. In fact it has outright and blatantly stated that it is not making small displacement motorcycles. The brand thrives on aspiration, premium positioning, and on bikes that are simply about being special even when they’re not practical. Jumping aggressively into the 400cc class risks diluting that identity. But ignoring the segment entirely is just as risky.
Nevertheless, the off-road expansion could be the bridge. Smaller displacement dirt bikes make sense. They fit Ducati’s racing-first philosophy without forcing it into a budget street bike war. At the same time, Ducati’s existing lineup already covers a wide spectrum, from Scrambler to Monster to Multistrada to Panigale, without chasing the absolute bottom of the market.
The question isn’t whether Ducati can build a 400cc bike. Of course it can. Remember the Scrambler Sixty2? The real question is whether it should, and if it can do so without turning into just another European brand chasing volume. That said, if 2025 proves anything, it’s that Ducati knows how to hold its ground during turbulence. It didn’t panic or slash its identity. Instead, it leaned on versatility where it works, racing where it counts, and premium appeal where it matters.
Source: Ducati
