A new entry for Ducati in the single-cylinder fun bike segment is the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono. Using the recently revealed Ducati Superquadro Mono engine, the Hypermotard 698 is a supermotard for the road. The Hypermotard does not pretend to be anything other than what it is, “created with the sole objective of thrilling through the curves, between the curbs of the tracks but also in the city.” Basically a hooligan bike in the vein of the Duke 690R with wheelies, steppes and rear wheel slides being the order of the day.
The new Superquadro Mono engine displaces
659 cc and produces a maximum power of 77.5 hp at 9,750 rpm with 64 Nm of
torque at 8,000 rpm. Equipped with desmodromic valve actuation and titanium
intake valves, the Hypermotard 698 gets an oval section throttle with an
under-throttle injector. For the electronics suite, the Hypermotard 698 gets
software that allows the less experienced rider to perform like a Supermotard
rider. There four riding modes – Sport, Road, Urban and Wet – and three Engine,
or power, modes.
There are also four levels of ABS, the
first Ducati to offer such, which integrates the Slide-by-Brake function
through the use of the rear brake for safe and repeatable cornering when
powersliding. Level 4 provides full ABS intervention, while Levels 3 and 2
allowing for rear powerslides and Level 1 giving ABS on the front brake only. Also
standard is four levels of wheelie control with levels 4, 3 and 2 giving
maximum acceleration out of corners while minimizing front wheel lift. Level 1
is for use on the track and allows controlled and safe lifting of the front
wheel.
Additionally, Ducati Performance software
for Ducati Wheelie Control is available as an option. This mod which can only
be used with the track only Ducati Performance Termignoni exhaust gives Wheelie
Assist that allows for prolonged wheelies, using engine torque to control the
angle. With a curb weight of 151 kg without fuel, the Hypermotard 698 Mono
comes with cast alloy wheels fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres,
measuring 120/70 ZR 17 at the front and 160/60 ZR 17 at the rear. Suspension in
the front uses a lightweight 45 mm diameter Marzocchi upside-down forks, fully
adjustable with external adjusters 213 mm of travel.
At the rear, a fully adjustable Sachs
monoshock gives 240 mm of suspension travel. Braking is done with Brembo M4.32
4-piston radial caliper in front acting on a 330 mm brake disc with aluminium
carrier to save weight while the rear wheel gets a 240 mm disc. There are two
model variants of the Hypermotard 698 Mono. The Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE comes
with dedicated graphics and Ducati quickshifter as standard while the standard
comes in Ducati Red and the quickshifter is an option.
