To see what all the Hype's about, geddit? The "Hype", as in Hyper motard. It's obviously a tough crowd tonight. But then, I guess you've every right to be as sceptical about my jokes as you'd be about the most famous Italian motorcycle manufacturer stretching a limb out down the already well- beaten supermoto path. The supermoto idea has been around a white. and the concept of a more usable, road-biased version has caught on. Now Ducati has leapt on the bandwagon by bending the Multistrada concept into something altogether more exciting and agile. But won't supermotos impractical bikes for loons unlikely ever to tempt real-world bikers who need comfortable seats and a decent tank range?
My first impressions were a little uncertain too as we trundled up and away along damp Sardinian roads. dipping into towns and villages clogged with Sunday worshippers. I felt nervous sitting high and flat on the bike with what seems like five-foot-wide handlebars. The gearbox is clunky through the lower gears, while tow-speed throttle response isn't the smoothest.
As we left the towns behind, the roads got damper, emptier and twistier, I began to feel as if the bike was steering itself into the turns. Enter a corner at an average speed and you can feel the weight of the front wheel twin discs and all, pulling the bars in, and practically steering for you. Add to that a hard initial stroke of the forks, which hits bumps a tad more than it absorbs them, and you'd be excused for lacking cornering confidence. The extra weight of the twin discs and Brembo radial brakes are strong and consistent. With the extra braking forces and the higher corner entry speeds the steering and fork action becomes far more precise, positive and effective. The track is probably not where you'll spend most of your time riding the Hypermotard, but it's still proof enough that Ducati has made the right choice, erring on the side of performance more than practicality.
The rest of the chassis feels good once you get used to the bike's shape, and I wouldn't want to mislead you into thinking this was anything like a proper hard and impractical supermoto tool. For a start high-speed stability is far better than any true supermoto. The Multistrada derived steel trellis frame design makes the general ebb and flow of road riding smooth and easy especially with the torquey Desmodromic 1100 twin thumping away under you.
As for the engine, it’s stronger and faster than you'd expect. It's largely the same 1,078cc lump used in the 1100 Multistrada but with a determined effort to reduce its weight. A dry clutch and lighter gearbox help Save 1.6kg over the Multistrada. Of course it'd be nice for the bike to have the best possible engine the manufacturer can slot in. In this case you'd took to the water-cooled motor from the 1098, or even the 999. But Claudio Domenicali- Ducati's general product director claims this motor gives the bike more possibilities: "We could have used a water-cooled engine and given it 140 horse power easily, and we considered this for a while. But that much power would make the bike too specialized” This is a hard idea to swallow - I mean, imagine a supermoto- style bike this light delivering 140bhp! It would be amazing. But I can see how it could easily become unrideable. As it is, you don't really feel the Hypermotard needs more power most of the time. It pulls easy wheelies out of a second-gear hair pin at the track, and pushes 130mph down some of Sardinia's long straight roads. Fitting of the Termignoni exhaust system further livens up the bike to a claimed 95bhp (it puts out 90bhp, as standard), makes it sound better (although it still keeps it pretty quite. and reduces weight.
ENGINE
The two valve air-cooled 1.078cc motor is an “evolution” of that Desmodromic dual spark motor found in Multistrada 1100, with 1.6kg shaved off. A new dry clutch has 30% lighter lever pressure thanks to different friction materials and one more disc a direct development from 1098
CHASSIS
The steel trellis frame is similar to that used on the Multistrada, but with a 1,455mm wheelbase and 845mm seat height (most supermoto-style bike are usually more like 900mm or more). The standard model gets Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock. The S model gets up-rated Marzocchi forks and Ohlins shock.
WHEELS
Both standard and S models get Marchesini forged wheel, but the S model’s are 2kg lighter. The standard bike runs Bridgestone BT-014 tyres while the S upgrades to Pirelli Diablo D3s, thereby keeping both Ducati world championship race teams tyre supplies happy.
BRAKES
Brembos are as Brembos do. Four-pad-per-piston front caliper on 305mm discs are radial mounted, with a radial master cylinder at the lever. So they work, well Single-piston rear caliper sits on a 245mm disc S model gets Brembo monoblock caliper as used on the 1098.
S IS BEST
Aside from lighter wheels, better suspension, stronger brake and grippier tyres, there’s little difference between the standard and S models apart from a sprinkling of carbon fiber here and there. Fit the optional extra Termignoni exhaust system though and you save weight while boosting power by 5bhp.
INSTRUMENTS
The simple but effective digital dashboard looks like a traditional off- road piece of kit, but carries ten times more functions including a lap timer, The Ducati Data Analyser stick (the same USB stick found on the 1098) is an optional extra here too, give you the software to do your own data logging.
SPECIFICATION
My first impressions were a little uncertain too as we trundled up and away along damp Sardinian roads. dipping into towns and villages clogged with Sunday worshippers. I felt nervous sitting high and flat on the bike with what seems like five-foot-wide handlebars. The gearbox is clunky through the lower gears, while tow-speed throttle response isn't the smoothest.
As we left the towns behind, the roads got damper, emptier and twistier, I began to feel as if the bike was steering itself into the turns. Enter a corner at an average speed and you can feel the weight of the front wheel twin discs and all, pulling the bars in, and practically steering for you. Add to that a hard initial stroke of the forks, which hits bumps a tad more than it absorbs them, and you'd be excused for lacking cornering confidence. The extra weight of the twin discs and Brembo radial brakes are strong and consistent. With the extra braking forces and the higher corner entry speeds the steering and fork action becomes far more precise, positive and effective. The track is probably not where you'll spend most of your time riding the Hypermotard, but it's still proof enough that Ducati has made the right choice, erring on the side of performance more than practicality.
The rest of the chassis feels good once you get used to the bike's shape, and I wouldn't want to mislead you into thinking this was anything like a proper hard and impractical supermoto tool. For a start high-speed stability is far better than any true supermoto. The Multistrada derived steel trellis frame design makes the general ebb and flow of road riding smooth and easy especially with the torquey Desmodromic 1100 twin thumping away under you.
As for the engine, it’s stronger and faster than you'd expect. It's largely the same 1,078cc lump used in the 1100 Multistrada but with a determined effort to reduce its weight. A dry clutch and lighter gearbox help Save 1.6kg over the Multistrada. Of course it'd be nice for the bike to have the best possible engine the manufacturer can slot in. In this case you'd took to the water-cooled motor from the 1098, or even the 999. But Claudio Domenicali- Ducati's general product director claims this motor gives the bike more possibilities: "We could have used a water-cooled engine and given it 140 horse power easily, and we considered this for a while. But that much power would make the bike too specialized” This is a hard idea to swallow - I mean, imagine a supermoto- style bike this light delivering 140bhp! It would be amazing. But I can see how it could easily become unrideable. As it is, you don't really feel the Hypermotard needs more power most of the time. It pulls easy wheelies out of a second-gear hair pin at the track, and pushes 130mph down some of Sardinia's long straight roads. Fitting of the Termignoni exhaust system further livens up the bike to a claimed 95bhp (it puts out 90bhp, as standard), makes it sound better (although it still keeps it pretty quite. and reduces weight.
ENGINE
The two valve air-cooled 1.078cc motor is an “evolution” of that Desmodromic dual spark motor found in Multistrada 1100, with 1.6kg shaved off. A new dry clutch has 30% lighter lever pressure thanks to different friction materials and one more disc a direct development from 1098
CHASSIS
The steel trellis frame is similar to that used on the Multistrada, but with a 1,455mm wheelbase and 845mm seat height (most supermoto-style bike are usually more like 900mm or more). The standard model gets Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock. The S model gets up-rated Marzocchi forks and Ohlins shock.
WHEELS
Both standard and S models get Marchesini forged wheel, but the S model’s are 2kg lighter. The standard bike runs Bridgestone BT-014 tyres while the S upgrades to Pirelli Diablo D3s, thereby keeping both Ducati world championship race teams tyre supplies happy.
BRAKES
Brembos are as Brembos do. Four-pad-per-piston front caliper on 305mm discs are radial mounted, with a radial master cylinder at the lever. So they work, well Single-piston rear caliper sits on a 245mm disc S model gets Brembo monoblock caliper as used on the 1098.
S IS BEST
Aside from lighter wheels, better suspension, stronger brake and grippier tyres, there’s little difference between the standard and S models apart from a sprinkling of carbon fiber here and there. Fit the optional extra Termignoni exhaust system though and you save weight while boosting power by 5bhp.
INSTRUMENTS
The simple but effective digital dashboard looks like a traditional off- road piece of kit, but carries ten times more functions including a lap timer, The Ducati Data Analyser stick (the same USB stick found on the 1098) is an optional extra here too, give you the software to do your own data logging.
SPECIFICATION
Engine
Type : 4 valve V-twin
Displacement : 1078cc
Bore x Stroke : 98x71.5mm
Compression : 10.5:1
Carburation: Marelli EFI, 45mm throttle bodies
Gearbox: 6-speed chain
Power: 90bhp@7,750rpm (claimed)
Torque: 75.9lbs ft@4.750rpm (claimed)
Cycle Parts
Chassis: Tubular steel trellis
Suspension:
(Front) 50mm USD Marzocchi forks, fully adjustable
(Rear) Fully adjustable Sachs monoshock (Ohlins S model)
Brakes
(Front) Twin 300mm Brembo 4-piston calipers
(Rear) 245mm disc, Brembo single piston caliper
Wheel/Tyre:
(Front) Forged aluminium 120/70Z R17
(Rear) Forged aluminium 180/55-ZR17
Rake/Trail: 24 degree/na
Wheelbase: 1,455mm
Capacity: 12.4 litres (2.7 gals)
Dry weight: 179kg (394.7lbs)
THE VERDICT
In the words of Ducati bigwig Claudio Domenicali the Hypermotard is. "For sure, better on the race-track but it’s also very good on the street and in the city it’s also very surely a Ducati. He went on to say it is a "repackaged Multistrada with one clear mission excitement.” In a nutshell, if you think about what this means. you’ve pretty much got the gist of the Hypermotard. The Hypermotard started life two years ago as a design exercise for the Milan bike show, evolving into a bike that oozes Italian loveliness in its design and detail. The strong V-twin motor is housed in a sharp-handling nimble chassis. Not everyone will get on with the slightly heavy, stiff front brakes and the V-twin low-speed lumpiness on the road.
But if you’re tempted by this kind of fruit either interesting Italian naked bikes or big-capacity street supermoto bikes then you’ll soon live with for the sake of having a fast, unique a good looking motorcycle.
The Hypermotard behaves like a supermoto on track; but in the real world, it’s a lot more sophisticated and useful than a pure supermoto.
Type : 4 valve V-twin
Displacement : 1078cc
Bore x Stroke : 98x71.5mm
Compression : 10.5:1
Carburation: Marelli EFI, 45mm throttle bodies
Gearbox: 6-speed chain
Power: 90bhp@7,750rpm (claimed)
Torque: 75.9lbs ft@4.750rpm (claimed)
Cycle Parts
Chassis: Tubular steel trellis
Suspension:
(Front) 50mm USD Marzocchi forks, fully adjustable
(Rear) Fully adjustable Sachs monoshock (Ohlins S model)
Brakes
(Front) Twin 300mm Brembo 4-piston calipers
(Rear) 245mm disc, Brembo single piston caliper
Wheel/Tyre:
(Front) Forged aluminium 120/70Z R17
(Rear) Forged aluminium 180/55-ZR17
Rake/Trail: 24 degree/na
Wheelbase: 1,455mm
Capacity: 12.4 litres (2.7 gals)
Dry weight: 179kg (394.7lbs)
THE VERDICT
In the words of Ducati bigwig Claudio Domenicali the Hypermotard is. "For sure, better on the race-track but it’s also very good on the street and in the city it’s also very surely a Ducati. He went on to say it is a "repackaged Multistrada with one clear mission excitement.” In a nutshell, if you think about what this means. you’ve pretty much got the gist of the Hypermotard. The Hypermotard started life two years ago as a design exercise for the Milan bike show, evolving into a bike that oozes Italian loveliness in its design and detail. The strong V-twin motor is housed in a sharp-handling nimble chassis. Not everyone will get on with the slightly heavy, stiff front brakes and the V-twin low-speed lumpiness on the road.
But if you’re tempted by this kind of fruit either interesting Italian naked bikes or big-capacity street supermoto bikes then you’ll soon live with for the sake of having a fast, unique a good looking motorcycle.
The Hypermotard behaves like a supermoto on track; but in the real world, it’s a lot more sophisticated and useful than a pure supermoto.
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