Ducati India has teased the arrival of its first modern-day single-cylinder motorcycle - the Hypermotard 698. We expect this motorcycle to be launched in India in the coming weeks.
- Most powerful single-cylinder engine in production
- Full suite of electronic rider aids
- Weighs 151kg (without fuel); gets fully adjustable suspension
Ducati Hypermotard 698 engine, power, price details
The new high-strung Superquadro Mono engine is rated for 77.5hp and 63Nm. This output figure rises to 84.5hp and 67Nm when paired to the optional Termignoni racing exhaust. A 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch is found here, with a bidirectional quickshifter offered as an optional extra. The RVE variant gets the bidirectional quickshifter as standard.
Styling is typical Hypermotard with a tall, flat bench-style seat and beaky front fender. One curious thing here is that Ducati has retained the twin exhaust mufflers, despite this being a single-cylinder engine.
This is an exceedingly lightweight machine and in fact, the Hypermotard 698 weighs just 151kg (wet weight, without fuel). A USD fork and monoshock (both fully-adjustable) handle suspension duties, the former supplied by Marzocchi and the latter by Sachs.
Braking duties are handled by a radial M4.32 monobloc caliper biting down upon a 330mm disc up front. Dual-channel ABS is offered as standard, which can be turned off at the rear, in typical supermoto fashion. Tyres are supplied by Pirelli and the front one measures 120/70-ZR17, while the rear is a 160/60-ZR17 unit, both running Diablo Rosso 4 rubber.
A comprehensive array of electronic rider aids are available including cornering ABS and traction control, engine braking control, 3 power modes, 4 riding modes and launch control. Wheelie control is offered as an optional extra. All these aids are controlled via a 3.5-inch LCD dash.
The Hypermotard 698 will be brought to India as a CBU. As such it will command a premium price tag and coupled with its limited functionality, expect it to be a rarity on Indian roads.
Also See:
Ducati Hypermotard 950 review: true to its name
