RED-HOT SINGLE

Hypermotard that has something in common with a 1299 Panigale. The wait was worth it

- Story: Joshua Varghese

THE DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 698 MONO IS A motorcycle that no one asked for and that is, perhaps, why it ranks so high in my list of unforgettable motorcycle experiences. Although we did not know what to expect from such a unique motorcycle, we were highly impressed by the end of our time with it.

At its core, it is a toy, an engineering marvel brought about by Ducati simply because they could. Although purely a supermotard, this motorcycle’s roots emerge from one of its most violent and hallowed siblings, the formidable 1299 Panigale.

The new Superquadro Mono is among the most sophisticated and largest single-cylinder engines ever made and it is essentially one half of the 1299 Panigale’s V-twin. Common elements between them include the 116-millimetre piston, combustion chamber, titanium intake and steel exhaust valves, and Desmodromic valvetrain. It is a liquid-cooled, four-valve, single-cylinder engine that develops 77.5 hp at 9,750 rpm and a peak torque of 63 Nm at 8,000 rpm. While the bore is the same, this engine uses a longer stroke than the 1299's unit and that has lowered the red-line to 10,250 rpm. Power output and delivery can be further customized by choosing one of the three power modes, levels of traction control, and so on. As is customary, I did go through a few combinations but when I arrived at the Sport map with the maximum power, it was clear that it suited the character of the motorcycle best. The violence of its acceleration and the aggressiveness of its throttle response feel more natural than intimidating.