Ducati joins the singles scene: Hypermotard 698 Mono By Ben Purvis
Ducati's longstanding obsession with 90-degree V-twins took a huge hit with the introduction of the Panigale V4 and the growing range of four-cylinder models that followed it - and now the company is heading in the other direction as well, by introducing its first mass-produced single cylinder for half a century.
The peak is 57 kW (76 hp) at 9,750 rpm, enough to beat KTM's larger-capacity, 693 cc '690' single-cylinder engine, and the Ducati engine redlines at an impressive 10,250 rpm, reflecting its unusually high-revving design. Max torque is 63 Nm and doesn't arrive until 8,050 rpm.
While Ducati's 1990s Supermono single is fondly remembered, it was a race-only machine made in limited numbers - fewer than 70 were made - and the company hasn't made a road-going, showroom single-cylinder model since the demise of the bevel drive, desmo singles in 1974.
'New 659 cc single and upcoming 450 motocrosser show the V-twin-only era is long gone'
The new Hypermotard 698 Mono is the first home for the Superquadro Mono engine, but probably won't be its only application. It's a lightweight supermoto-style machine, along the lines of the existing V-twin Hypermotard 950, but with less weight and an even more focused appeal. Built around Ducati's usual recipe of a steel trellis frame, the Hypermotard 698 Mono weighs in at just 151 kg without fuel.
Like the company's other bikes, electronics are a strong part of the Hypermotard single package. There's cornering traction control and ABS, of course, but also launch control, three power modes, four riding modes, wheelie control, launch control and engine brake control as part of a suite of electronics that far exceeds most single-cylinder bikes. There's even an optional wheelie-assist system that helps keep the front wheel in the air if that's what you want to achieve.
The suspension comprises 45 mm Marzocchi USD forks and a Sachs rear monoshock, offering long travel - 215 mm at the front and 240 mm at the rear - a hint that the Hypermotard 698 Mono could result in an off-road-oriented derivative in the future. As usual, the brakes are Brembos with a single M4.32 four-piston front caliper gripping an oversized 330 mm disc. Those brakes are fitted with an advanced cornering ABS system that not only has multiple sensitivity settings, but also allows a 'slide by brake' function that allows the back wheel to be drifted into corners in some modes.
A higher-spec 'RVE' version of the bike is also offered, with more eye-catching graphics and a standard-fit up/down quickshifter.
Ducati will also offer a restricted 43.5 hp version of the bike to suit A2 licence rules in Europe, with its peak power arriving much lower at only 6,250 rpm. Meanwhile, a track-only Termignoni exhaust will take power higher still, adding an extra 7 hp to the standard bike at the expense of road legal emissions and noise levels.
Ducati's single-cylinder revolution will continue into 2024 with the planned launch of the company's first modern motocross bike and a works entry into the Italian Motocross Championship. Ducati has already signed nine-times world champion Antonio Cairoli as test rider for the project.
Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO, said: "I am proud to announce Ducati's entry into motocross. A totally new world for Ducati in which we want to bring our talent in designing lightweight motorcycles with excellent components and high performance."
