Featured Hypermotard 698

I’m ahead of you in the que for that lot They are months late into the factory & I’m still waiting for mine.

 

That is both a shame and a pain.

 

Just saw one at Riders Bristol. Looks good - loads better in the flesh - but I still don't like the slab-sided too-bright swingarm. To me, those slab sides need black paint, leaving the rest 'natural'.

 

I must admit, I am sorely tempted to try one of these, I now only really do short trips and quick blasts so would be ideal maybe.

 

So, today I had a great demo in perfect, if slightly warm, conditions right up to the point where it broke down…….!

 

I put Carbon covers on my GG swingarm as the corrosion on the aluminium is bad. I’m sure someone will start producing covers soonish.

 

Fuel line must have come loose, dumped its load half way through the ride. Frustrating, as all was going well with the test ride - but I cannot help feeling early adopters may be the unofficial test pilots to debug the model. On balance, I think I shall wait a while - in any case, the much nicer finished RVE is not available for delivery until November at the earliest (which seems an unnecessarily long timeframe); the base Mono has a much shorter order time, but the unfinished plastics look oh so cheap.
Edit: Just to add, Rider’s managed the whole recovery affair at short notice and impeccably, especially the two Chris’s - one in service/parts, the other in the rescue van.

 

Going to try a new Monster tomorrow instead. Cross fingers.

 

Quick update so as to be fair to the bike and to Ducati. This breakdown turned out to be due to a loose, then failed fuel pipe connection. Nothing major.

 

I had a similar issue with a new bike purchase yonks ago, turned out to be a loose connection on the coils.
Dealer was mint they drove down to my house picked the bike up and returned when it was convenient for me.
It not always the actual issue with the bike but how it’s handled.
Glad it’s been resolved.

 

The only problem is, I now no longer have a reason not to buy one.

 

I saw the Hypermotardking (of crashes) write his 698 off a few weeks ago on YouTube. Then crash his 950SP on holiday. Didn’t look like much of a crash, but it was deemed a write off.

 

Not a fan of him. Shame for the bikes though.
Just seen the video. Wrong footed. Not very talented is he though? The 950SP looked particularly awkward on his part.

 

I liked the hyper when I test rode it, it was better in every aspect than my GasGas but both the lead time and the price differential is enough to put me off.

 

His ambition certainly outweighs his talent.

 

linky?

 

Here, Bishops Castle to Craven Arms, the first big right hander the left turn takes you to A49 Church Stretton. Nice road although I don’t often ride it prefer riding to Clun then Craven.

His 950 crash is A44 close to Rhyader.

 

Here’s the other one

 

He’s got away with it twice, hopefully he’ll learn from his errors, as a lot of people wouldn’t have walked away from those.