Back in 2006, there had been rumours abound that Italian biking giant Ducati were going to release a Supermotard class of bike the following year. The market for these bikes was pretty much dominated by Husqvarna and also KTM however it was a growing market that was increasing every year and Ducati seen an opportunity to get in on the act. The bikes available in the market were characterized by the fact that they were more like off road bikes that had been customized to be used in pretty much any location, road or condition however, while Ducati were far from the first company to move into this market, the interest that was gathered and the anticipation of the design release was huge and caused the whole Ducati site to crash under the weight of traffic that headed its way. A Unique Design Ducati are hardly new to making distinctive looking designs as the Monster series of bikes proved however the Hypermotard was different. Indeed, Ducati placed a very high emphasis on fan input for this new bike release and the mini-site that was set up (which ultimately led to the crash of the whole Ducati site) allowed visitors to vote on the kind of bike they wanted from design to engine size and also equipment. The survey results proved invaluable for the Ducati design team and they were used in the construction of the bike itself. When the concept drawings were released on the Ducati site after the original Hypermotard had been put into production then users could see that there was not much change from the original concept to the one that would be made. The duck bill front fender was one such unique feature that makes the original version stand out and, for many riders and people in the industry, Ducati had made the perfect balance in the 1100 and 1100s versions that were the original releases. Most Supermoto bikes up to this point were little more than dirt bikes that had been adapted and customized so they suffered a lot from vibration, little power on the road and a small fuel capacity which were all put down to their dirt bike origins and single cylinder engine. While KTM and, to a lesser extent, BMW tried to address some of these issues with their releases it wasn’t until Ducati entered the fold that they were properly evened out. The original 1100 came with a Dual Spark, air-cooled, 1078cc Desmo engine and had around 90 bhp which was significantly better than most of the offerings in the market at the time. In fact, it is the same one as is found on the Multistrada 1100 but with the exception of a dry clutch which was added to, in Ducati’s words, save weight. “Ducati has come up with a genuinely and refreshingly different motorcycle with the Ducati Hypermotard. It offers all the fun of a conventional supermoto motorcycle with its light and agile handling, and a pathological penchant for wheelies, but thanks to its big n’smooth 1078cc V-twin engine, comfy seat and roomy riding position the Ducati Hypermotard is practical too”. - MCN Review On most of the Supermoto bikes you do not exactly get a wide range of equipment and extra’s on the bike itself and they are mostly lacking in the technology department however this was something that Ducati aimed to address. Their 1100 and 1100s version had a multifunctional LCD screen on the dash which was almost unheard of in this class as well as a mirrors that flip out. Not bad for the original version. However, the original was given a slight upgrade in 2009 with the abovementioned S version in that it came with 48 mm Kayaba forks that were placed in ahead of the 50mm ones found on the 1100; it also had Ducati’s data logging software which was missing on the 1100 original. The big changes came in 2010 and this prompted a name change with Evo being added to the end to signify the shift and changes. “There are two simple, almost foolproof ways to make your bike more fun: make it lighter and give it more power. That’s exactly what Ducati has done with its update to the original Hypermotard 1100, the Hypermotard 1100 EVO” - Visor Down The Evo managed to get rid of a lot of the weight that was on the original and it now stood at over 5 kg lighter than the original which makes a big different when you are riding a bike of this kind. Indeed, the engine itself lost 5.2kg with the chassis losing a further 1.2kg and the compression ratio was increased which gave the Evo a bost in the bhp department of around 5 bhp which took it in total to 95. The design wasn’t much different however this was not something that people criticized the company for as the uniqueness of the original and it’s clutter free and minimalist features was hugely popular. Other Versions In 2009 there was also another model released that came under the Hypermotard brand. The 796 was designed to be an entry level bike for this class of Ducati machines and was some 12kg lighter than the original. Other changes included a lower seat (decreased by 20mm) which most complimented on the fact that it made the bike easier to rider overall. With a top speed of just under 125mph it certainly was not the fastest one around however it proved to be a good entry bike if you could not afford to go for the 1100, 1100s or the Evo that was released the following year. Considering it cost £7195 then it was cheaper than the other versions and for those who could not afford to splash out another £1500-2500 on the other models then it was a popular way to get a Ducati Hypermotard without the big price. So what does 2013 hold for this class of bike? Well, the 821 is on its way. Updated it is designed to replace the 1100 and 796 versions. It is coming with a 8v, liquid-cooled motor, a better designed and more comfortable riding position as well as a host of technological equipment such as ABS, traction control and several riding modes that are all controlled electronic through the bikes technology. The new versions has received praise so far however, at nearly £10,000, for what is basically a toy to be played with on occasion then it is certainly an expensive ride. While the 2013 version has had some significant upgrades and can now handle a longer journey a lot better and the better riding position has also contributed greatly to better comfort over time, critics have pointed out that it is still a bike for a bit of fun even if it does not boast a 16 litre engine. Riding The Hypermotard So, given all the hype over the bike itself how was it actually to ride? As we mentioned before, Ducati went out and aimed to address many of the issues that these kinds of bikes have some vibration to insufficient fuel capacity. When riding at a slowish speed on the original then ti can be quite a firm ride however there are certainly worse bikes out there and the comfort levels are quite high. When you begin to increase our speed and the suspension kicks in and the handling becomes very good indeed, in fact the brakes have came in for particular praise. They were designed to be very powerful on the 1100 and 1100s and this is clearly evident although they did benefit from the power they were also fairly predictable too. That being said, when the S version was released the brakes were commended for being even better and much more responsive although this was probably much more down to the fact that the S model carried less weight. The engine’s good, but the Hypermotard’s trump card is its handling. This isn’t a bike built for track use, but the tight, twisty, torn tarmac of the Mores circuit in Sardinia was easily dealt with by the Hypermotard’s beefy, yet plush and fully-adjustable Marzocchi front-end. - Visor Down It isn’t all positives with the Hypermotard however and there are some drawbacks to the bikes. The lack of wind protection is a big letdown. Going over 100mph on any of the models means that you will suffer from being hit by the wind which is not a pleasant way to ride and for this reason long distances are not exactly recommended. Indeed, this is one of the reasons as to why many do not use any of the Ducati Hypermotards for everyday use; instead having them for pleasure riding now and again. Indeed, while one of the things that Ducati set out to do was to address the small fuel tank of these types of bikes it is still a big problem. While the Hypermotards could boast to having a slightly bigger tank than most in the market, 12.4 litres on the 1100 original is just not enougb to any kind of distance riding. In Conclusion Ducati sought to enter an emerging market and it has, by all accounts, done well in doing so. While the Supermoto class and the Hypermotard are not the bikes that Ducati is perhaps most famous for, that accolade would surely go to the Panigale series of recent years, they have been fairly successful and have received a wide range of praise. It would be a bit much to say that Ducati helped to change this market because KTM and BMW were already putting of decent bikes, however what Ducati did do is help put the emphasis on different places in that they started to bring out bikes with a slightly bigger engine and that were more comfortable to ride. While they were still not suited to long journeys they were an upgrade on what was available. The 1100 and 1100s were very nice and dependable bikes and were popular given that fans of Ducati had a say in their design and specification even if it did not venture too far from the concept drawings. The subsequent upgrades have helped to further boost the Hypermotard brand and particularly the 2013 model which has significantly improved the class technologically as well as helping to redefine some of the basics. Rather than say that the Hypermotard is an iconic bike for Ducati it is perhaps better to assert that it is a valiant attempt by the Italians to branch out into a different area and one where they have succeeded so far. Read the original post here.
The claimed 95bhp on the 1100evo is pie in the sky. Just had mine dyno'd a few weeks ago and the stock was 84.44 and after was 88.96. Nice from an insurance point of view though as if ducati state that its 95 then my mods wont increase the bhp value so no hike...yey.
