Ducati has never shied away from introducing its lineup in India, and the latest one that will be gracing the Indian roads is the Hypermotard 698 Mono — the most powerful single-cylinder motorcycle on the planet, currently.
Powering the Hyper Mono is Ducati’s new 659cc Superqaudro Mono engine that pumps out 76.4 bhp and 6.5 kgm. And the ‘Superquadro’ in its name is no coincidence, for Ducati’s smallest bike’s engine is derived from the 1299 Panigale. Yes, the piston, the design of the combustion chamber and the desmodromic system are all straight off the superbike. Heck, even the gear ratios are the same as the Panigale.
To keep all the insanity from the engine in check, there’s four riding modes, three power modes, engine braking control, traction control, ABS, launch control and wheelie control (optional extra). This electronic suite is backed by 45 mm fully-adjustable Marzocchi USD forks, a link-type fully-adjustable Sachs monoshock. Dropping the anchor is a 330 mm disc at the front paired with Brembo M4.32 calliper and a 245 mm disc at the rear.
Just like with everything else, Ducati has made no compromise with the design of the Hyper Mono. It looks unmistakably a Hypermotard with elements like the twin underseat exhausts, the mean-looking headlight and the familiar bodywork. Unlike its bigger sibling, the Mono doesn’t get a single-sided swingarm, though.
The Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono is the smallest motorcycle in the Italian marque’s lineup, but that doesn’t mean it is going to be the most affordable Ducati, either. This bike will come as a direct import, and going by its prices in the European markets, it sits above the Scrambler Icon and Full Throttle. So, expect something similar here as well. A Rs 10 lakh+ single-cylinder supermoto may not be to everyone’s liking, but at the moment, there is nothing else like this in our market.
