EICMA 2018: Ducati Hypermotard 950 showcased

Team OD Updated: November 05, 2018, 11:27 PM IST

The Ducati Hypermotard is the Italian motorcycle manufacturer's interpretation of a fun motorcycle. The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 is a successor of the 939. It comes with a host of additions over the previous offering which includes more power, torque along with updated electronics. All of these changes have made the Hypermotard sportier than before with the revised 937cc Testastretta 11 degree twin motor. This engine produces 114PS of power, that is an addition of 4PS over the previous-gen SP, while the torque rating stands at 95Nm. A majority of which is accessible from as low as 3,000rpm.

Ducati mentions that a revised riding position maximises enjoyment and control. The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 gets wider handlebars, slimmer sides and a new seat: the latter smooths movement during riding and ensures feet can be placed firmly on the ground, thanks to an inner leg curve measurement that is now 53 mm shorter. The frontal view - characterised by the 'beak', surmounted by compact headlight with DRLs offer better illumination in the Hypermotard 950, in addition to giving a familiar design to the previous-gen Hypermotard range. The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 is 4 kg lighter (the engine alone accounts for a 1.5 kg saving) compared to the previous model. This has been achieved with the new frame made up of tubes of varying diameters, new rims, brake discs with aluminium flanges, lightweight Marzocchi forks with aluminium fork bodies/tubes.

The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard comes with a Bosch six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (6D IMU) to detect the bike's roll, yaw and pitch angles instantly. The electronics package includes Bosch Cornering ABS with the Slide by Brake function (with setting 1), Ducati Traction Control EVO (DTC EVO), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO (as standard on the 950 SP version and available as an accessory on the 950).

Similar to the Ducati Panigale, the Hypermotard also gets a SP version that features a flat seat, increased-travel Öhlins suspension (+15 mm at the front and +25 mm at the rear) that increases the lean angle (+3°), Marchesini forged wheels and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO. Further, the Ducati Hypermotard 950 can mount the Ducati Multimedia System (DMS). This lets riders connect the bike to a smartphone and manage key multimedia functions (incoming calls, text messaging, music) via switchgears, and display the relative information on the TFT instrument panel.