First impressions of the Ducati Hypermotard
Usually the presumption of innocence is considered the most important pillar of our legal system, but this does not apply to situations where the suspect is caught in such a shady company as Ducati Hypermotard. Here it’s rather the opposite: a sports naked with Motard roots is a sure sign that its owner is a hooligan on the road.
Ducati Hypermotard 950 and 950 SP
The Ducati Hypermotard 950 and 950 SP, which appeared in 2021, are disguised as decent ones: there is compliance with Euro-5 economic standards, increased reliability, and imaginary decency thanks to active safety systems, but in fact these are wolves in sheep's clothing, who have not lost a single grain of their street habits .
Ducati Hypermotard 950
The declared curb weight of the Ducati Hypermotard 950 has decreased by more than 4 kilograms compared to its 939 predecessor, partly due to the fact that the narrower tank has a smaller capacity, and partly thanks to modifications to the engine, chassis and electronics, which also give an increase in overall performance. But what remains the same is the ability to provoke the owner to the wildest antics.
Ducati Hypermotard 950
In the best traditions of Ducati, the number plate of the motorcycle has no direct connection with the displacement of its engine. The 950 Hypermotards are powered by a 937cc 11-degree twin-cylinder Testastretta, just like their 939 predecessor, but as always, the devil is in the details: the 950s have been subjected to much the same tuning as the new Ducati SuperSport. The compression ratio was increased from 12.6:1 to 13.3:1, the exhaust camshaft profile was changed, the throttle bodies were increased to 53 mm, and the exhaust tract was updated, calibrations and fuel maps were changed for a smoother power distribution curve. Power, by the way, also increased by 4 hp. compared to the 939 Hypermotard. Ducati says the new setup produces 82 percent of peak torque at 3,000 rpm and no less than 88 percent between 5,000 and 9,500 rpm.
The Hypermotard 950 also features Ducati EVO's latest suite of active safety and assist systems : a six-axis inertia sensing unit from Bosch that improves the accuracy of traction control, wheelie control and tilt ABS.
This inertia measuring device is also used in Ducati Quick Shift, fitted stock on the SP and available as an accessory on the Hypermotard 950.
Race on the Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP track
After the technical presentation, I was able to do three 15-minute track sessions on the Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP. In addition to the striking graphics, this version of the bike features a fully adjustable fork and Öhlins monoshock, tuned for track riding and featuring longer travel, resulting in a maximum lean angle of 47 degrees, three degrees more than the base model. The SP version also features forged aluminum Marchesini wheels shod in grippy Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 radials, carbon front fenders, a carbon timing cover and a quickshifter.
Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP
With my height of 176 cm, I did not fully reach the ground with both feet. The stock Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP saddle height is 89 cm, 2 cm higher than the stock 950 , so with a symmetrical position I could only reach the ground with the toes of my boots. But by moving a centimeter to the side, I was reliably standing with my full foot, so it wasn't a problem. The Brembo radial master cylinder, which replaces the 939's cable drive, provides predictable and smooth clutch control with slip and servo assist. While riding, Ducati's signature quickshifter operates both up and down, at low speeds and at full throttle.
Inherited from the Ducaty Panigale V4 sportsbike, the instrument panel is designed as an LCD display that displays an image of a dial tachometer surrounding the gear indicator. The tachometer changes color when the revolutions exceed 6000, and begins to flash when approaching the cut-off - 10500 rpm. The red indicator, indicating that it is time to change gear, is located at the top center of the instrument and surrounds the yellow traction control/wheelie control indicator. In fact, specifying shifts is a rather redundant thing: this engine can be cranked up to the cut-off without any problems, because the cut-off on the Ducati Hypermotard is one of the softest, rather reminiscent of the failure of traction at high speeds in two-stroke engines.
First impressions of the Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP
Thanks to the wide motard handlebars and nimble nature, the bike negotiates hairpins and choke sections with bravado and sparks from the pegs. The responsive suspension copes well with fast and frequent shifts, and its additional travel instills a feeling of invulnerability when driving over uneven surfaces, and does not interfere with braking.
The EVO system has 8 levels of sensitivity for traction and wheelie control and three settings for tilt ABS. The settings of these systems change while stopping, and while driving, you can select one of three driving modes - Sport, Touring or Urban. Regardless of the names (which reflect only the default settings), each mode can be completely customized to suit personal preferences, such as full power and dynamic response, adding a unique level of traction control and wheelie control to each, and choosing on the go any of the three presets without stopping for detailed settings.
Level 1 ABS allows for an interesting "brake stall" feature, allowing up to 10 degrees of rear wheel drift angle before the rear ABS intervenes. True, it’s easier to imagine than to learn how to use it right away, so before using this supermoto riding technique you will need to practice.
Everyone on the hype) on the new hype! Having sold Violet, I began to look for Motard. There was a lot of choice, and after three months of not painful selections, the choice was made in the direction of hyper. (It was on New Year’s Eve) After the sport, I wanted to combine something quick and off-road. This video did its job: hyper on the track, hyper offroad Motard over the hill, went to the transport company to find out the prices: It turns out that the price for a lathed board is 22 thousand rubles. + separate home delivery. But at the same time, the following thought appeared: What if? What if we completely disassemble it and send it by transport, and then assemble it at home, in our Garage in the winter after work?.. And the fix idea worked. In total it’s 6 thousand. rubles and I am the owner of the designer “Assemble your own Desmo” I am writing to the seller, saying that I threw in the money, let’s sort out the hype and send it as agreed, OK! A painful time has passed, and now the long-awaited call from the tk: - Aloo, is it you? - I say, yes, it’s me! - Well, come pick up your bags! - Hurray!!! The slow assembly has begun
I immediately changed the engine oil, filter, brake fluid, coolant, cleaned all the contacts during the assembly process and the pads all around, serviced the Bremb machines, etc. Well, I changed the saddle to match the style of the whole motorcycle... started it... waited until he lets me go) well, why not ride at least 500 meters? Of course it’s necessary, kotnul. It was early spring, the asphalt had already dried up, but in some places there was still snow and ice, and the track tires were on slicks. But that was enough. Brr, happy))))))) Then everything was completely dry, everyone rolled out, and me, of course: But after the first good blow, I realized that the clutch was starting to “drive.” When disassembling the clutch, the following became clear: You need to buy a new clutch kit, and this is +40 of the then stakes, but I didn’t want to buy a clutch with my last money, plus I already had my eye on a set of wheels. And the box immediately began to crunch. (I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to my “salesman”; not a word was said to them about this) And then I finally realized that I was out of luck with the moto, and when purchasing I was not guided by a cool head, but I wanted a moto that was “fresh” and from here it’s possible. Over the course of his 5 years, he was groomed very well. And it was a mistake that brought me to the sale. I sold it immediately for the price I took it for. At least that's good. Plus it was a good experience. Now I think that even if I left it for a long time with appropriate maintenance, it wouldn’t be enough for a long time. It’s very tall in the saddle (it’s not mine), it’s very twitchy, it goes on the 3rd install without problems... ((And after the sale, I immediately bought it for myself)) I wanted to make a bobber out of it, (later I washed it down, called the project “Sheriff” and he was also sold) and some experience would have been gained with assembling the motard) ... in general, I can summarize: major, filipperous, very beautiful, fast, and the sound from Termognioni is absolutely a fairy tale, this bell is very bassy and loud, in general it caressed and excited my ears) )uh... A Ducati for me is like a Ferrari, but not for a beggar© And my advice: to buy a hyper, even with low mileage or a new one, is for those who stand firmly on their own two feet, in financial terms, even if you keep it like a museum an exhibit, but it’s not worth it, especially since you won’t be able to drive it like a pensioner© and this is my purely personal observation!
Second stage of the Ducati Hypermotard 950 test ride
Ducati Hypermotard 950
The second stage of the test ride, already on the Ducati Hypermotard 950, included sections of city blocks, highways and a winding mountain road. Much of what you feel on the SP is also inherent in the basic version, for example, wheelies either from the gas or from the clutch and the excellent grip of the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III. When driving on the road, you feel its soft throttle response and minimal vibration at highway speeds. The noticeable difference between the Hypermotard SP and the base model is that the latter has a slightly lower seat and a softer suspension - Marzocchi fork and Sachs monoshock. Working with a clear six-speed gearbox without a quickshifter, you get a feeling of complete unity with the motorcycle, backed by the same active safety systems and slipper clutch.
Whichever version of the Ducati Hypermotard 950 you choose, the benefit of the doubt doesn't come with it. There's no doubt that Ducati has improved the Hyper's manners, but that's something you'll tell us in court.
Reviews of Ducati Hypermotard Rating: 5 out of 5 1 review found
29.08.2014
It's been 2 weeks since I bought the motorcycle. The first maintenance was done at 1000 km. Next I’ll tell you a little about my impressions of the motorcycle, the pros and cons.
Let me start with how emotional this motorcycle is. Here, to each his own, of course, some are drawn to the feeling of acceleration, some like the opportunity to lay down the steps on the equipment, others go on a long journey and perhaps not even on asphalt. Everyone gets high in their own way. I had sports-oriented motorcycles, both Yamaha and Honda, the last one was a generally sophisticated BMW with all the possible electronic fillings that you could add. Everywhere had its pros and cons for me. The most memorable one in my head is still the penultimate Honda Hornet of 2009. An excellent motorcycle, I remember it often, but there were disadvantages, and one of them was the brakes with a disgusting ABS system. We're not talking about Honda now. The point is that when I chose Ducati I thought a lot and weighed whether I needed it and whether it was worth it. Now I began to understand that YES, it’s worth it! And this is just the beginning. But on the first day, when I was returning home from the salon on a new motorcycle, there were a lot of thoughts in my head. And they, I must say, were not of a very positive nature. It seemed at every traffic light where I stopped that the saddle was very high and, in general, everything was high. The steering wheel is not clear and close. The electronic gas listened to me so clearly that I didn’t want to switch from the “urban” mode (the calmest, ala rain version) to the full-powered but still adequate “touring”. Well, the “sport” mode, which I really liked on the test drive of this motorcycle, seemed just idiotic that day. Having arrived and parked the motorcycle in the garage, I stood nearby and thought for a long time. It seems, to put it mildly, not the first day in the saddle, far from the first equipment that I had to break in. But such different and not positive thoughts wandered around in my head. I can’t say that I had the desire to sell the motorcycle without starting to ride it, but on the way home from the garage it was at least unusual. There was no joy from buying a new motorcycle and no “WOW” feeling from the first ride. It really bothered me, it really infuriated me! I lay there for half the night with these thoughts and looked at the ceiling.
A new day began, I got up cautiously and walked towards the garage. I even forgot to have breakfast, I just washed my face. I came and stood looking at this miracle. By the way, regarding the design, the taste and color here, I don’t think this version is mega beautiful, but of course this motorcycle cannot be called scary and wretched. When I was choosing, I was more focused on the sensations of the test drive and, in general, versatility was at the top of the list of requirements. This is all purely IMHO! In general, I stood and looked, it was time to go to work. While I was driving, I was more worried and worried about not turning more than 6 thousand. I was very fixated on this, rarely trying to be distracted by anything other than engine speed. But after driving 15 km to work, it dawned on me that not everything was so bad. Despite the pain with revs, I even liked the ride. I liked the road home even more and every day the emotions from riding the Ducati became brighter and brighter.
Now I can say that this motorcycle has collected quite a lot of positive qualities. You can start with the fact that the dimensions allow a lot in city traffic. After driving a BMW for two seasons, I already forgot that it’s even possible to drive like that. Ducati's handling cannot be compared with Honda, and certainly not with Yamaha (I'm not generalizing all models, just from what I owned, this is exactly the case). The steering angle is greater than on any street. The center of gravity is located so that the motorcycle does not fall through the turn, but there is also no need to force it into the turn. Everything is very easy and relaxed. In terms of driving and putting the motorcycle up to the pegs, everything here is also very unusual. Outwardly, this is not what a motorcycle is for, but while driving every day I wash my motorcycle boots on the asphalt. I have not done this on either a BMW or a Yamaha. On the Honda sometimes, there was a sense of sportiness from the spendthrift and I wanted to have a blast along the embankment a couple of times on the way to work. This happens here every day and everywhere. It seems to be without any tin, but it still works out naturally. Another thing that distinguishes this motorcycle from all previous ones is its ease of overcoming speed bumps, curbs, manholes and tram tracks of any kind. No one could boast of such ease in this exercise, not even BMW with its electronic suspensions. I forgot what it was like to slow down in front of speed bumps, but at the same time I never hit the fork all the way, much less the rear. Although the motorcycle overcomes all bumps easily, it is still noticeably stiffer than many others. Again, this is especially noticeable in comparison with BMW. This rigidity on straight avenues and long turns gives confidence and the next turn makes the motorcycle become a couple of millimeters closer to the trash heap. 
Now about the feel of the brakes and engine. Let's start with the last one. I can’t fully and completely adequately describe everything here, now after the maintenance the running-in continues, and I still try not to turn it more than 7 thousand. But there is something to tell now. The character of the engine greatly depends on the selected mode. Let me remind you that there are three of them. “Urban” is a calm, 80-horsepower version with a smooth acceleration pattern. It rides moderately and is suitable for any level of pilot training. The first-season rookie will not be horrified. Locomotive traction from the very bottom and up to 7 thousand, an absolutely evenly spread moment. I think that in this mode, even after 7 thousand revolutions, acceleration will remain smooth and predictable. I drove in this mode for the first 100 km from the cabin. Also, each mode has its own DTC settings (Ducati Traction Control) and its own ABS operating modes (Anti-Lock Braking System, who knows ) Then it became boring and you need to run it in all modes. Let's move on to the "Touring" mode. Here the engine produces a full 110 horsepower (as the manufacturer claims) and the Traction operating mode becomes clearly rougher. On the ground it feels very good. ABS also allows you to stop very sharply, but you still won’t be able to lift your rear off the road in this mode. The engine becomes much more interesting. This is not at all the same motorcycle that was in Urban mode. The response to the throttle became much sharper, the nature of the speed increase changed. The dynamics have changed significantly. Now I’m used to it, but at first I was amazed at how much electronics change a motorcycle. “Touring” turned out to be a comfortable and cheerful mode, and now I mostly drive in it. Well, “Sport”... How I’m waiting for the end of the run-in)) I just want to try out this mode without limiting myself to 7 thousand revolutions. Extremely sensitive reaction to gas, sharp opening of the valves and lightning-fast engine response. Just a crazy sportbike. This is not what you expect from this motorcycle at all. In general, I’m waiting for the final 2500 km on the odometer. I did not notice the DTC operating in this mode, although it is still there at a minimum level. ABS here is also purely formal, the rear wheel is blocked and the stop is formed without problems at the request of the pilot. Well, now about the brakes and ABS modes. I noticed ABS intervention only in “Urban” mode when braking on a slab between tram tracks. The feedback on the brake lever is excellent, but the ABS operation is still felt. In “Touring” and “Sport” the ABS either did not activate or I did not feel it on the front wheel. The braking itself can be very sharp and quick, Brambo puts this bike through its paces. On the rear wheel, the ABS intervention is felt, but intervenes at the last moment. The rear brake is very informative, understandable and really works. Let me summarize: none of my previous motorcycles had such brakes. I would like to see brakes like this on all modern motorcycles!
I would like to express a separate FI to the engineers designing the gearbox. The clutch is soft and understandable. The fact that neutral was not immediately caught in the first kilometers of the run is understandable. Now this is no longer the case; neutral is easily caught and not only while moving. Standing at a traffic light with the brake pressed, without any problems, either up from the first or down from the second, the neutral is stuck the first time. There is no need to stand and catch it like on old dukas. The gear ratios themselves are selected quite adequately. And it’s enough for driving around the city and you can drive it. And now the FI itself... At first, false neutrals were caught between the 3rd and 4th, 4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th. Now the gearbox has worked in, the gears shift more clearly, everything is clear, but false neutral is still caught between 5th and 6th. At the maintenance, I expressed all this to the masters, but they reassured me that this is a Ducati)) and this bug in the box will probably disappear. It’s hard to believe, but in fact, this is where everything is heading. Because Switching to 6th gear occurs rarely, perhaps something has not yet gotten used to it. But this bug really pisses me off. I really, really hope that this is a temporary phenomenon. Another problem is insufficient protection from dirt from the rear wheel. I went in a particular downpour, and to summarize, it throws me from the center of my back to the top of my helmet. Everything is fine in front, nothing flies. Even the standard windshield handles headwinds and water quite well. Up to 150 km/h on the highway you don’t experience any problems at all. I haven’t overclocked it further yet, I can’t say what will happen at higher speeds. And personally, I don’t fly much faster than 130-140 km/h in long-distance flights. Regarding landing, everything is simple here. She is straight, her back does not go numb at all, her legs are bent at 90 degrees, and they don’t go numb either. I haven’t spent more than 3 hours in the saddle yet, but during this time no discomfort was noticed. It’s quite suitable for long-distance travel; you can safely drive from gas station to gas station without fear of getting sciatica and hemorrhoids. The saddle is quite comfortable, again there is enough width for my butt. I don't like mirrors yet. They have 3 jambs at once. There is little usefulness in them, but the elbows are always visible. The mirrors are quite wide and located high. If the steering wheel passes in height in traffic jams clearly between the mirrors of cars and the mirrors of Gazelles and Kamazs, then my mirrors meet the mirrors of large cars (( Well, the third problem is that the mirrors are very soft and delicate. Any touch to them causes them to shift and they have to be rebuilt In general, I will probably change the mirrors. Everything else suits me.
Let me sum it up. Very satisfied. I feel more attracted to this brand than before. Refined in appearance, the Italians turned out to be very interesting behind the wheel. Not as lean as I thought. Experience and time will show how the equipment will behave and what awaits me in terms of repairs and maintenance. I received a lot of useful information regarding the maintenance of Italian equipment (I have screwed up a lot with other motorcycle manufacturers) and I hope that the “vaunted quality of the Italians” will not befall me. With the previous Bavarian, I was either lucky or the devil wasn’t so bad... So I’m happy with my choice, happy with everything that you can be happy with regarding the motorcycle. The only thing that was hard was the purchase itself, an expensive horse though. It’s been years since I’ve been saving, collecting, and reselling a motorcycle, and now it’s finally a new one from the showroom, and it’s exactly what I wanted. Not what you have enough money for, but what has been in your head for a long time. Red new DUCATI. The character of the motorcycle turned out to be brighter than the design. Yes, when I get off the motorcycle and go home, I turn around twice or even three times and go home with a grateful involuntary smile. And I have never had this happen with any motorcycle. Whoever needs it will understand me!
Smooth roads everyone!
