2010 Ducati Hypermotard models

The big news for this year is that the Hypermotard family expands with the addition of the new Hypermotard 796, the new and enhanced Hypermotard 1100EVO and the extreme Hypermotard 1100EVO SP. The lightweight 796 is now joined by an evolution of the 1100 model.

The latest evolution models, in addition to the new 796, represent Ducati's continued excitement in the Hypermotard concept and their commitment to the family's future development. Many features of the new models were in response to requests from Ducati riders worldwide, and represent the factory's ongoing ability to respond to direct owner feedback.

The Hypermotard prototype was an instant success when first shown in Milan at the end of 2005 and soon became a top seller when production started in 2007.

So what's all the hype for 2010?
The original Hypermotard was built to thrill, with its dirt bike stance, asphalt attacking riding position and enough torque on tap to elicit a smile with each twist of the throttle. The quick and precise handling that the Hypermotard provides is down to the construction and geometry of its trellis frame. Ducati engineers have made it lighter by removing all of the heavy forged sections of the construction without reducing its strength or its performance.

For the 796 engine, Ducati completely redesigned the crankcases to achieve a weight saving of 1.2kg compared to the 696 castings, and the new 796 crankshaft with 848-style flywheel further reduced the overall engine weight to an impressive 1.9kg saving over the 696 power unit. And with 59.6kW of smooth and flexible power, the 796 is a very credible package.

The 1100 air-cooled Desmodue Evoluzione engine is responsible for the model name extension 1100 EVO. Engineers used the same Vacural technology employed for the lightweight Superbike engines when they vacuum die-cast the Hypermotard 1100 crankcases, a process that achieves a significant weight saving and ensures consistent wall thickness and increased strength. This process - combined with the lightweight crankshaft assembly that uses an 848-style flywheel and use of lighter rare earth magnets in the alternator - reduced the 1100 power unit's weight by 5.2kg. Couple those savings with a 5hp boost to 69.9kW and it becomes clear why there's all the hype.

Compact and efficient, the Desmodue engine's hyper lightweight and narrow L-Twin layout, no wider than a single cylinder, ensures that all Hypermotards remain lean and agile. The air cooled design eliminates the need for water radiators, hoses, reservoirs and pumps, keeping the motorcycle's weight down to a minimum and its lines clean and race like.

New controls and instrumentation
The entire Hypermotard family gains the electronic advances made in the compact and user friendly switchgear and instrumentation first created for the Streetfighter. The slim line switch bodies house easy to use switches and buttons, and feature a unique weapons-like 'trigger catch' that slides down to cover the starter button when the kill switch is activated. Their minimalist design fits perfectly in the clean lines of the Hypermotard's sporting image.

The display provides an extensive amount of data including speed, revs, time, oil temperature, battery voltage, A & B trips, fuel reserve trip and scheduled maintenance, while the warning lights illuminate for neutral, turn signals, high-beam, rev-limit, oil pressure and fuel reserve. In addition, it can list recorded lap times by using the high-beam flash button as a stopwatch. Both the 1100EVO and 1100EVO SP use a white back-lighting while the 796 uses an orange back lighting.

The instrument display also doubles as a control panel for the activation of the Ducati Data Analyser (DDA) system, which is available as an accessory from Ducati Performance for the 'system ready' Hypermotard 796 and 1100EVO and supplied as standard equipment on the 1100EVO SP. The DDA intended USB connection port under all of the Hypermotard seats doubles as a charging point for a handy new battery charger, which is available as an accessory from Ducati Performance.

A brand new Ducati engine
The 796 engine isn't just a stroked 696 - it's a completely brand new Desmodue power unit that promises to deliver an exhilarating ride without compromising the smooth tractability found in Ducati's other L-Twin engines. The crankshaft uses a lightweight 848 type flywheel, and spins with a 66mm stroke instead of the 696's 57.2mm, helping to maximise power to an impressive 60kW @ 8000rpm and torque to 75.5Nm @ 6250rpm while maintaining the smooth character of all Desmodromic L-Twins. To protect power delivery and maintain optimum efficiency, an oil cooler similar to the 1100 is used, adding even more family resemblance to its bigger brother. The clutch and alternator outer casings of the new engine are finished in an 1100 style carbon grey.

Breathing through a newly revised airbox intake duct and fed through 45mm throttle bodies, the 803cc swept volume is compressed to a ratio of 11:1 - compared to the 696's 10.7:1 - before being injected and ignited with Siemens controlled electronics. The 2-1-2 catalytic exhaust system uses an efficient pre-silencer configuration with twin lambda probes providing finer fuel mapping and Euro3 conformity.

A 'wet' clutch gives a 'slipper' type action that prevents destabilising of the rear end under aggressive down shifting and also gives the extra benefit of a light feel at the lever, a great benefit in stop start city traffic or during longer journeys. The 21-plate oil-bath clutch represents a power enhancing weight reduction over the 'dry' system as well as having a quieter operation and requiring less maintenance.

The new Hypermotard 796 engine combines all recent advances in Ducati's ongoing design, manufacture and production quality campaigns to offer competitive service intervals of 12,000 kilometres.

Hypermotard 1100EVO
The introduction of the 1100EVO further enhances the original Hypermotard concept of 'ruling the road'. The wide, tapered section handlebars continue to transfer control of the asphalt to the rider and the full length seat still eases the fore and aft movement for extreme riding. The difference now is that it does it all better than before.
This model also enjoys a decreased dry weight and increase of power to 70kW.

Continued chassis development to the Hypermotard resulted in an improved frame layout which eliminated almost all of the heavier forged elements used on the previous model. The new rigidly triangulated Trellis frame and track tested chassis geometry is matched by a state of the art suspension.

Hypermotard 1100EVO SP
The Hypermotard 1100EVO SP takes the whole Hypermotard concept to a new level of extreme. Higher ground clearance, higher spec suspension, higher bars and even less weight makes the 1100EVO SP track ready for action. The 1100EVO SP is for extreme riders wanting a supreme riding experience.