-RVE model to arrive later
- Powered by a Superquadro Mono engine
- Bookings open
The Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono has been launched in India at Rs 16.50 lakh, ex-showroom. The price is a lot higher than expected. In fact it costs Rs 50,000 more than the Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE, and that bike has a L-twin engine as well as more features. This is because the Hypermotard 698 Mono is imported as a CBU and attracts full duty. While units will be brought in from Italy and Thailand, the 'Mono' doesn't qualify for the Indo-Thai FTA or Free Trade Agreement benefits because its engine capacity is under 800cc.
Speaking of, the Hypermotard 698 Mono’s highlight is the 659cc, liquid-cooled Superquadro Mono engine. The big single makes 77.5bhp and 63Nm which earns it the title of the most powerful single-cylinder engine in the world. It gets a six-speed gearbox and with a slip-and-assist clutch. A quickshifter can be opted as an extra.
The design of the bike borrows cues from the Hypermotard 950 and has a similar LED headlight with a long beak underneath it, a slim fuel tank, and a neatly fused side and tail section. The twin exhaust pipes are located just under the tail piece, in true Ducati Hypermotard fashion.
Under the purposefully styled bodywork, there is a steel trellis frame that’s attached to a steel-tube subframe and an aluminium swingarm. The frame is suspended by an adjustable Marzocchi USD fork and a Sachs monoshock. As far as braking hardware is concerned, the bike has been kitted with Brembo M4.32 brake calipers at the front that bites onto a 330mm disc.
Ducati has also thrown in a decent set of features such as three power modes, cornering ABS, four ride modes, traction control and a much required wheelie control. The settings for the above mentioned systems can be accessed via a 3.8-inch LCD instrument cluster.
Ducati has brought the standard bike to India for now and the RVE model, that has interesting graphics and a standard quickshifter, will arrive later. Bookings for the Hypermotard 698 Mono have begun and deliveries will commence by the end of July.
