Ducati has refreshed its product portfolio in India by launching the Hypermotard 950 in the country. The new supermoto has replaced the Hypermotard 939 with revised mechanicals and subtle tweaks to the styling. Belonging to a niche segment, the Hypermotard faces stiff competition from only one motorcycle in India – the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900. In case you are pondering over buying one of these, we have put together an on-paper comparision to help making a wise decision.
Design and features:
Talking about the newcomer, the Ducati Hypermotard 950 retains the styling of the 939, however, with minimalism and more aggression. From the sleeker headlamp and edgier tank extensions to the exposed sub-frame and underseat exhaust, the new Hypermotard gets several changes which make the bike more appealing. Meanwhile, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900 gets a similar supermoto styling. What sets it apart though are the snazzier graphics, unique headlamp design, golden forks at the front, red sub frame and a longer tail section.
Ducati has bestowed the Hypermotard 950 with top notch features such as cornering ABS, wheelie control, traction control along with three rider modes – Sport, Tour and Urban. Moreover, the LED DRLs and Panigale V4-derived colour TFT display complete the electronics package of the bike. As for the Dorsoduro, while it misses out on the wheelie control, it does offer traction control and cornering ABS along with three riding modes including Sport, Rain and Tour. All the information is displayed on a fully-digital colour instrument cluster.
Engine:
Powering the new Hypermotard 950 is the same 937cc, L-twin, liquid-cooled motor. However, the motor has been altered to churn out 111bhp at 9,000 rpm and 96Nm of peak torque at 7,250rpm. The six-speed gearbox is assisted by a hydraulic slipper clutch. On the other hand, the Dorsoduro 900 is propelled by a smaller 896.1cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin engine which makes 92.5bhp at 8,750rpm and 90Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. While this mill is also mated to a six-speed gearbox, it stays devoid of a slipper clutch.
Cycle parts:
Underpinned by a tubular steel trellis frame, the Hypermotard 950 gets Marzocchi upside down forks up front and a Sachs monoshock at the rear. Meanwhile, dropping anchors are a pair of 320mm disc up front with Brembo calipers along with a single 245mm disc at the rear. Ducati has managed to shed 4kgs with the Hypermotard 950 over the 939, thanks to lighter engine parts, reworked frame and aluminum forks tubes. The bike now weighs 200kg (kerb).
Now, in the case of the Dorsoduro, the motorcycle weighs 196kgs which is 4 kgs lighter than the Hypermotard 950. Holding the motorcycle is a modular tubular steel frame which is suspended by 41mm upside down forks at the front and a hydraulic monoshock at the rear. As for braking, the bike comes equipped with a pair of 320mm discs with four-piston calipers at the front and a 240mm disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear.
Pricing:
Considering the presence of a hydraulic slipper clutch, wheelie control along with a more powerful engine, the Hypermotard 950 appears to be a marginally better package overall. Moreover, Ducati also has a stronger dealership network. Despite that, Ducati has priced its new supermoto at Rs 11.99 lakhs which makes it an enticing proposition. Now, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900 boasts of a distinctive styling which helps it stand out of the crowd. However, the price tag of Rs 14.22 lakhs is a bit too steep considering the Rs 2 lakhs premium it demands over the Hypermotard. Furthermore, Aprilia has a smaller service network in India as compared to Ducati.
