Ducati 698 Hypermotard Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 16.5 Lakh

Ducati India had teased the Hypermotard 698 Mono on its social media handles, for a few weeks now and now, the motorcycle finally goes on sale at an eye-watering price of Rs. 16.5 lakh (ex-showroom). But the company hasn't launched the Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE at the moment. It is easily the most expensive single-cylinder motorcycle in India at the moment. Bookings for the motorcycle have begun and deliveries will begin at the end of the month. Revealed last year, the Hypermotard 698 Mono gets a 659 cc single-cylinder engine, which is the world's most powerful single-cylinder unit.

The motorcycle gets a steel trellis frame chassis and a steel sub-frame along with an Aluminium swingarm. The overall look is that of a supermotard, of course borrowing design cues from the Hypermotard 950, with a pronounced beak and twin exhaust pipes under the seat. In terms of design, it looks downright deadly. The bike gets adjustable 45 mm Marzocchi USD fork along with a Sachs monoshock at the rear, which is fully adjustable as well. For stopping power, the Hypermotard 698 gets a 330 mm disc up front with a Brembo M4.32 calliper, radial pump and adjustable levers. At the rear is a 245 mm disc with a single-piston calliper. The bike runs on cast alloy wheels shod with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV rubber.

The single-cylinder engine makes 77.5 bhp at 9,750 rpm along with 63 Nm of peak torque at 8,000 rpm. If the optional Termignoni exhaust is added then the power and torque figures go up by 7 bhp and 4 Nm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch.

Electronic rider aids include three power modes, four ride modes (sport, road, urban & wet), engine braking control, cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control and ride-by-wire. All of this can be controlled via a 3.8-inch LCD console. The Hypermotard 698 Mono is the first Ducati to offer four levels of ABS. Two of these integrate the Slideby-Brake functionality, which can be used to powerslide the motorcycle out of a corner.

At present, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono may not have a direct rival, but for the price, you could easily buy a twin-cylindered, a triple-cylindered motorcycle or even a four-cylindered motorcycle.