WOW. WE'VE spent a full day on the new Hypermotard, with a morning on track and an afternoon on the roads. Ducati’s given the bike a bit of a tweak for this year, with a bit more power, a bit less weight, and a hefty upgrade to the rider aids.
But they’ve not changed the essence of the bike at all – like the previous models, it’s properly nuts. We rode the Ohlins-suspended SP version on the small Circuit de Maspalomas, which is the perfect environment to explore the madness. The tall, skinny lightweight Hypermotard has masses of grip, loads of lean, and a newly emboldened motor. It wheelies like a 500 two-stroke motocrosser, has brick-wall Brembos and makes you giggle like you’re watching Billy Connolly while snorting laughing gas.
We rode the standard version on the roads, and it works well there too – the cheaper Marzocchi forks aren’t a chore at all, and you get all the power, rider aids and braking of the SP too. On twisty mountain roads and urban routes, it’s ace – on anything faster than a single-carriageway A road, it’ll be a bit of a slog, with zero wind protection and minimal road kit.
More on the new 2019 Hypermotard 950 soon!
