BELIEVE THE HYPER... THIS DUC’S CRACKING
Ducati is riding high following victory in last year’s Motogp for both the manufacturer and its factory rider Francesco Bagnaia. So what better time to take a look at one of the standout marque’s standout models – the Hypermotard 950 SP? The name first appeared in 2007 with a twin-cylinder 1100cc supermoto-style beast, known for being something of a hooligan bike. That was followed by a 796 in 2009, 821 in 2013 and 939 in 2016.
And the bike has retained its rebellious reputation throughout.
There are three versions of the 950 – the base model, RVE and this top-of-the-range SP.
The bike is distinctive in its new Motogp-inspired livery of red, white and grey (plus gold forks), and the lines are no-nonsense yet sculpted, with the exhausts tucked under the seat.
Despite having two 17in wheels it sits quite high (870mm) but it is narrow and, at 5ft 11in, I was comfortably able to get boots to tarmac.
The dash is an easy-toread 4.3in TFT affair, taken from the Panigale V4.
There are three ride modes and the switchgear is solid and intuitive.
At the heart of the Hypermotard is its 937cc Testastretta V-twin – and what a beauty it is.
The throaty rumble is magic as you head off and the joy of it is in the tons of low and mid-range torque on offer with just a twist of the throttle.
Gear changes are smooth and light, aided by an excellent up/down quickshifter, and overtaking is a breeze. The handling on this bike is sublime.
That trellis frame combines with the fully adjustable Marzocchi forks, Ohlins monoshock, lightweight Marchesini forged wheels and superb Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres to provide silky smooth yet responsive control through the bends.
But you can also go in super aggressively and the Hypermotard seems to soak it all up easily.
The Brembo M4 brakes are among the strongest but most feeler-friendly you’ll find on any bike.
This SP has plenty of standard trickery and features, including wheelie control, Bosch cornering ABS, carbon-fibre mudguard and timing-belt cover, removable pillion pegs and a USB port.
It’s not the cheapest but the Hypermotard is one of the most fun, exciting, usable bikes out there.