2024 Ducati Hypermotard Mono review | This new supermoto will take your riding to the next level

With an aggressive chassis, feisty engine and a low weight, Ducati’s new Hypermotard 689 Mono RVE (or standard, if you want the red colour scheme and no quickshifter) supermoto motorbike is easily one of, if not the most fun and agile machines that you can purchase from a showroom today. Yet what makes the new Hypermotard 698 Mono so impressive is that it’s tied together with such a good electronics package, that it really is usable, and abusable for every level of rider.

It’s not just a one trick pony built for experienced riders, as it also flatters a rider's ability like nothing else – whether you’re a novice, or a Supermoto champion.

The new single cylinder motor is incredibly refined, offering the level of excitement that is expected from a lightweight supermoto machine. Yet unlike other, thumping torquey singles the 698 Mono makes its power right at the very top of the rev range, meaning that it’s at its happiest when taken right to the redline.

Thanks to its nature, it takes a bit of time to push it to its maximum, yet when it is being thrashed is when it’s so rewarding, with a Ducati-esque bark from the twin exhausts. It’s a motor that offers enough excitement but is also capable of being incredibly docile and usable in its application, thanks to a refined throttle connection and a surprisingly soft bottom end.

As to be expected from a supermoto machine, the combination of that long(ish) travel suspension, high centre of gravity and a light weight make the Hypermotard 698 Mono one of the most agile and exciting machines you can buy today.

It changes direction with the lightest nudge of those big, wide ‘bars, and has a front end that can be placed absolutely anywhere, even when heavy on the big, Brembo front brake. Although the riding position is motocross-esque in its rider placement thanks to the tall seat and the placement of the handlebars and footpegs, it gives you the option of riding both foot down and knee down.

Yet, perhaps the most impressive thing about the Hypermotard 698 Mono is how Ducati have tied everything up with the electronics package, which truly adds an additional element to the Hypermotard. Along with four rider modes (Sport, Road, Urban and Wet) there are brand new ABS and wheelie control strategies which each have four different settings, and they are absolutely incredible.

The Four levels of ABS have been tuned to assist riders of any level, and it doesn’t detract from the riding experience, but adds to it. Where Level 4 is all in with heavy intervention, Level 3 allows for a small amount of Slide by Brake, which means the rider can stamp on the rear brake, fire down the ‘box and the electronics will do all of the hard work, regulating the level of brake, slide and engine braking.

For less experienced riders it’s a great way to learn bike control, yet for those who want more, level 2 offers a surprising amount of rear brake slip, but with the safety barrier of ABS; it’s possible to get properly sideways with 100% pressure on the rear brake, and the Hypermotard literally just looks after itself. There’s also the choice to turn it off, but for learning to drift a machine into a corner, nothing can replicate the Hyper’s mighty electronics.

Yet the ABS isn’t even all of the story electronically, as if you equip the Hypermotard with the Ducati Performance exhaust, you also get the ‘Wheelie Assist’ function. If you can wheelie already wheelie it’s disconcerting at first; literally hold the throttle to the stop, bang up through the box and the electronics will hold the angle for you. Ducati maintain that it’s only for the racetrack, of course.

Whatever your preference and level of riding ability, there is setting for everyone and the ABS, traction control and wheelie control are so good, it feels like using riding assists on a PlayStation game.

By offering such an impressive motor, in a glorious chassis that is completed by a refined and comprehensive system of electronics that compliments fast, hardcore riding rather than holding it back, Ducati truly have moved the game on.

With a seat height of 904mm, the Hypermotard is a tall beast. But thanks to it being not only so light, but also so thin it’s easy to move around, and friendly at slow speeds with a sharp turning cycle too. As a light and nimble machine for navigating city traffic, the 698 Mono ticks all the right boxes, and there’s more than enough space onboard to cater for a larger rider.

It’s just as happy being ridden harder, though, with bar and peg placements meaning that knee down is easily achievable, as is leg down if you’d prefer, with a riding position that feels supernaked-esque in its application and not to heavily supermoto biased.

The chassis feels competent, and has the ability to give loads of feel, especially through the front end. With a minimal amount of un-sprung weight it’s really precise and agile, yet it offers this without comprising too much in terms of stability. However, on regular-sized tracks or under heavy road-riding conditions with longer, harder braking zones, the Hypermotard will benefit from additional support on the front end under braking, which is possible thanks to the fully adjustable suspension.

Talking of which, although the Hypermotard is ‘only’ equipped with a single caliper and brake disc, the Brembo M4.32 and 330mm disc offers more than enough bite, power and feel to cope with the 160kg (when fuelled) of machine that it’s stopping.

Ducati’s new superquadro mono motor is the most powerful production single ever, and it certainly packs a punch. Derived from the twin cylinder 1299 Panigale engine, it has the same big 116mm piston (a record for a production single) along with an incredibly short stroke of 62.4mm and a high 13.1:1 compression ratio, which really gives it a shed-load of peak power.

Although it packs over 46lb.ft of torque, it’s at the top end where the Hypermotard makes its power, pulling all the way to the redline at 10,250rpm. Making its peak power at 9,750rpm, it really needs to be revved in order to get the most out of it, pulling at its hardest when its nearing the limiter. Unlike other singles it doesn’t quite have that same brute force of torque at the very bottom end, yet there’s enough on tap to keep things interesting and it means that the application is smooth as well.

The gearbox and quickshifter system (standard on the RVE) work in perfect harmony, with a responsive feel through the gear lever that works wonders up and down the ‘box. There are also longer gear ratios which have been modelled on the Panigale V4, which means that first and second aren’t too brutal in their application, with a throttle response that isn’t jerky on its initial pick up either.

This is aided by a new, hydraulic slipper clutch system, which is up there with the very best units that Ducati have ever fitted to one of their machines. Not only is it light in its application through the lever but it has actually been tuned to allow for drifting into a corner without excessive hopping, which makes getting the rear sliding a smooth and effortless affair.

Ducati haven’t just focussed on peakiness and hardcore riding and the engine can be surprisingly calm too, thanks to the twin counterbalance shafts, which aid in reducing vibes through the bars and the pegs. For a ‘screaming’ single, it’s surprisingly pleasant. In ‘Wet’ mode, the motor is reduced to 58 horsepower with a soft throttle response, and it is reassuringly soft and docile.

In terms of the build quality, the new Hypermotard 698 Mono is a gorgeous little thing. It is minimal, raw and aggressive in its design with a distinctive face, that is reminiscent to the sharp shapes of their new Motocross range. Ducati have gone to great lengths to keep things tidy and it shows, with no excess plastic, metal or wiring, and an attention to detail that we’ve come to expect the Italian brand.

As the engine platform is new, only time will tell on the reliability front – however, the latest range of Ducatis have been fairly reliable, and they’re confident in the new platform by offering long service intervals of 18,000 miles for a full Desmo service.

There are only three real rivals when it comes to direct competitors in the single-cylinder supermoto sector, and they are essentially the same machine in different frocks: KTM’s £10,399 690 SMC R and Husqvarna’s £10,399 701 Supermoto are near enough identical in terms of componentry and specification while the GASGAS SM 700 costs £9,599 and comes with cast wheels, instead of spoked. At £11,895 the Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE is more expensive, but it does come with a little bit more power, and a lot more technology.

In a broader sense, the bigger capacity, Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE will set you back £13,795, while KTM’s 890 SMT supermoto crossed tourer costs £12,999, but they are in a slightly different sector and do both come with more capacity, power and prowess on the open road.

In terms of equipment, the Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE is absolutely stacked for a single cylinder Supermoto.

Electronically, the Hypermotard has a host of goodies. There are four riding modes, alongside the ability to alter all of the electronics under the sun: four levels of ABS which have been dialled in specifically to allow for sliding, four levels of wheelie control, four levels of traction control and even the option of Ducati Wheelie Control Assist, which when added acts as the opposite of wheelie control by holding the front wheel up a certain level, without the worry of going over the back.

There is also a Ducati Power Launch mode, alongside electronic Engine Brake Control, along with an up/down quickshifter as standard. In terms of hardware, huge Brembo stoppers and fully adjustable suspension complete the package.

The only drawback comes in the form of the relatively simple dash as it’s reasonably small and takes a bit of getting used to navigating, however that has been done on purpose to be minimal, and still comes with Ducati’s Multimedia System to allow for link to the Ducati app and Bluetooth connection.