Ducati has finally launched the Hypermotard 698 Mono in India at Rs 16.50 Lakh. At this price point, the bike costs Rs 50K more than the Hypermotard 950 RVE, which is also on sale here due to the former being brought to India directly from Italy as a CBU.
Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono – It packs a punch
The Hypermotard 698 Mono is Ducati’s first attempt at the 1st cylinder motorbike after almost 4 decades. The brand was pretty popular during the 1950s – 1970s for its single-cylinder configs. The 698 Mono is powered by a 659 cc single-cylinder Superquadro Mono engine that generates 77.5 hp at 9,750 RPM and 63 Nm at 8,000 RPM. The output figures only show that despite the smaller engine, this single-cylinder bike packs a lot of that Ducati punch.
When the Hypermotard 698 Mono is compared to its older yet less costly sibling, the Hypermotard 950 RVE, it falls quite short which is a given because the latter is powered by a more powerful 937 cc, L-twin unit that produces 114 hp and 96 Nm.
Other than the Hypermotard 698 Mono follows a similar design as its older older sibling which is typical of the Ducati Hypermotard range.
Interstingly, the single-cylinder Ducati also sports double exhausts but that’s fine since it adds to the character. Other features include an LED headlight, a high front mudguard, 5-spoke alloys, a sharp tail and a tall, flat seat. These elements make the Hypermotard 698 Mono as aggressive as its sibling.
Currently, Hypermotard 698 Mono is available in the Classic Ducati Red with an upcoming RVE variant claimed to arrive later this year. Bookings for the bike are open and deliveries will likely commence by the end of this month.
