Comparison test KTM 990 Supermoto versus Ducati Hypermotard 1100

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Comparison test KTM 990 Supermoto versus Ducati Hypermotard 1100
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Comparison test KTM 990 Supermoto versus Ducati Hypermotard 1100

Supermoto duel

Sharp edges or curved lines: with the Hypermotard 1100 and the 990 Supermoto, Ducati and KTM not only interpret the visual appearance of a two-cylinder Supermoto machine differently, but also its technology.

You still have doubts. Was it right to sacrifice the fixed deposit and bypass the family council? Wouldn’t it at least have made sense to invest in ratio? In an all-rounder, in a travel machine, an inexpensive used one? Past. It just couldn’t be any other way. Almost twelve grand are gone. And you don’t even regret it.

Because reason, it would certainly never have made this unique feeling possible for you. The anticipation of that moment when you open the garage door, the first ray of sun falls on the machine and you feel confirmed every time: That’s it! Exactly that. There sets D.ucati at. With unmistakable styling, the Italian has secured the passionate desire for her. Because despite all the subjectivity of taste, everyone feels awe-inspiring enthusiasm for the look of the Hypermotard 1100. Best of Show, Supermoto of the Year ?? the titles that this Ducati received when it was presented at the end of 2006 are proof of typically Italian stylistic confidence that no longer needs to be discussed.

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Comparison test KTM 990 Supermoto versus Ducati Hypermotard 1100

Comparison test KTM 990 Supermoto versus Ducati Hypermotard 1100
Supermoto duel

KTM for its angular appearance is omnipresent and more massive than the carefully dosed arrangement of the Ducati with the gently running tips on the front spoiler and tank lining or the rudimentary rear covers.

KTM 990 Supermoto


Jahn

Design and function united on two wheels: the KTM 990 Supermoto.

But be careful, behind such emotionality lurks a danger: Because dreams can also burst quickly. So into the here and now, into the world of country roads and the winding curves of southern France. KTM leaves no room for doubt about its identity. Knows how to take her pilot on his back in a relaxed, casual stance. If the 17-inch wheels did not lower the seat height to an acceptable 875 millimeters, the Supermoto could easily pass as an off-roader: high steering head, comfortable seat, relaxed knee angle. In such a tidy way and with a good overview, the pilot can also rely on asphalt. Let yourself ?? on top of that, comfortably sprung with 200 or 210 millimeters of travel ?? literally soak up the tangled curves. He probably doesn’t even realize how much this racing spirit takes possession of him: how he gradually uses the deceleration forces to lean his upper body a little more towards the front in tight bends, like the handle on the clutch, which is easy to operate, or to the superb, perfectly dosed front brake is increasingly becoming a playful finger exercise.

Even taming this bearish, proud 121 HP strong and lively short-stroke engine turns into an effortless comedy after a very short time. Incidentally, also for less sporty tours overland. Then the 990 goes on a cuddle course, lets its rider appreciate the proper seating comfort and the cultivated engine running, mutating into a V-Twin that is absolutely travel-friendly. It is no coincidence that KTM offers luggage bags and a higher windshield in the accessories range for sports enthusiasts. In this almost perfect environment, even small things such as the somewhat rougher load change behavior of the 1000 injector from the Superduke compared to last year’s 950 carburettor model are disturbing. Or the wobbly movement in tight bends, which is caused by the changed steering geometry. No drama, but worth mentioning.

And now, if you know it, so to speak, this angular look of the KTM makes even more sense. In doing so, she reflects the stringency with which every detail feels committed to the goal of the successful whole. The sturdy aluminum frame rear, the curved radiator, the compact engine, the oil tank nestling against it or the tidy electrical system, all of this looks well thought-out and valuable. Only the relatively matt, solid-colored plastic parts are reminiscent of the off-road roots of KTM. The corpulent tank? it now holds 19 instead of the previous 17.5 liters ?? The engineers would certainly have liked to have more reserved contours. However, the space for a more discreetly stored fuel supply in the airy mesh of the tubular space frame, which together with the spring elements from WP Suspension forms the basis of the entire KTM two-cylinder series, is already occupied by the airbox of the 75-degree V engine.

Ducati Hypermotard 1100


Jahn

Italian design language: the Ducati Hypermotard 1100 is not only an eye-catcher because of its signal color.

The high-gloss lacquered Ducati is completely different. The slim silhouette of the tank, which extends far below the bench and has a capacity of just 12.4 liters, creates a completely different sense of space. Most of the chassis was taken over from the all-rounder Multistrada, but in contrast to the S version that has so far only been tested by MOTORRAD (Issue 13 and 14/2007), it has a Sachs instead of Ohlins strut, cast instead of forged wheels, Bridgestone instead of Pirelli -Tires, screwed instead of one-piece brake calipers and plastic instead of carbon fiber covers. But at 11,750 euros it remains exactly 2,000 euros cheaper than its classy sister.

The Hypermotard looks petite? and yet distances itself from the off-road genetics that dominate the supermoto profession. Deliberately sacrifices a few centimeters of ground clearance in favor of a low seat height, conveys a driving experience that is clearly oriented towards sporty road machines with the high rear, low steering head and flat handlebars. The other side of the coin: This configuration allows the pilot to slide far forward, much too close to the handlebars. That is why he repeatedly catches himself looking for the ideal sitting position that has been moved a little further back. After all, the engine reconciles. Sonor thunders the air-cooled two-cylinder from Bologna, with a displacement of 1079 cm. The calm sovereignty with which the Langhuber gets down to business is impressive. And suggests a lot more pressure than the measured 88 hp objectively bring about. Driving fun on the Hypermotard is clearly defined by this brilliant and yet so cultivated start. Every straight, no matter how short, on which the red one could have rolled to the next bend unmolested, stimulates a courageous thrust in order to experience this mighty sprint, underlaid by the wonderful Vau-Zwei sound. The fact that the propellant only revs up cautiously from 6000 rpm does not resent him with this excessive torque frenzy.

Chassis and brakes


Jahn

Two magnificent horses whose origins can already be recognized by their color: Ducati Hypermotard 1100 and KTM 990 Supermoto.

Rather the noticeably wobbly steering behavior. In tight turns, the front wheel wants to be prevented from collapsing with conscious counter pressure. One of the reasons for this phenomenon: the Bridgestone BT 014 tires, which react extremely stubbornly in these situations, in combination with the somewhat exaggerated design of the chassis data that make a supermoto manageable. Compared to the already agile KTM, the Duc is 55 millimeters shorter, the fork is a little steeper in the steering head, and the caster is ten millimeters less. After all, the Italian is rehabilitating with formidable brakes, restrained fuel consumption and acceptable suspension comfort. Speaking of brakes. There is a reason why the stoppers on the standard Hypermotard can be actuated much more sensitively than the overly aggressive counterparts in the S version, namely in the different brake pads. If the sintered pads from the super sports car 1098 are used in the S-Class, organic-based pads bite into the Eco-Hypermotard. A conversion is possible despite the different brake calipers mentioned (around 80 euros per brake caliper at Brembo importer Brune, www.brunegmbh.de) and is highly recommended.

Overall, the Ducati Hypermotard is still a good deal missing from the KTM 990 Supermoto. Such high-quality elements such as the single-sided swing arm or the beautiful filigree wheels are counteracted by corrosive mountings of the brake disc floaters and cylinder head studs, and design highlights such as the fold-out rear-view mirror and the flat-shaped pillion bracket are clearly in their practical use by the concessions to the optics one. In this respect, the Ratio quickly made its judgment, especially since the KTM is priced at 11,795 euros in the same region as the Duc. But not all arguments are convincing, and reason goes unheard when this inner voice insists: I want it. Exactly these.

Data KTM 990 Supermoto


Jahn

The lively KTM 990 Supermoto is not only available in the typical KTM orange, but also in black.

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 75-degree V-engine, crankshaft lying transversely, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, dry sump lubrication, injection, Ø 48 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 450 W alternator, 12 V battery / 11 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, X-ring chain, secondary ratio 41:17.

Bore x stroke 101.0 x 62.4 mm
Cubic capacity 1000 cm³
Compression ratio 11.5: 1
Nominal output 85.0 kW (116 hp) at 9000 rpm
Max. Torque 97 Nm at 7000 rpm

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 48 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, diameter 305 mm, four-piston -Fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 240, double-piston floating caliper.

Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Tires tested: Pirelli Scorpion Sync

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1510 mm, steering head angle 65.1 degrees, caster 110 mm, suspension travel f / r 200/210 mm, seat height * 875 mm, weight with a full tank * 208 kg, load * 192 kg, tank capacity / reserve 19.0 / 2.5 liters.

Guarantee: two years
Service intervals: 7500 km
Colors: black, orange
Price: 11595 euros
Additional costs: around 200 euros

Data Ducati Hypermotard 1100


Jahn

The Hypermotard 1100 is of course only available in an original Ducati red.

Engine:
Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, crankshaft lying transversely, one overhead, toothed belt-driven camshaft, two valves per cylinder, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 45 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 520 W alternator, 12 V / 10 battery Ah, hydraulically operated multi-plate dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 42:15.

Bore x stroke 98.0 x 71.5 mm
Cubic capacity 1079 cm³
Compression ratio 10.5: 1
Rated output 62.0 kW (84 hp) at 7500 rpm
Max. Torque 94 Nm at 4750 rpm

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 50 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 305 mm, four-piston Fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 245, two-piston fixed caliper.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Tires in the test Bridgestone BT 014

Mass and weight:
Wheelbase 1455 mm, steering head angle 66.0 degrees, caster 100 mm, suspension travel f / r 165/141 mm, seat height * 855 mm, weight with a full tank * 196 kg, payload * 194 kg, tank capacity 12.4 liters.

Guarantee: two years
Service intervals: 12,000 km
Colors: red
Price: 11,500 euros
Additional costs: 250 euros

Comments scoring


Jahn

How to turn it around: Ducati and KTM also have their very own style when viewed from the rear.

Engine:
The Ducati is hardly a bare here, shines with sovereign pressure from below, easy-to-shift gearbox and fine manners. Nevertheless: Against the sheer power of 121 hp of the KTM, it is lost with 88 hp peak performance. Especially since the KTM engine also delivers its power very homogeneously.
Winner engine: KTM 990 SM

landing gear
More DIS harmony than the pairing Bridgestone BT 014 with Hypermotard chassis is hardly possible. The wobbly steering behavior is extremely annoying in practice. After all, the suspension tuning hits the intersection between sporty hardness and reasonable comfort almost perfectly. When it comes to the KTM, just one word is enough when it comes to chassis: top class.
Chassis winner: KTM 990 SM

everyday life
Supermoto bikes aren’t motorcycles for everyday use? Not correct. The KTM convinces with good ergonomics, high-quality workmanship and sufficient range. The way to work or on vacation? no problem with the 990. Even on the Hypermotard, the upright seating position creates a feeling of sympathy, even if the range or luggage transport leave something to be desired.
Winner everyday life: KTM 990 SM

Security:
ABS in the supermoto profession? Nothing. Too bad. For this, the KTM brake can be adjusted almost perfectly. More of a problem with the tires than the braking system: the Duc’s clear upright moment when braking in an inclined position.
Safety winner: KTM 990 SM

Costs:
Victory for the Ducati! Finally. The low inspection costs and moderate fuel consumption make it possible.

Winner costs: Ducati Hypermotard
Price-performance winner: KTM 990 SM

A two means good, and so is the 990. Even in relation to their ultimately high price. By the way: the single-cylinder sister of the KTM, the 690 SM, is two tenths worse with a price-performance rating of 2.2.

Hyper hype

Amazing: Despite the hype surrounding the Hypermotard, KTM sold a total of 3000 units * of the 950 SM more two-cylinder supermotos than Ducati (2700) in 2007. Will the 1000cc engine even extend this lead??

It works – Hypermotard conversion

The pronounced jitteriness of the Hypermotard in curves is obviously not only a concern of the MOTORCYCLE test department. Zupin Moto-Sport, Husqvarna importer and renowned suspension specialist in Traunreut, Bavaria (www.zupin.de), has now taken on the problem. The solution: The Ducati front-heaviness should give way to a good balance. For this, the Bavarians extended the fork legs from 82.5 to 84 centimeters by reducing the overlap of the standpipes and dip tubes, implanted much harder fork springs (9.0 instead of 6.0 N / mm) and inserted the legs flush to the top edge of the fork bridge . In addition, a lower pretensioned spring strut (negative sag without driver: 1.5 instead of one centimeter) ensures that the rear frame is lowered by five millimeters.
The cure works: the previously sloping sitting posture gives way to a horizontal position. The tendency for the front wheel to buckle in curves is significantly reduced by the raised front, especially since the harder fork springs hardly reduce comfort. A pleasant side effect: the Hypermotard’s moderate lean angle increases noticeably due to the elevation. The Hypermotard ultimately made the biggest step by combining the Zupin conversion, which cost 499 euros, with the replacement of the Bridgestone BT 014 for Pirelli Diablo Corsa III, the standard tires for the S version of the Hypermotard. This means that the Ducati drives a class more neutral and remains almost free of unpleasant steering forces even in tight bends. The following applies to the series Hypermotard: lowering the rear, inserting the fork tubes and changing tires are a must. The fork conversion kit ultimately helps the driving behavior to be even more neutral.

Comment performance chart

In terms of top performance, the two engines have been playing since the KTM switched to the injection engine ?? the 950 propellant still made 101 hp ?? no longer in the same league. Nevertheless, the enormous torque of the Ducati in the lower and middle speed range puts this discrepancy into perspective. In practice, you don’t miss any horsepower in the Hypermotard.

Test result


Jahn

In the end, the orange lights up and surpasses the Ducati red. The KTM made it to first place.

1st place
KTM 990 Supermoto
KTM knows what it wants? and can do a lot more. There is currently no motorcycle closer to the perfect supermoto bike. This part is awesome.

place 2
Ducati Hypermotard 1100
As fluid as their forms, so unstable their character. The Hypermotard is strange with its seating position and driving behavior. And impresses with its engine.

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