All Tests – Hypermotard 2013 test: the Italian renaissance – A quick tour of the Hypermotard SP

Posted on by admin

Hypermotard 2013 test: the Italian renaissance

All Tests - Hypermotard 2013 test: the Italian renaissance - A quick tour of the Hypermotard SP

Ducati is offering a brand new Hypermotard in 2013. Liquid-cooled 821 cc engine, new chassis, advanced electronics and better ergonomics: the Bologna Supermot ‘has it all, including the rain that invited itself at its launch !

A little tour on the Hypermotard SP

Ducati had put the small dishes in the big ones: the day before our race, the motorcycles were already waiting for us, ready to do battle, in the enclosure of the circuit of Ascari (Spain). The atmosphere was then close to a Pink Floyd concert: sets of lights and backfire engines on a "Run Like Hell"broadcast in the open air !

By booking this superb private track at the southern tip of Spain last September, Ducati could legitimately hope to show us its new Hypermotard – and its SP variation – in idyllic weather conditions … !

Fine drops fall on the dashboard of our Hypermotard SP 2013 and make reading the dashboard a little difficult. A quick glove reveals the outside temperature: 7 ° C according to the on-board computer.

Wearing hyper-sporty tires (Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa), the Hypermotard SP is only given to us on a U-turn of the circuit … no more! It must be recognized that despite the abundance of driving aids, the track conditions are far too tricky to test this racing beast..

It is therefore at less than 40 km / h, the splashing of the photographer’s car in full quiche, that we make our first – and last! – wheel turns at the controls of the "SP"…

Getting on the bike is no small feat: perched 890mm high, the SP saddle allows a tiny minority of testers to touch the ground from both sides simultaneously. But this first observation is instantly followed by a more positive second: the reception of the buttocks is good..

The driving position – identical on the standard model – is also more pleasant than that of the old Hypermotard: "the ergonomics have been completely revised because we wanted to offer a more pleasant and easier motorcycle", tells us the big boss Cristiano Silei.

The handlebars and the footrests advanced respectively by 80 mm and 70 mm compared to the 1100 Evo effectively relax the driver, who more readily imagines himself driving in the city. The lightness of the motorcycle and its good turning radius also go in this direction.

Nevertheless, the Hypermotard – SP and "tout court" – does not yet adapt perfectly to urban life. First of all, we regret the total lack of space under the saddle: the four small straps hidden under it will not be of much help to transport a lock..

Likewise, if the engine is more conciliatory than the old 2-air valve, it is reluctant to run in step on the 1st report and asks to play the clutch, moreover soft and rather progressive. Finally, the absence of a warning may slow down some users in their – always cautious! – lifts of interfile traffic lines…

The gearbox and the gearbox – common to both versions, like the engine and the chassis – do not attract any negative criticism, nor does the rear brake, which is very useful for adjusting its speed to that of the photographer’s car … an Audi, of course !

A pause in front of the objective "handlebars in the teeth", another to express our disappointment and we must already join the pits: ethically impossible to establish over 2 km a report on the behavior of the Hypermotard SP! Too bad, because the guy had a very big potential…

In addition to its specific color, its magnesium cylinder heads and its carbon fiber front mudguards and timing belt covers, the Hypermotard SP has indeed serious assets to shine on the track a little more than the standard..

The 2 kg lighter Marchesini rims (the SP weighs 194 kg in total), the 50 mm Marzocchi forks and the fully adjustable Ohlins shock absorber as well as the "radial" front brake master cylinder were to ensure the "top" model handling. exemplary on circuit.

With its ground clearance raised to 210 mm, the Hypermotard SP should have allowed angles of 47.5 °, but Site had to be content with inclinations of 10 ° maximum … You said frustrating ?!

On the road this time, the "short" Hypermotard could have leaned 45 ° on each side. Unfortunately, the bitumen still saturated with water did not allow such an exercise and we could only see the capacities of the Italian Supermot….

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *