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Bike review: The sexy new Ducati Hyperstrada!
Touring was never more fun than on Ducati's brand new bike.
Ducati Hypermotard, the dashing range of exhilarating supermotards from the famous Italian motorbike-maker, has now been joined by the sizzling Hyperstrada.
Call it a supermotard with a twist or a tourer with surprises, it all boils down to the fact that this new Ducati marvel is capable of turning any ordinary leisure tour into one enthralling adventure trip.
Tweaking the lean and speedy structure of the Hypermotard standard version very smartly to blend in some defining traits of the SP platform, Ducati has successfully created a spectacular mini version of the Multistrada, which exudes the frenzied excitement that is usually associated with sprinting racing bikes and still, somehow, manages to introduce the long-distance practicality and comforts that a rider would always look for in a true touring motorcycle.
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Bike review: The sexy new Ducati Hyperstrada!
One look at the spanking new Ducati Hyperstrada, and there would no mistaking that what stands in front of you, donning that sharply-cut, extremely rousing outfit is a long-trip ride; add-ons like the semi-rigid side panniers, the tall windscreen and handle-guards, the Ducati-special centre-stand and the high-positioned handlebars which speak of a more upright riding position take care of that.
While the side-bags carved out of a plastic/nylon composite supply a 50-litre storage space, their detachable nature and the support that they provide to the pillion making them an extremely useful addition, the tall windscreen and handle-guards offer the driver pretty decent protection against strong winds and unfavourable weather conditions on the go. In the meantime, the centre-stand that Ducati incorporates in its new tourer-with-a-twist makes maintenance all the more easy on those long trips.
Bike review: The sexy new Ducati Hyperstrada!
Belonging to the clan of untamed and reckless Hypermotards, the Hyperstrada carries the same wild and unruly genes in its veins that run in the entire family. However, the role of a civilised tourer that this newbie is supposed to exhibit does not allow it to let loose and unleash those raging Hypermotard genes on the road. So instead of falling for that irresistible urge of letting go, the ride bravely chooses to balance its boundless willfulness with the easygoing characteristics of a touring bike.
The motorbike’s 181kg lightweight structure built on a Tubular steel Trellis frame which assists in achieving easy maneuverability even at low speeds, its longer wheelbase of 1,490mm and wide seat which account for ample room for two riders, its saddle height of 850mm which is tall but reasonably easy to mount and unmount and its two onboard 12V power outlets are features that particularly highlight its inclination towards the touring segment.
Even the exceptional powermill that has been newly-engineered for the Ducati Hyperstrada has been so designed that it can balance the high-performance behaviour of the supermotards with the long-term usability of touring bikes.
Bike review: The sexy new Ducati Hyperstrada!
The first liquid-cooled V-Twin engine ever to feature on a Hypermotard, this 821.1cc, 8-valve, L-Twin cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid-cooled Testastretta 11° has been built with long-stroke dimensions so as to boost the bike’s low-rev performance and help it edge closer to the blissful refinement of sportbikes while dropping the usual harshness experienced with tourers. But it is not just the low-rev that gets all the fun traits, the middle and high ranges too have quite a smooth, swift and strong performance to flaunt and delight with, all thanks to the easy-shift 6-speed gearbox that gets mated to the engine.
Having wonderfully stroked the thrilling personality of a racing star with the ease of a practical tourer, Ducati conveniently offers three amazing driving modes in the Hyperstrada: Sport, Touring and Urban, which makes the bike just as perfect for a lap around the race tracks and a fun ride across the city streets as it is for long, leisure trips far away from home.
Bike review: The sexy new Ducati Hyperstrada!
Putting out a peak 110bhp at 9250 rpm along with a top torque of 89Nm at 7750 rpm for the Sport and Touring modes, the Testastretta 11° engine cuts the top power limit down to 75bhp when the rider switches to the Urban mode. For the advantage of long-trip takers, Hypermotard’s enlarged 16-litre fuel-tank has been loaded on the Hyperstrada, which makes possible a remarkable range of 150 miles when combined to the 50mpg fuel-efficiency returns of the engine.
In addition to all these features and fitment, there are a whole lot of exceedingly desirable qualities that people tend to seek in their rides and that come as added benefits with the Ducati Hyperstrada package. Impressive ride quality, easy handling and exceptional agility even around sharp turns, sharper steering rendered possible by redesigned front forks and hand-adjustable preload are just a few of them.
Blessed with Ducati's brilliant Safety Package, this touring bike gets to feature ABS, traction control, dual-purpose Pirelli tyres for superior grip and Brembo Monobloc brakes for the ultimate braking action. All in all, the incredible package that Ducati has created by the name of Hyperstrada, made available at the approximate cost of Rs 7.27 lakh, is one of the most charismatic and dynamic offers ever to have been put forward by the Italian giant.