When people think of ‘racing’ today, Ducati is one of the first names that comes to mind. Few vehicles say ‘Ducati’ like the Ducati Hypermotard. It’s been the first love of many racing enthusiasts since it was first appeared at Milan’s EICMA trade show in the fall of 2005. It received the ‘Best of Show’ award that year and has gone on to receive a variety of other awards and titles ever since. Simply put, this is one of the world’ most popular bikes.
Birth of the Ducati Hypermotard Racing Beast
The history of the Ducati Hypermotard starts with a rumor. In the mid-2000s, SuperMoto class bikes were growing in popularity. KTM owned most of the market at the time, but there were rumblings that Ducati was planning to step onto the scene with a bike of its own. As the rumors grew, the racing world was put on edge. What would Ducati’s entry look like? How would it compete?
As interest escalated, Ducati realized that they needed a homerun. They believed that if they could hit one, they’d have a major success on their hands.
In early 2005, Ducati motors sent out a link to an online survey, offering their customers the ability to vote for the features they most wanted in a SuperMoto class bike. They asked about engine size, brakes, and a variety of other desired features. Then, in March of 2006, Ducati’s CEO, Federico Minoli, shared the survey’s results and announced that the bike would go into mass production.
Taking this approach had a huge impact on the way the public perceived the Ducati Hypermotard. They’d voted on the features they wanted. Now, they had them. People loved the idea that they had a hand in the creation of this powerful, new bike model. The Ducati Hypermotard finally launched in 2007, with Ducati offering two variants: the base 1100 model and the more advanced 1100 S model.
Evolution of the Ducati Hypermotard Racing Beast
The Ducati Hypermotard was an instant success, but it still had plenty of room to grow. In 2008, Greg Tracy won the 1200 Pro Class Pikes Peak Hill Climb on a Hypermotard 1100 S, catapulting the bike to superstardom. It was the first Ducati-made motorcycle to wind the race since it started ninety years earlier. It broke the monopoly that KTM had on the SuperMoto bike market.
The original 1100 model and the 1100 S model differed in several important ways. For one thing, the 1100 S was lighter by 2kg since it took advantage of lighter aluminum wheels, and carbon fiber for protectors. The 1100 S also offered an upgraded suspension system.
In 2009 the 1100 S model was upgraded with 48 mm Kayaba forks that featured a diamond-like carbon coating. Meanwhile, the base 1100 model remained the same. That same year saw the release of a new Ducati Hypermotard model: the 796. It offered 2mm lower seats, lower torque output, and an 800 cc engine with 60 Kw output for less-experienced riders. Ducati was quietly creating offerings that would appeal to the widest swath of bikers possible.
Perfecting the Ducati Hypermotard Racing Beast
The real revolution came in 2010 when both original models were changed enough to be given a new name. The 1100 model was renamed 1100 Evo and the 1100 S was renamed 1100 Evo SP. For these improved models, Ducati redesigned the engine, replacing the Marelli dual spark engine with a Siemen fuel-injection one. The drive gearing was also changed from 15/42 to 15/41, allowing drivers to hold gears for longer and improving the overall racing experience.
The 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 1100 evo and 1100 evo SP were both lighter than the previous models since their frames were redesigned to use carbon fiber. The other factor which contributed to the lighter weight and higher performance was a new vacuum cast engine casing.
Ducati Hypermotard’s competitors didn’t have anything comparable to this monster-machine, making Ducati Hypermotard the ruler of the racing world.
Today’s Ducati Hypermotard
Since then, Ducati Hypermotard has launched a number of custom, high-performance models to improve the racing experience. For example, many bikers loved the Leggera, a modified Hypermotard that had 30 kw more power than the 1100 S and was 30 kg lighter, offering an optimized driving experience.
Ducati has continued to refine the Hypermotard, making minor and major adjustments internally and externally. With their latest bike, the Ducati Hypermotard 950, they’ve created their most powerful bike yet. It features a 937cc engine that offers 114PS at 9,000 rpm. It’s the ultimate Hypermotard on the market today, making it the perfect fit for serious racers who want to experience everything Ducati has learned about making bikes since they first revealed the original Hypermotard in 2005.