This one put a big smile on Chris' face, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono launch ride. He does love a supermoto, and Ducati and joining to cool gang with this new bike. Look out for a Chad cameo! #ducati #hypermotard #hypermotard698
Such shit marketing. Yes, the Ducati got a few horses more, but the 701 SM has 73Nm of torque standard, the Hypermotard has 63Nm. The 701 also delivers that torque at 6500, compared to 8000 on the 698. People have been getting 80whp from the KTMs for years with minor mods. I was hoping for Ducati to make it much lighter, but its not. its the same specs as a 701, but €4000 more in Norway.
this is the review I've been waiting to see!! My order goes in for one tomorrow and I couldnt be more excited. Also pumped to see Fagan on the RVE and looking forward to 44's review of it.
😎👍🇺🇲 58 year old old school analog rider here. I recently sold the fully mod'ed DRZ SM to a coworker. Bought a used KTM SMCR that's also fully kitted with basically all the mods. By comparison to the DRZ. It an animal. Due to weather and the usual sketchy road conditions. I have really had a chance to push it. But the few opportunities I've had. It's shocking. We're waiting for decent weather to get the bikes together and see the difference 😏 My coworker is a new rider sooo.... I know this video is about the new Ducati. Just wanted to add my 2¢ from the elderly crowd 😈
We expected a lighter, more powerful, stylish SM with more torque than the KTM, we got none of those. It's an ugly duckling compared to the Ducati 950 Hypermotard and for a dual exhaust system it sounds meh (950 wins again in this department). Should be at least 2-3kg lighter with cast wheels, but somehow Ducati managed to f*ck this up. No spoke wheels for heavy duty use. Costs more than the KTM and ridiculously more expensive with the factory racing kit. Plus it's a new engine with the usual Ducati teething problems. The only real advantage is the electronic package.
Correct on all points except looks. Ducati nailed the looks. KTM SMC looks like awful with the fat ass fuel tank in the wrong spot and pie-plate headlight/number plate
Get real 😂, I have owned 690s and 701s and every single one had issues even after they had been making the bikes for over a decade. If you have owned a 690, you know that absolute death trap that the false neutral gear shift is especiallywhen you pull onto a higway and go for a gear only to loose all accelerationdue to it, the running hot issues, the tall 1 and 2 gear that makes the bike chug and stall, the clutch failures the useless dash, the awkward knee to bum geometry the vibration through the bars and pegs, the head shake at speeds above 110kph and all its other shortcomings. I have a 701E and a Vitpilen 701 and adore the platform bit my goodness. KTM has been taking that for granted for too long.
Chris is my favorite moto-journalist. He has a great attitude while translating his subjective and objective observations straight to my brain. I'm already a seasoned bike-nut, but somehow, he knows how to reignite my passion! You're awesome, Chris! Oh yeah, can't wait for the comparison with the other named sumos.
I’ve had my 690 SMC R for a year and have 3,300 miles in it. Not a single issue. I don’t get why people say KTMs are unreliable as I’ve never ran into any problems on them.
I’ve a 70bhp xr650r sm and it’s 20kg lighter. I’ve ridden a smc690 which I believe is the same weight and just feels heavy compared to my XR. Amazing how 20 years of progress hasn’t produced a road supermoto I’d prefer over my big pig…the XR has absolute legend reliability too…king of the dessert. El campèon
Lol, that’s hilarious. You can’t get more reliable or cheaper to maintain than an XR, any XR. I have an XR 400 engine in my TRX400ex quad and it’s been bullet proof and cost nothing to maintain. It’s funny how sometimes ‘progress’ is a step back in some ways, but always much more $$$$. Did you buy it already SM’d or did you do it yourself? If so is there much involved with that bike? Don’t get me wrong, the Ktm and Duke are f’n awesome and I would love to have one, but I’m not sure the bang for the buck is there over some other options like a 650.
The SXV was the biggest disaster in Aprilia's history. I owned the first gen bike and it was a huge disappointment. They did figure it out but not before replacing a bunch of engines and pissing tons of people. Ducati and KTM build quality in this narrow use case blows away what the SXV / RXV platform was on day one. The aids make this Ducati the most accessible bike for a new rider who wants to lay down stunts and do track days. You'll hopefully see these on the road. SXVs are all hiding in their garages or sitting around with broken motors....
@@serow6 yeah that's why I said in my opinion, I didn't ask for yours. I also said no rider aids, that's part of owning an SXV or other true supermotos converted or not. I also own a KTM and GasGas 2 stroke converted supermotos, again no aids,no restrictions from factory just pure hilariously fun power. As for reliability of the Aprilia, there have been many accounts including myself of people doing many thousands of miles without needing to touch the engine internals. But as with anything mechanical, they can and do go wrong but with a little maintenance and the knowledge to know what you're doing and what you're looking at with these compact explosive V twin engines, they can of course become reliable. I myself always prefer the more "unusual" bikes that no one's ever heard of and often use my Aprilia and my 2 strokes for work on nicer days so no they're not sat in my garage with a "broken motor". 👍
What fun that looks like ! Now, someone please put a Maico 700 single two stroke in that chassis and compare that. Track only of coarse. What regulations are depriving us from.
@@stephenclarke6114 Nah, I could only find silly videos about rumors of a new supermoto from Suzuki. Most seem more like AI content that actual reporting. I'll believe it when I'll see it. As a former owner of a DRZ 400 S/SM I'd love it if Suzuki will make a new supermoto, but I won't get my hopes high. I've been waiting for ages for a more modern DRZ400 and it never happened. Suzuki isn't what it used to be. At least that's my assessment of them.
Alright, let's give credit where it's due-this review wouldn't have been half as entertaining if it weren't for my main man, Chris. His reviews are like a masterclass in riding and wit, setting the bar sky high! Now, let's talk dream bikes. Picture this: a Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono sitting pretty in my garage, begging for a spin. And hey, a little birdie tells me a SP version might be in the works-fingers crossed! Then there's the KTM Duke 890, the trusty steed for daily commutes and for the weekend adventures I'd take the 698 to bring that grin on my face. Sure, the new Duke 990 has its perks, but those headlights? Not my cup of tea. Anyway, until my dream garage becomes a reality, I'll be tearing up the streets on the new KTM Duke 390 Gen 3 (2024) I just got. And Chris, hats off to you, my friend! Your reviews are the gospel for bike enthusiasts everywhere. Keep riding safe and riding hard! Peace out. ☮️
We might finally get that unicorn we’ve been waiting for; enough power, lightweight, solid and reliable build etc. only negative might probably be the cost
@@LasseJOugaard Excited to see what they do with the new engine but I'm not sure what the complaint with the 690 Adventure is about tbh. KTM has a 790 Adventure and the 690 Enduro. I'm not sure that a 690 Adventure would offer anything not already found in the KTM lineup.
Always seems pointless paying thousands for exhausts from the factory as they’re still mute most the time and overpriced be better off getting the base model then waiting for a aftermarket can and getting it mapped yourself
In the US a 16 year old can get his license and jump on one of these or any other bike ducati makes. We don't have age or power restrictions if you take the MSF course you can ride whatever lol my 17 year old rides my 821 ducati monster all the time. As well as the buell xb12r firebolt that we owned.
I Believe Chris is holding himself back because he got paid to advertise the bikes. He didn't mention the elephant in the room which is the ridiculous price tag! The RVE costs above $16500 in Europe with the termi exhaust and it's mandatory to buy it if you want to unlock the fancy electronics. Who would enjoy riding a luxury bike like a maniac? I own a 950 and I regret it. Too expensive, too heavy, not fan.
In my country, Ducati is 1700 euros more expensive, which is 1450 pounds... Or 10 percent more than KTM. I think they have deliberately priced it higher than KTM but not too much.
@@theguitarhero898 You clever murican't you! The L in front of the 12 means pounds.... you know, as in weight..... It weighs twelve thousand pounds. Got it, clever murican't?
@@Kodreanu23 if your country is Romania i am wondering how you got that price I see the base ducati 698 mono at 14100 EUR or the RVE at 15100. The ktm 690 is 12000 euro at list price but there are current sales for it at 10550 euro including VAT
I'm excited to see what they do with the hypermotard 950 platform. If the 890smt proves successful, which it kind of already is, they might want a piece of that market with their own supermoto tourer. I know they already did a hyperstrada but that thing was not a great supermoto and not a great tourer.
Even though I will never own a Supermoto myself I am still excited about Ducati investing in this new single cylinder bike. I hope they will bring a Hard Enduro version as well.. and who knows , maybe even a lighweight (~175kg wet) ADV / Rally bike built around this engine. But they probably won't to not compete with their own line-up (Desert X) 😢
Yes, potentially. But I am sure that Ducati can tune the engine to be more torquey with less Max HP at lower revs. Take the Tuareg 660 engine for example. It also derives from a revy sportbike but works perfectly in the Enduro trim.
Can you tell a bit more about the difference with the termignoni package? Does it add to the experience over the stock setup. Does it "need" the extra hp's? Would you get it if you had to spend your own money? Thanks 😊
Was getting ready to ask “is it worth dropping another £5k on over what I’ll get for my 18 month old SM700?” and then I got to the end of the video… 😂 Great vid as always Chris… Looking forward to the comparison! 👍🏻
Kudos to Ducati for managing to squeeze a few more hp out of a thumper. Being a rider who usually takes it slow n easy on my rides, I'll probably never own an SM. But I've always wanted one anyway :) Love the KTM thumper (I ride a Svartpilen 701), so I'm really looking forward to your comparison!
I like the supermotos because they have a slim figure, lightweight and can be an everyday bike. All these stands are not for me. Nice presentation and waiting for which is better the hypermotard 698 or the Husky 701?
Bloomin' fantastic as always Mr Northover! Such a great way of putting things across and savage skillz. Question: Could you maybe do a beginners 101 type series on how to develope and perfect basic wheelies. I know there's loads of other videos but I know you could get the principles across in a super understandable way 🙏😎
All the suspense of whether Chris would like the bike was ruined the moment I saw his giggling face on the thumbnail. Of course he loves the bike! It's the two-wheeled version of him.
fantastic review. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an enduro version as i ride quite a it off road and think i'd crack those pretty cast wheels in no time.
Spec sheets rarely tell the complete story. We live in a world where in my opinion, there are no bad bikes, only ones that work for you or not. At the end of the day, motorcycles are an emotional purchase; you buy the bike that moves your soul, then look at the spec sheets later. We live in a time where technology has allowed a manufacture to create any bike they can dream up and as long as we can keep us riders interested, should make this the best time in history to be a motorcyclist.
Sadly still can't compete against KTM group... It's slower, more expensive and has many issues related with new bikes. As always in Ducati. PD: Ducati owner here.
Ducati is the only one willing aside from KTM, to build a monster Supermoto's. Honda and Kawi have 650 thumpers that could be supermotos. But they seem to stop at 450. People like beast-mode bikes cars and trucks.
What is the maximum speed? What is the acceleration up to 100 km/hour? How does it feel riding 120 km/hour for an hour? I cannot find answers to these questions anywhere. I want this machine to be my everyday vehicle and these questions are essential for me.
Kids need fun bikes that allow certain mistakes. My GSXR 750 does not play as nice as any supermoto and is not really good for a beginner. I got my son a Ninja 300 for a starter. it is very user-friendly.
I LOVE THIS VIDEO JUST SUBSCRIBED BUT I HAVE A QUESTION SO BASICALLY ALL I HAVE TO DO IS POWER UP OR CLUTCH UP WHEELIE AND ITLL HOLD IT IN THE AIR AUTOMATICALLY AND I DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOOPING IT ?????? THATS CRAZY AMAZING
Just got mine last Friday. Put 188mi on it my first ride. Absolutely love it. Rides like my 510 SMR but better. Don't even notice the extra weight on the 698 vs the 510.
