Italian bike maker Ducati is known for manufacturing premium high-performance motorcycles that are powered by V-twin or V-4 engine layouts. And while the brand has always communicated that they have no plans of downsizing their engine sizes, spy shots of a camouflaged motorcycle that seems to be a smaller version of a Hypermotard have surfaced on the internet. The test mule was spotted testing in Italy, suggesting that Ducati is now thinking otherwise, with plans to enter the more accessible supermoto segment in the international market that is popular with the KTM 690 SMC.
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From the spy shots, it is visible that the motorcycle features a single-cylinder motor that is rumoured to be a 659cc 4-valve liquid-cooled unit that is likely to register a peak power output in the ballpark of 75 bhp. The engine is vertically positioned while acting as a stressed member with the swingarm directed boulted to it. The motorcycle is likely to feature a steel trellis frame with a bolt-on subframe.
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Apart from that, the motorcycle follows the silhouette of the Hypermotard in Ducati’s portfolio with a minimalistic design approach with a high-mounted twin exhaust system. The bike features a USD fork setup at the front and an adjustable monoshock at the rear, rode on 17-inch wheels with road-biased tyres, and a twin-disc at the front and single disc brake setup.
With the test mule seeming to be closer to the final stages of testing, one can expect the new Ducati to be showcased at the 2023 EICMA later this year. Once introduced, the new Ducati will rival the KTM 690 SMC R in the international market.
