Ducati revamped its Hypermotard range ahead of MY22 with the 950 and 950 SP to replace its outgoing Hypermotard 950 models. The new 950 borrows from the supermotard world for general design The 950 dropped some weight compared to its predecessor and replaced it with ponies for greater performance across the board. The “SP” comes with top-shelf suspension and wheels, plus an expanded electronics suite and carbon fiber components to sweeten the deal and new race-born livery.

2022 Ducati Hypermotard 950 Performance and Capability

Duc powers this Hypermotard 950 with its 937 cc, Testastretta, 11-degree, L-Twin engine. While that's the same displacement as the previous 939, the revamped mill churns out more power. The Hypermotard 950 produces 114 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 70.9 pound-feet of torque at 7,250 rpm. That's up from 110 horsepower on the previous model.

A 94 mm bore and 67.5 mm stroke gives the engine its 937 cc displacement with a smokin'-hot 13.3-to-1 compression ratio. That's really where the power comes from and so the top-dollar pump gas is a necessary and expected evil. The Ducati Hypermotard 950 top speed is an estimated 176 mph.

Ride-by-wire throttle control manages a pair of 53 mm throttle bodies. The Riding Mode feature as well as the anti-wheelie and traction-control systems modify that signal to help you keep it all under control.

As usual, Duc uses a Desmodromic valvetrain to actuate the poppets. This means there are no pull-closed springs anywhere in the head and harmonic valve-float is just a thing that happens to other engines.

A gear-type primary drive carries power to the slipper clutch for another layer of safety net, and on into the six-speed transmission before it goes to the rear wheel via chain drive. On the more race-tastic SP model, the Ducati Quick Shift feature let's you move up and down the range sans clutch for lightning-fast acceleration. That reduces the chance you'll miss a gear and over-rev the engine, not that there's any chance at all that valve float will become an issue under those conditions.

Design

You can call it a supermoto or trick bike if you like, but the end result is the same. The supermotard genre certainly has a form-follows-function look all its own, and these Hypermotard 950s fit right into the mold.

What we have is a collection of parts meant to deliver a very specific style of riding as its primary focus with some general track-day capabilities for a little lagniappe. At the core of the new 950 siblings lies a naked sportbike with exposed framework and minimal body panels that leave little to the imagination.

The front-fender mounted high on the tripletree keeps unsprung weight low at the front axle and leaves the wheel plenty of room to pump. That gives it a bit of a dual-sport look reinforced by the flyscreen and handguards. I'm glad to see that the front blinkers are still integrated with the handguards 'cause that cleans the front end up so very nicely.

The handlebar is new with a wider, more “open” layout giving you plenty of leverage. That's important if you have the testicular fortitude to pull endos, wheelies, and the like.

A 3.8-gallon fuel tank does its bit with a minimal impact on the flyline. It has a double-pitch profile that slopes directly into the motocross-style bench seat.

Fold-up footpegs mount to the main frame, rather than the subframe or swingarm. While there is a pillion area, the lack of a break or offset suggests the seat is really intended for trick riders who frequently need to shift their weight fore or aft. As for the kneedraggers, they benefit from the narrow waist and aggressive rider's triangle, so there's something for everyone here.

Out back, a mudguard/plateholer assembly mounts the rear turn signals. It also provides some fling protection with backup from a mid-size hugger.

The exhaust system takes up part of the aching void between the rear tire and subframe. It terminates in a pair of slash-cut mufflers that come up on both sides under a minimal guard. If you carry a passenger, caution her about hand and leg placement on the right side.

There's just no way around it. The supermotard genre certainly has a form-follows-function look all its own, and these Ducs fit right into the mold.

Chassis

Tubular members on the Hypermotard 950 make up the not-so-subtle Trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member to complete the structure. This leaves the L-Twin engine mostly exposed to reinforce its naked look. The factory shot the main frame in Ducati Red over a blackout drivetrain to turn the frame into part of the overall aesthetic.

Rake and trail are consistent across the board at 25 degrees and 4.1 inches, respectively. Put this over a wheelbase that measures 59 inches long, and you have a bike that is suitably agile.

The base model and SP variant diverge at the suspension components. Blackout, usd, 45 mm Marzocchi forks float the former while gold Öhlins stems support the latter. Both ends rock the full trinity of adjustments.

Out back, the base model rides on a Sachs monoshock limited to an adjustable preload- and rebound-damping features. The “SP” carries another Öhlins product that, like the front, rocks the full trifecta of tweaks.

Cast, 17-inch rims round out the base model's rolling chassis. Though the 120/70 and 180/55 hoop sizes are constant across the board, once again we see a difference between the two. Pirelli products abound, but the base rolls on Diablo Rosso III tires while the SP goes to the top shelf for the forged alloy rims and Diablo Supercorsa SP tires.

Dual, four-bore Brembo calipers bite the 320 mm front discs for ample stopping power. Bosch's Cornering ABS comes standard on both models so you can count on safely getting the most out of the anchors.

2022 Ducati Hypermotard 950 Price and Availability

Just a skosh up from the prior year, the 2022 Hypermotard 950 costs $14,195 in Ducati Red. Dressed in the special new “SP” racing livery, 950 SP is $17,695. Ducati covers your new bike with a 24-month, unlimited mileage warranty.

Safety Equipment -Riding Modes

-Bosch Cornering ABS

-Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO

-Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO

Standard Equipment -Power Modes

-Day Time Running Light (DRL)

-Tapered aluminum handlebars

-Removable passenger footpegs

-USB power socket

950 SP Equipment -All Standard Equipment plus:

-Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down

-Marchesini forged wheels

-Tapered aluminum handlebars

-USB power socket

-Removable passenger footpegs

-Carbon fiber components: front mudguard, timing belt covers

Competitors

In the interest of fairness, I tried to find a Japanese equivalent for the 950, but it just wasn't happening, so I stayed in Europe's boot. I grabbed a product from another Italian marque, the Dorsoduro 900 from Aprilia.

Aprilia Dorsoduro 900

The “900” carries itself with much the same panache as the 950, and so it too comes off looking like a collection of mismatched parts with a dirtbike-style front fender mounted up under the tripleclamp, flyscreen, and handguards to protect the rider somewhat. Too bad Aprilia missed the turn-signal/mirror or handguard trick.

The flyline is likewise similar with a low fuel tank hump and bench-style seat. That leaves plenty of room for the body English associated with the tricks and stunts we frequently see these bikes' riders engaged in, and this speaks to the real capabilities of this machine.

Adjustable preload and rebound damping are the only tweaks front and rear on the Aprilia, so Ducati pulls ahead a bit here. It seems that Duc has the only ABS in this fight for even more points.

Aprilia's powerplant surrenders some cubes with only 750 cc, and that shows up in the power figures with 95.2 ponies and 66.4 pound-feet of torque on tap against 114/71 from the Duc. The Dorsoduro 900 gets a minor win at the checkout with an $11,103 sticker that's mighty attractive, but it comes with a heavy trade off in power and electronics, so it's more of a sidegrade than an improvement over the Hypermotard.

He Said

“Nifty, but very niche at the end of the day. I mean, it takes a certain kind of rider to even look at a bike like this, and that buyer isn't likely to press it into regular commuter service, so I reckon anyone looking at these already knows what they are looking for. Not my cuppa' tea, but if this is the kind of thing you're into, then the new 950 brothers might be just the thing for you.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “You can pretty much tell what a bike is for by looking at the press photos. If half the pictures show only one wheel on the ground and the other half show the rider sliding in and out of donuts, you gotta know you're looking at a hooligan bike.”

“They're fun, but maybe not always the best choice for civil and sane street riding or commuting. I mean, that's not really what they're for. The Hypermotard has been a popular bike in hooligan circles, and I think Ducati stepped up its game with the new 950. The new 950 has a little less rake and wider handlebars to make it all the more aggressive, and more horsepower and torque combine to equal more fun.”