Ducati's Hypermotard is the ultimate hooligan street bike and now there is the 950 RVE which sits between the base 950 and range-topping 950 SP. Only 100 will be available and only in the U.S.

Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE Is a U.S.-only Street Bike

An Italian manufacturer making a limited edition motorcycle just for North America? Not something you hear about every day but today is that day!

Ducati has announced that it will be producing just 100 of the Hypermotard 950 RVE, a model that will sit in between the base 950 Hypermotard and the 950 Hypermotard SP.

What differentiates the RVE from the other two Hypermotard models is the paint job. The livery is called 'Graffiti' and has been inspired, as the name suggests, by street art.

But it's not simply a case of taking a piece of art and applying it to stickers on the bike. The process is a bit more laborious than that. Highly skilled artists work in phases on the bodywork and apply extremely thin decals, the finished results being comparable to airbrushing techniques. it is because of this process that there are only 100 examples being built.

The RVE takes styling from the original Hypermotard 950 concept bike that was unveiled during the 2019 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este classic automobile and motorcycle show held annually on the western shore of Italy’s Lake Como. Designed by Centro Stile Ducati, the concept won first place in the show’s ”Concept Bikes: New Design and Prototypes by Manufacturers and Independents” category and was widely shared across social media channels.

The Hypermotard 950 is the ideal platform for this custom OEM look due to the bike’s aggressive supermotard look accented by twin exhausts under the seat and visible mechanical components, including the signature trellis frame that translates into lightness and stability, the tapered flat seat that provides ease of movement (although not necessarily long-distance comfort) and the exposed L-twin engine that ensures Ducati reliability and hyper-fun power delivery.

Speaking of the engine, the twin-cylinder 937 cc Testastretta 11° creates 114 hp at 9,000 rpm and 71 lb-ft of torque at 7,250 rpm. The torque is what makes this power plant popular among motard fans—80 percent of the torque is available from 3,000 to 9,500 rpm. This linear power output maximises rideability, performance, and, what matters most, fun, whether lapping the track, carving canyons, or riding urban daily.

The RVE arrives with the latest in Ducati technological advancements, including Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO, which is added to the components already present in the standard version, Bosch Cornering ABS with Slide by Brake function (in setting 1), Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO.

The RVE also features fully adjustable suspension so owners can easily change settings to their riding style and includes a 45mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock. Bringing the RVE to a stop is a set of Brembo M4.32 four-piston radial monoblock calipers up front that squeeze 320mm discs, and a two-piston Brembo caliper out back that grasps a 245mm disc.

The Hypermotard 950 RVE will begin to hit showroom floors across the USA late May and will be available for an MSRP of $15,695.

At the top of the Hypermotard 950 range is the Hypermotard 950 SP, upgraded for a performance-focus with racing graphics, Öhlins suspension with increased travel, and Marchesini forged rims.

There is no doubt that the Ducati Hypermotard is the ultimate expression of the motard style of bike and, while it might be bulkier and heavier than competition motards, it loses nothing in the levels of insanity! The latest RVE model adds a whole dose of rarity to the mixture.