2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796

The new way to go Hyper

Just as aggressively striking as the 1100, the new Hypermotard 796 features a lower seat height and brand new smooth and flexible engine to make it the perfect urban assault vehicle. Whether it's working the daily commute or attacking the open roads, the 796 rides the common ground between manners and madness by mixing Ducati's unrivalled twin-cylinder power and sportbike heredity with the lightweight and minimalist supermotard concept.

Urban upstart

The Hypermotard's rigidly triangulated and now lighter than ever Trellis frame and track-tested chassis geometry is still stylised by a distinct high fender at the front and dual under-seat silencers at the rear, but the new 796's overall profile says it all: Go Hyper!

At 825mm (32.5in), the seat height of the 796 is a sure-footed 20mm (0.8in) lower than the 1100 and, when combined with the new engine's smooth power delivery, this Hypermotard inspires confidence however and wherever its ridden. The upright seating position offers a commanding view of the road ahead, while the wide handlebars make the bike effortlessly flickable through the urban maze.

Extreme image, accessible character

The 796 has a dry weight of just 167kg (368lb), partly achieved by a lightweight engine, but also by continued chassis development that includes fork clamps, and radial fork bottoms. An improved frame layout eliminates almost all of the forged elements previously used on the Hypermotard. The lightened frame retains its torsional strength to become even more agile and easier to handle than before, while 17" wheels by Enkei are produced in lightweight aluminium to keep the unsprung weight low and handling, braking and acceleration performances high. The 796 uses exactly the same 3.50 front and 5.50 rear rim sizes and Pirelli Diablo Rosso tyres as its 1100cc big brother.

Suspension duties up front are taken care of by a pair of very capable 43mm Marzocchi forks, while the rear is managed by a Sachs suspension unit featuring adjustable spring pre-load and return damping, allowing adjustments for riding style or load. The rear operates through a similar progressive link to the 1100 and uses the signature Hypermotard single-sided swingarm.

Twin 305mm semi-floating discs gripped by radially mounted 4-piston Brembo callipers provide powerful and progressive front-end braking with that all-important rider-friendly 'feeling', while the rear is equipped with a 245mm disc and 2-piston calliper, also by Brembo.

A brand new Ducati engine

The 796 engine isn't just a stroked 696 – it's a completely brand new Desmodue power unit that promises to deliver an exhilarating ride without compromising the smooth tractability found in Ducati's other L-Twin engines. The crankshaft uses a lightweight 848-type flywheel, and spins with a 66mm stroke instead of the 696's 57.2mm, helping to maximise power to an impressive 81hp (59.6kW) @ 8000rpm and torque to 55.7lb-ft (75.5Nm) @ 6250rpm while maintaining the smooth and enjoyable character, famous of all Desmodromic L-Twins. To protect power delivery and maintain optimum efficiency, an oil cooler similar to the 1100 is used, adding even more family resemblance to its bigger brother.

Helping to increase the Hypermotard 796's agility even further, the fully redesigned crankcases save an incredible 1.2kg (2.64lb) over the 696 castings, and are responsible for the major part of the impressive 1.9kg (4.2lb) total saving over the 696 power unit. The clutch and alternator outer casings of the new engine are finished in an 1100-style carbon grey.

Breathing through a newly revised airbox intake duct and fed through 45mm throttle bodies, the 803cc swept volume is compressed to a ratio of 11:1 – compared to the 696's 10.7:1 – before being injected and ignited with Siemens controlled electronics. The 2-1-2 catalytic exhaust system uses an efficient pre-silencer configuration with twin lambda probes providing finer fuel mapping and Euro3 conformity. The system's lightweight and compact design is achieved by using 1mm thick tubing and terminates in Ducati's trademark twin under-seat, black exhaust mufflers, stylishly contrasted with great looking aluminium end caps.

An APTC 'wet' clutch gives a 'slipper' type action that prevents destabilizing of the rear-end under aggressive down-shifting and also gives the extra benefit of a super-light feel at the lever, a great benefit in stop-start city traffic or during longer journeys. The 21-plate oil-bath clutch (11 friction and 10 steel) represents a power-enhancing weight reduction over the 'dry' system as well as having a quieter operation and requiring less maintenance.

The new Hypermotard 796 engine combines all recent advances in Ducati's ongoing design, manufacture and production quality campaigns to offer competitive service intervals of 12,000 kilometres (or 7,500 miles).

796 controls

While its motard feeling is enhanced by wide, tubular handlebars and handguards, the 796's minimalist image is further characterised with integral construction Brembo master cylinders for both the clutch and brake systems. They maintain a clean handlebar arrangement for the rider and are fitted with user-friendly 4-point adjustable levers that provide easy-to-reach control for all hand sizes. Furthermore, the APTC clutch provides a super-light lever action ideal for use in the city.

796 in three colours

The new 796 comes in an urban-style Dark finish with matte black tank and beak section, black frame and black wheels or, alternatively, matte white tank with contrasting matte black beak, black frame and black wheels. For the purists, an 1100 look-alike red tank with matching beak section, red frame and black wheels keeps the 796 in traditional livery.