It’s been about three decades since the motard trend began with converted dirt bikes taking to the streets and a lot has changed over that time. The appeal of a supermoto bike with it’s light weight and ease of handling is easy to see. It’s hooligan reputation grew as this dirt focuses machines took to the street and id things that street bike of the day just weren’t doing.
We know Ducati aren’t known for doing things by half-measure. They took on the motard craze adding a powerful engine and modern technology to bring about the birth of the Hypermotard range. Calling it ‘Super’ just wouldn’t have been the same.
Ducati's Hypermotard is probably one of the rarest modern Ducati's on the roads in Scotland right now outpaced in sales by every other model. Everyone has their own individual wish-list when buying a bike but why don't we see more of these road munching hooligans out there? Could the hooligan reputation be a factor? If it is and that's put you off buying a Hypermotard you've got it all wrong!
This is a bike that is very capable or license losing riding but it could also be the perfect bike for the roads of Scotland, the tight, twisty B-roads, single-tracks, the open dual carriage ways and everything in between.
What was once a potentially uncomfortable ride has been softened - although you wouldn’t know it by just looking at it - so much so that a full day in the saddle passes very easily. We were meant to have the bike for a couple of hours but having lost track of time came back very late to Ducati Glasgow (have to take it on the chin for that one) but what does that say about the bike?
It tells us that this is a bike capable of all forms of riding all day long! Yes we ragged it a bit but we also look it easy riding from Glasgow to Tyndrum, back down to Loch Lomond, across to Garelochhead and passing through Glen Fruin before heading back to Glasgow.