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The KTM 690 SMC R is the lord and master of the supermoto segment with its torquey LC4 block. Will the arrival of the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono change that? We find out in the supermoto hunting grounds!
Anyone looking for a supermoto for the road in the past ten years had three choices: do I take it in orange (KTM SMC R), in white (Husqvarna 701 Supermoto) or in red (GasGas SM 700, since 2022)? The trio from the Pierer Group was unrivaled and virtually without competition. It was therefore only a matter of time before other manufacturers also wanted a bite of the pie. This year it finally happened: Ducati presented the Hypermotard 698 Mono and managed to impress with its technical data alone. On paper, the Italian has 34 cc less, but 2.5 hp more (77.5 compared to 75) than the KTM. But what does that mean in practice? A direct duel on secondary roads will show.
The KTM 690 SMC R shoots up a narrow, winding pass and is closely followed by the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono, whose voice sounds a half tone higher. The Hypermotard needs higher revs to keep up the pace. On roads like this with tight bends and low gears, the Hypermotard shoots out of the bends with venom in the right gear. But from the first meters, full concentration is needed to compete with the KTM.
Will the Ducati also be able to overtake its Austrian competitor, or will it remain a chase? In MotoPlus 14/2024 you can of course read the extensive comparison test with the answer to that question!
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