Ducati Hypermotard 796

Over the years, my relationship with supermotard machines, particular smaller capacity ones, has been ephemeral - just a passing fling that loses its lustre very quickly.

Sure, they display some eye-catching form for great in the city, but get past that - the open road for example - and there's not really a lot to get the juices flowing. But now, the mid-sized and taut Ducati Hypermotard 796 has restored my faith in the genre.

This is one tasty little machine. It has a grunty 803cc L-twin engine, precise steering, signature looks, a great chassis, superb brakes and an upright seating position, which combine to produce one impressive package.

The 796 follows on from the Hypermotard 1100, which was first shown in prototype form at the 2005 EICMA show in Milan. Those at the Ducati factory who had initial reservations about the concept - designed to create a bike which combined the agility and precision of a supermotard machine and the power characteristics of a sportsbike - were soon forced to turn over to a new page when the 1100 became an instant cause celebre.

A year later the 1100 was officially launched in Milan, before the press got their first ride on it in May 2007 - and who can forget the spectacular image of then Ducati MotoGP rider Ruben Xaus with his left knee on the deck and the back-end sitting at a wicked angle. And his left hand was off the handlebars, just for good measure.

Pure school boy stuff, and it was undoubtedly the cover image of the year for most magazines around the globe.

On the strength of the 1100's halo effect, the tail end of 2009 saw Ducati launch the Hypermotard 796, which looks practically identical to its bigger sibling - but without the intimidation factor and retail cost.

This time Ruben wasn't there - his chance to deliver an encore gazumped by his new world superbike contract with BMW - but the message was clear: the 796 certainly had enough grunt to keep all but the racetrack-focussed set satisfied.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
And now it's the Bikesales Network's turn to go for a play. So what are the major differences between the 1100 and 796?

Visually, there's not a lot, and a casual observer would find them hard to differentiate. The 796 has lower-spec suspension, and is about 9hp (90 to 81) and 27Nm (104 to 76) down on the power and torque of the 1100.

In Australia the 796 is $16,390, and the 1100 is $18,990. The higher-spec 1100S is $22,490 - but don't expect to see a 796 with the S suffix anytime soon.

Ducati is keen to point out the "796 engine isn't just a stroked 696", in reference to the mill found in the Monster 696.

Of course, the biggest difference is an increase in capacity, up from 696 to 803cc (88 x 66mm), but the Hypermotard engine also has higher compression, a new crankshaft designed around an 848-type flywheel, Ducati's now ubiquitous diecast crankcases (which are both narrower and lighter), and a revised airbox intake duct.

The whole shebang is fed through 45mm throttle bodies, and there is a 2-1-1 exhaust system, with twin lambda probes, parlaying into twin underseat mufflers - a Ducati trademark.

Of course, the air-cooled L-twin engine meets Euro 3 regulations and has an APTC 21-plate slipper clutch - in a 'wet' configuration as opposed to the 1100's dry set-up.

Utilising Siemens electronic fuel injection, Ducati claims the 796 is more frugal on juice than the Monster 696, and at the same time producing more power! Nothing too much to growl about there.

Speaking of Monsters, it's just been announced that there will be a new member of that family, with Ducati set to launch a bike with the same engine as utilised in the Hypermotard 796. Can't wait for that one.

The Hypermotard 796 has a six-speed gearbox, and there are 43mm non-adjustable Marzocchi forks working in concert with a Sachs shock, adjustable for preload and rebound.

Ducati employs its tubular steel trellis frame, and it has 17-inch Bridgestone Battlax BT016 rubber on 3.5 and 5.5-inch five-spoke black alloy wheels. The tyre sizes are 120/70 and 180/55, the latter connected to a single-sided swingarm.

The 796 has four-piston radial Brembo stoppers, a 12.4lt fuel tank, and the dry weight is 167kg. The wheelbase is 1455mm and seta height 825mm.

The LCD instrumentation is straight out of the Streetfighter handbook, with the slew of functions controlled from the left-hand switchgear.

The switchgear on the 796 is really small and compact - just the fit for the bike's minimalist look. However, the blinker switch is probably just a little too small, and becomes a little fiddly to use with a glove on.

The unique folding mirror concept which had its genesis on the 1100 is maintained on the 796, and the handguard assemblies also integrate the LED indicators. It's not just a case of form over function - the whole system works well.

If plenty of power and torque in a svelte package - and at an attractive price point -- was Ducati's brief for the Hypermotard 796, then it's onto a winner. Even though we only had the 796 for a week's worth of shenanigans, I could certainly see myself settling into a long-term relationship with it.

After the mapping fully sorts itself out - there are a few small hiccups below 2000rpm --  the 796 produces linear vibration-less power all the way from 3000-8000rpm. There's no redline indicated, but we're reckon it's probably around 8500rpm.

Absolute power freaks certainly won't have their appetites sated by the 796, but that's where the 1100 comes in. But even then, the 796 is around 13kg lighter than the 1100, so in power and torque-to-weight ratios there is very little difference between the two.

But for the majority, the 81hp and 76Nm from the 796 is certainly more than enough to ensure that variety entertainment is the name of the game. And that includes your favourite stretch of winding tarmac.

The gearing isn't super tall, so the 796 is always producing prime chunks of power - ideal for launching off gutters and over roundabouts, interspersed with a regular workout for the rear brake. That takes care of the Xaus-like 'school boy' antics, but if you'd like to reduce the intensity level on the open road, simply click it into sixth and purr along at 3500rpm at 100km/h.

With an upright seating position, firmish seat, small rubber-mounted pegs and a compact flyscreen, this is not a long-haul machine by any stretch of the imagination, but at least the powerplant has enough flexibility to make sure it's not too onerous.

And the headlights emit a really strong wide-angle beam, which even puts a lot of sportstourers to shame.

The wet clutch on the 796 is super light, which only adds to its urban appeal. A few times in tighter situations I slipped the clutch a little to add some extra bite before fully passing the baton to the engine.

Really aggressive riding will test the limits of the rather soft suspension, but for the most part the 796 provides a comfortable and progressive ride. The front-end is the softest part of the equation, and there is a lot of dive under heavy braking which makes the rear a little flighty - an ideal scenario for some.

A lot of dive can also be put down to the unwavering potency of the Brembo four-piston calipers. It's a seriously powerful set-up.

The Bridgestone tyres provide great grip, and that even extended into a few journeys in the wet.

I just love the whole handguard flip-out mirror set-up, but a word of warning: it does make the bike quite wide and I nearly grazed a few mirrors when I was filtering to the front of the queue at traffic lights.

There it is. Ducati has certainly cemented its Hypermotard credentials with the 796. It's muscular, grunty and a well crafted piece of kit. And it just keeps on coming back for more.

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular steel trellis
Front suspension: Marzocchi 43mm upside-down forks, 165mm travel
Rear suspension: Sachs monoshock, 141mm travel
Front brakes: Twin 305mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial calipers
Rear brakes: 245mm disc, with twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Alloy five-spoke, front 3.50 x 17, rear 5.50 x 17
Tyres: Dunlop, front 120/70-17, rear 180/55-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 24 degrees
Trail: Not given
Claimed dry weight: 167kg
Claimed wet weight: Not given
Seat height: 825mm
Wheelbase: 1455mm
Ground clearance: Not given
Fuel capacity: 12.4lt

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 81hp (60kW) at 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 75Nm at 6250rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $16,390
Colours: Red, matte white or matte black
Bike supplied by: NFI (www.ducati.com.au)
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres