Ducati Hypermotard 950 India Launch Date Announced

Ducati India will launch the 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 in the country on June 12, 2019. First unveiled to us at the 2018 EICMA show in October last year, the motorcycle comes on two variants, the Hypermotard 950 SP and the standard Hypermotard 950. In fact, it was just early this year in January 2019 that we rode both the motorcycles in Spain's Gran Canaria island off the northwestern coast of Africa, and you can read our first ride review here.

The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 comes in two variants - Standard and SP

The 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 officially replaces the Hypermotard 939 and is in fact, an all-new motorcycle in every aspect. It comes with a new engine, a new chassis and suspension, and also an updated electronics package. Powering the 2019 Hypermotard 950 is an all-new 937 cc Testastretta L-twin engine that is tuned to churn out 114 bhp at 9,000 rpm and develops a peak torque of 96 Nm at 7,250 rpm, while mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The motor comes with new pistons with a higher compression ratio, new exhaust cam profile, new 53 mm throttle bodies and new engine mapping.

The Hypermotard 950 is well-suited for street riding, and the occasional twisty road, but it's no touring machine

The main difference between the standard Ducati Hypermotard 950 and the Hypermotard 950 SP is the in the suspension set up, weight, wheels and tyres, and the seat height. The standard model comes with fully adjustable Marzocchi front fork and Sachs rear monoshock, while the Hypermotard 950 SP gets fully adjustable Ohlins suspension both at the front and back, with more travel. Also, while the Hypermotard 950 tips the scales with 200 kg, the SP variant is lighter by 2 kg at 198 kg kerb weight, and a part of the credit goes to the lighter Marchesini forged wheels.

The Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP is lighter, gets Ohlins suspension, Marchesini forged wheels and standard quickshifter

Furthermore, the 950 SP also gets a taller seat height at 890 mm while the standard model comes with a seat height of 870 mm, the former also gets a standard up/down quick-shifter. Both the motorcycles come with a completely new set of electronics, with a six-axis IMU, which includes - Bosch cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO, and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO. The bikes also get multiple riding modes - Sport, Touring, and Urban, along with a new instrument cluster with a 4.3-inch TFT display that is reminiscent of the Panigale V4.

In India, the standard Ducati Hypermotard 950 will be brought in from Thailand, and it's expected to be priced around Rs. 12-13 lakh, while the sport-oriented Hypermotard 950 SP will be a full import from Bologna, so expect prices to be closer to Rs. 20 lakh (both ex-showroom). However, we'll have to wait and see whether the Italian marque launches both versions of the motorcycle together, or bring in the standard model first, followed by the Hypermotard 950 SP later this year.