2024 · Supermoto · Buyer's Guide
One Cylinder, Pure Grip
The Hypermotard 698 Mono is built around one cylinder of Ducati's big Superquadro V-twin, and that single decision defines everything else. You get 659 cc, 77 hp at 9,750 rpm, 46 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm, and a single that keeps pulling to a 10,250 rpm redline instead of signing off at four figures. It carries 370 lb wet on 17-inch supermoto rubber, with an adjustable upside-down fork, a 330 mm front disc, and a real electronics package behind it: cornering ABS, traction control, Ducati Wheelie Control, launch control, and a quickshifter that works both ways. A hooligan bike with a safety net underneath.
It rewards riders who stop being polite with it. Keep the revs up, let it shout, and the chassis stays friendly about the whole business, because the rider aids quietly catch what your hands miss. Chain drive and a hard-revved single mean it wants an owner who keeps up with maintenance rather than one who counts odometer miles. The honest caveats are physical. A 35.6 in (904 mm) seat locks out shorter riders outright, and the 3.2 gal (12 L) tank turns a full day of riding into a series of shorter ones. Early bikes also carried a run of assembly niggles worth checking.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 77 hp (57 kW) @ 9,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 46 lb-ft (63 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 659 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 330 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Ground clearance | 9.3 in (235 mm) |
| Front travel | 8.5 in (215 mm) |
| Rear travel | 9.4 in (240 mm) |
| Seat height | 35.6 in (904 mm) |
| Wet weight | 370 lb (168 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.2 gal (12 L) |
| Fuel economy | 49 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Rider aids
Over the years I have heard plenty about this bike: paddock conversations, owner chats, club-night talk, and the messages riders send me directly. The pattern is consistent. Owners rave about the engine, the electronics and how easily the bike flicks around. Their complaints cluster around the dash, the suspension once the pace gets serious, and what it costs to keep a desmo single healthy.
The engine gets the most consistent praise. Riders describe a single that loves revs, with a proper rush at the top end, and say it out-revs any other big single they have ridden. Many also say it feels refined for a single at a steady cruise. Vibration stays in check there, and the throttle responds crisply and predictably. A recurring complaint comes from the other end of the rev range: past 7,000 rpm a buzz creeps into the bars and pegs.
Owners describe the handling as having dirt-bike immediacy, and they credit the tall, plush suspension for it. Several say even dull roads turn into something to play on. The electronics get almost as much credit. Riders say cornering ABS, wheelie control and the choice of ride modes give them the confidence to push harder. They single out the Slide by Brake function for letting them back the bike into corners. That same softness also draws criticism. Riders who take the bike on track, and heavier owners, find the suspension undersprung and underdamped when they ride it hard.
The dash is the gripe riders mention most. Owners call the small monochrome LCD cramped and say scrolling through menus on the move is fiddly. Several point to the desmodromic valve check, due every 18,600 miles (30,000 km), as a service that costs noticeably more than it does on other singles. A couple of owners say the complete lack of wind protection wears them out at highway speeds. One comfort note goes the other way: an occasional owner finds the rear-flared bench seat more comfortable on longer stints than the bike's focus would suggest.
Chain guide defect (CR278)
The chain guide on some early bikes can allow the chain to contact the swingarm. A wider replacement guide is available under recall CR278.
Cold start difficulty / sluggish cranking
In near-freezing temperatures, the engine may require multiple attempts to start, possibly due to the lithium battery not performing well in the cold. Allowing the battery to warm by leaving the ignition on for a minute or two can help.
Seat bolt spinning, preventing access
One of the seat bolts can spin in its bushing, making it impossible to remove the seat and access the battery or USB port. Requires warranty replacement.
Seat grommets pushing out / seat lifting
The rubber grommets that secure the seat tend to pop out, causing the rear of the seat to lift. Ducati has issued a service update (CR279) for replacement rubber blocks.
MX-style fuel filler cap sticking
The Zadi lock on the fuel cap is prone to sticking, making refueling difficult at times.
Gas tank pressurizing from plugged vent
The fuel tank vent hose may be left plugged during assembly, causing pressure build-up in the tank. Requires removal of the plug.
Handlebar play due to damper issue
Excessive play in the handlebars (up to 0.5–0.75 inch) may be caused by incorrect bolt/bushing assembly or a faulty rubber damper. Ducati issued a recall for the handlebar damper.
Engine dying when pulling clutch at low speed
The engine may stall occasionally when pulling the clutch at low speeds, similar to some Panigale models. Possibly resolves with an exhaust and tune.
Left-side beauty cover falling off
A small cosmetic cover on the left side of the bike can detach and be lost while riding, as the dowels and rubber grommets are insufficient to hold it.
Where this Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE is actually built for.
Skyline and the ridge roads suit it perfectly, and nothing else in the parking lot looks or sounds like it. City traffic on the way out is easy. Plan your morning around that 3.2 gal tank.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
On a tight canyon road this is exactly your weapon: light, loud, and impossible to run out of lean angle on. It will punish you on the freeway slog, so ride it for the good part.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Perfect for a short, hard blast through the twisty stuff with friends. For long days in the saddle, the tall seat and small tank will set your schedule before you do.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
