Ducati India website now lists the range-topping Hypermotard 950 SP.

This is to be the third Hypermotard available in India, after the RVE and the recently launched single-cylinder Hypermotard Mono 698.

Details

The SP is as advanced as it gets in Ducati's Hypermotard 950 range and comes with some high-end components.

Biggest upgrade on the bike is the move to Ohlins suspension at both the front and rear. These fully adjustable units are not only more premium than the Marsocchi/Sachs setup on the regular Hypermotard, but also bring a change in specifications.

The Ohlins USD fork is now a fat 48 mm unit (up from 45mm) and wheel travel has increased from 170mm to 185mm. The Ohlins monoshock also enables significantly increased wheel travel, climbing from 150mm to 175mm.

It gets lighter Marchesini forged wheels, and the Ducati claims a 2kg weight reduction. However, at 191kg without fuel, the bike will still be over 200kg when the 14.5-litre fuel tank is full. Another slightly daunting number is the 890mm seat height, which is a 20mm increase from the 'RVE', due to the extra suspension travel.

There are no changes to the chassis or braking setup, but the SP comes with sticky Pirelli Supercorsa SP tyres instead of the Pirelli Rosso 3s found on the RVE. The 937cc L-twin engine is also unchanged, producing 114hp and 96Nm.

However, while this engine is used in several Ducati models, it packs the most aggressive tune and meanest exhaust note in the Hypermotard.

Visually, the bike is identical to the RVE, except for the unique SP graphics and the different design on the Marchesini wheels. Priced at Rs. 2 million (US$ 23,835), the Hypermotard SP is Rs. 300,000 costlier than the RVE.

It is the third most expensive Ducati with the 937cc L-twin engine, surpassing even the DesertX and Multistrada V2 S. Only the SuperSport S and DesertX Rally are more expensive.