Over the six months I spent with Ducati's Hypermotard 698 Mono, I discovered hidden depths

Joy, pure joy – that’s what Ducati’s Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE has provided for me during the short time I’ve spent with it. It’s been the perfect antidote to the seriousness of life, and it’s made me feel 20 years younger, transporting me back to my CBT days when I last lived with a frantic supermoto (Yamaha’s two-stroke DT125X).

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• Update one: First impressions and predictions
• Update two: Using a 698 Mono for long-distance

Let’s not beat about the bush; the single-cylinder Hyper is a very focused machine and, with its superb chassis, revvy, 659cc short-stroke motor, and incredibly clever electronics strategies such as Slide by Brake, it really is the business for larking around on sunny days. But over the six months I spent with it, I discovered hidden depths…

Thoughtful ergonomics mean that you can ride in an all-up-front attack position for proper supermoto style, or you can shuffle back in the saddle to pilot it in a more conventional stance.

From back here, the Hypermotard Mono’s bench seat flares slightly and becomes a surprisingly comfortable place to spend time. In fact, long motorway miles aren’t too much trouble, and the only limiting factor being the 12-litre tank getting dispatched in roughly 125 miles and the lack of any wind protection.

Plus, that short-stroke single, hewn from one side of Ducati’s 1299 Panigale V-twin, is a masterstroke of flexibility. On those sunny day ‘larking about’ sessions, its high-revving character is just what’s needed to stir your soul, meanwhile the airbox howl from right beneath the riders’ seat gives it that distinctive Ducati drone (something I’d been concerned about it lacking – I needn’t have worried!).

Yet, when it comes time to flick the devil off your shoulder and readjust the halo, its broad spread of torque and super-smooth delivery provides the perfect blend of poke and pleasantness; the vibes are so muted that, were it not for the punch, you’d second guess you were on a single at all. This is as far from an old-school thumper as you can get.

It’s not all been joy and surprises, however; my Mono’s suffered a strange reluctance to start when in even moderately cold ambient temperatures, requiring a squirt of carb cleaner around the air intake to encourage it to strike up. Although, after chatting with other owners, it seems to be an isolated problem. Plus, the MX-style fuel filler cap is both annoying (due to it being detached) and its Zadi lock is also prone to sticking too.

These niggles have definitely not been enough to turn the smiles into frowns, though, and the Hyper remains one seriously impressive bike. Whilst I’m not clamouring to put my name on the V5 of Ducati’s smallest supermoto, if they ever get round to putting that peach of a 659cc single into a little sportsbike or even a mid-weight adventure tourer, I could well be temped.