Is this engine block the basis for the Ducati crosser?
The motocross world is not shy of big news these days. After Triumph, Ducati is now also entering the sport of studded tires. Ducati has been part of the Audi group since 2012 and is currently very successful in MotoGP. After the announcement that they were developing a motorcycle for motocross, the news soon followed that Antonio Cairoli and Alessandro Lupino were hired for the development of the dirt bike from Bologna.
Ducati is sometimes called the Ferrari of the motorcycle world and that means they cannot afford to lose face. It is therefore a matter of guessing what technology the Italians want to implement in their motocross plans. We would like to dispel one unjustified rumor: Just like with Triumph, it will not be a KTM clone because there is no connection whatsoever with the Austrian manufacturer.
Ducati makes their engine block and frame themselves, the question is which engine block is used as the basis for the new four-stroke motocross bike. The Italians have not yet released a comma about the ins and outs of wine gambling on the Superquadro Mono, recently launched as the most powerful single-cylinder in the world.
It is a brand new 659 cc short-stroke single-cylinder engine with desmodromic valve control. It inherits the racing character of the Superquadro and the desmodromic valve system that allows it to rev higher than any other engine and express itself in sensational acceleration. The limiter is set at 10.250 rpm, there is no other single-cylinder engine that can reach this speed. Power is the highest in its segment: 77,5 hp at 9.750 rpm, increasing to 85 hp with the racing exhaust system. Also available as an A2 version.
The performance is record-breaking and the maintenance intervals are unprecedented: change the oil every 15.000 km and check the valve clearance every 30.000 km. The name Superquadro is derived from the extreme bore/stroke ratio with which high speeds can be achieved.
The piston of the Superquadro Mono is of the racing type with a diameter of 116 mm. This bore represents a record value for a production single cylinder and is coupled to an ultra-short stroke of 62,4 mm, resulting in an extreme bore/stroke ratio of 1,86. The extreme bore/stroke ratio of 1,86 enables high speeds for endless driving pleasure.
Ducati announces this engine as follows: “The Superquadro Mono, a game-changer among single-cylinder motorcycles, is about to become the beating heart of a new Ducati: a new motorcycle, an unprecedented mix of fun and performance, designed to raise the bar of your emotions on the track and to raise it higher on the road.”
Shortly after the engine block, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono was announced. This bike has a kind of Supermotard appearance and has the above block in the front. The question that concerns us is whether this machine can serve as the basis for the Ducati crosser that would participate in the Italian competition in 2024. According to the Italians, a participation in the MXGP world championship would follow in 2025.
These are exciting times for our beloved sport and this Italian manufacturer is making motocross a bit more colorful again with this daring decision.
Photos: Ducati
Tekst: Danny Hermans
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