It may come as a surprise, but 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the unveiling of Ducati’s Hypermotard.

That first bike was unveiled at EICMA in November 2006 before going on sale in 2007, was essentially a street supermoto but instead of being a converted single cylinder motocrosser was instead a purpose-built street bike with supermoto spirit and style and powered by Ducati’s traditional air-cooled, 1100cc Desmo V-twin along with a ‘signature’ steel trellis frame and single-sided swing arm.

It also proved such as success for its style and fun factor that it soon spawned an upspecced ‘SP’ version with both in turn being replaced in 2013 with a new, liquid-cooled, 110bhp 821, an enlarged 112bhp 939 (in 2016) and in 2019 a 112bhp 950, with the 950 also updated in 2021.

But for 2026 both have received their biggest makeover of all resulting in the new Hypermotard V2 and its upspecced sibling, the Hypermotard V2 SP.

We were invited by Ducati to the world press launch of the latter held at the famous Modena race circuit near Bologna which included a full day’s riding spreads over five 20 minute track sessions.

In spirit, the new Ducati Hypermotard V2 and V2 SP are identical to their forebears in being a V-twin street supermoto with the emphasis on fun rather than practicality. But in terms of metal and specifications, it’s all-new.

The Italian marque began a complete overhaul of its smaller V-twin family of bikes (as opposed to its larger V4 machines such as the Panigale superbike and Multistrada adventure) last year. Out has gone the old 950 desmodromic valve actuated V-twin and accompanying tubular steel trellis frame plus single-sided swing arm.

In has come an all-new, more compact, non-Desmo’ V-twin plus accompanying new aluminium monocoque frame (albeit with tubular steel subframe) and new, lighter cast aluminium dual arm swing arm. The new Panigale V2 sports and ‘naked’ Streetfighter V2 debuted first, in early 2025, and was followed by an all-new Monster V2 in early 2026. Now there’s the Hypermotard, followed soon by a new DesertX adventure bike.

As such, the new Hypermotard is more powerful, lighter and also more compact, yet in spirit and style still very much a Hypermotard. Both also get a new, larger 5-inch TFT dash, uprated electronics and new bodywork. Ducati says they set out to produce the most ‘Hyper’ Hypermotard yet, and, on paper, they’ve certainly achieved just that.

But it’s the SP version, as we tested on its launch, that’s most ‘Hyper’ of all. It’s defined by different, lighter forged aluminium wheels (which save 1.4kg), more sophisticated, multi-adjustable Ohlins suspension front and rear, upspecced Brembo M50 calipers, a Sachs steering damper, lighter lithium battery, a smattering of carbon fibre and a bespoke livery which includes the ‘20’ reference on its side panels as a nod to the Hypermotard’s heritage.

At launch, the new Ducati Hypermotard V2 SP costs £17,295, a significant rise over the old 950 SP’s £15,995, while the standard Hypermotard V2, by comparison, costs £13,495.

On face value, that £3800 premium sounds fairly steep, although it’s worth saying that, considering the Ohlins suspension, forged wheels, improved Brembo brakes, steering damper, lithium battery and more you get, it’s probably entirely justified.

Nor is that the end of the story. Our test bike was also fitted with the accessory Termignoni performance exhaust with titanium can, which costs a further £1200 and raises peak power by a further claimed 4bhp.

Should you buy one, it comes as standard from new with Ducati’s usual two-year, unlimited mileage, manufacturer-backed warranty covering all parts and labour.

In terms of servicing, recommended intervals are an impressive 9000 miles or two years, with the more expensive valve check service only due an impressive once every 28,000 miles. It’s on sale and available now.

At the heart of both the new Hypermotard V2 and V2 SP is the same, all-new, ultra-compact, 890cc, DOHC liquid-cooled V-twin, which retains Ducati’s traditional 90-degree V-twin layout but does so with its traditional Desmodromic valve actuation. 

It’s the same engine that was introduced for the 2025 Panigale V2 and its naked sibling, the Streetfighter V2, both of which made a great impression, has since been used as the basis for the new Monster and is also set to imminently form the basis of the new DesertX adventure bike.

It’s a great motor, too. In this form, it produces peaks of 120bhp at 10,750rpm and 69lb-ft (93.5Nm) of torque at 8250rpm which also makes it the most powerful Hypermotard yet.

It’s also perfectly suited to the new Hypermotard, being responsive, flexible yet also characterful and with an evocative drone at higher revs, while at the same time producing power within the realm of being fully exploited on the road, so making it great fun to ride. 

It also benefits from Ducati’s world-leading suite of electronic riding aids, including four riding modes, three power settings, four-way cornering ABS plus, of course, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and even, as an option on the SP, Ducati Power Launch and Pit Lane Limiter.

It all adds up to one of the most effective, real world performance packages around and also one of the most sophisticated. 

Being a one-day track launch, our test was a little different from usual. Ducati had hired the famous Modena circuit near its Bologna base.

Built in 2011, it’s a modern but fairly short to middling circuit (just 1.2 miles long) that’s also quite narrow and flat and is used not for racing but primarily for track days and testing. With just one long straight and otherwise a series of quite tight second gear corners and as such it proved perfect for the Hypermotard SP.

Our riding group of around 10 were allocated identical bikes with tyres warmed by tyre warmers. In our first session given a couple of sighting laps behind some instructors, and then for the rest of the 20-minute session, followed by four more, with gaps in-between, throughout the day.

And the SP proved the perfect bike for the task: upright (but not too tall) and comfortable while we looked where the track was going, but also flexible and tractable enough not to worry yet about correct gear selection, plus also light and sufficiently nimble to make easy corrections in turns.

As track familiarity and speeds grew, the character and capabilities of the Hypermotard SP became clear.

Ducati’s street supermoto has always been about fun-packed, punchy performance married to ultra-nimble handling, and this latest version raises the bar once more.

Part of that’s achieved through the added power and drivability of the engine, which has 80% of its peak torque available between 4000 and 10,000rpm, meaning it doesn’t much matter what gear you’re in – around Modena, apart from the back straight, it was all second and third, with the rest due to its even lighter weight and fabulous ‘flickability’ as a result.

Ducati said they were striving for reduced weight and more nimble handling with its two new Hypermotard V2s and that’s largely been achieved by the new, more compact, lightweight chassis.

The result is that the standard V2 weighs just 180kg, 13 less than the old 950 (with 4.6 of that slashed from the chassis alone) while the new SP is just 177kg, 14 less than the old 950SP. The result is instant, dancing, ultra-nimble steering.

That’s compounded by its excellent suspension. Top-quality cycle parts are used all round. The stock V2 has conventional cast alloy wheels and Kayaba multi-adjustable suspension, but the upspecced SP goes even further with 1.4kg lighter forged alloy wheels, even higher quality Ohlins suspension and also a Sachs steering damper.

The result is a completely adjustable, cultured ride I couldn’t fault and also an absolute hoot to ride.

Slowing it all down is just as easy, just as impressive. While the stock Hypermotard V2 has already impressive Brembo 320mm twin discs and superbike-spec Stylema calipers, the SP goes one better with Brembo’s top-drawer, even more powerful M50 callipers, which, to be honest, considering the SP’s featherlight 177kg weight, need only the lightest of lever action and aren’t troubled at all.

The result is gutsy, easily nailed on the brakes, completely flickable into its second gear bends, stable and sensation-packed when banked over and carving through turns and a joy to blast out of the corners. 

Both Hypermotard V2s are very well equipped, at least in a performance sense. Both get the new, enlarged 5-inch colour TFT dash along with slick matching switchgear.

Both also get quality suspension, the stock bike with Kayaba multi-adjustable 47mm forks, the SP with better still 48mm Ohlins, plus a matching rear shock. Both also get top quality Brembo brakes (with the SP having even better M50 radial calipers). 

On top of that, both also benefit from Ducati’s latest, impressive full suite of electronic riding aids, including four riding modes, three power settings, four-way cornering ABS plus, of course, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and even, as an option on the SP, Ducati Power Launch and Pit Lane Limiter.

But that’s also the limit of what you get equipment-wise. There are no creature comforts, no fairing or practical features, no luxury.

But then, if that’s what you want, you’re looking at the wrong bike, and you’d be better off with Ducati’s Monster, Streetfighter or even DesertX, which are all based on the same platform, instead.

It’s not. In fact, ‘Practicality’ is not a word that’s in the Hypermotard’s lexicon, and little has changed with this latest version.

With a tall, slim, hard seat and high and wide motocross style bars (and no fairing), it’s not exactly comfortable – not for any distance anyway. Nor is it capable of carrying luggage or a pillion or covering any kind of distance (the tank holds only 12 litres).

Instead, this is a single-minded fun bike designed for skids and wheelies or blasting down hairpin-dotted Alpine passes. If you want a toy or track bike as an addition to your biking stable, fine, but if any other practicalities are desirable, look elsewhere.

Thanks to Ducati for having us on the world launch. Check the full specs and information on the Ducati website!