In the hands of one Frenchman, what began life as a mild-mannered Ducati 1098S Superbike, has turned into a water-cooled Hypermotard that would do the engineers in Bologna proud. Known to us only as “Krisfox”, this builder was looking for more than the standard streetbike experience. Wishing to see the more powerful water-cooled 1098 motor in a motard format, he set out to make one of his own, dubbed the Hypermotard 1098S. Pictures and more after the jump.
The bike is built around the standard 1098 frame and motor, but that’s pretty much where the resemblances stop. Since the Hypermotard panels and accessories do not bolt-up to the 1098 framework, Krisfox had to custom fabricate nearly every other part. Hand crafting all the bodywork from foam and clay, the HM 1098S was finally laid-up in beautiful carbon fiber panels, which were painstakingly built to accommodate the bevy of parts this bike boasts.
For instance, things like the gas tank had to be re-built, which allowed for improvements to be made. As such, the HM 1098S’s tank now holds over 4.8 gallons, which should be good for more than a jaunt down the road. Helping things go faster are a custom airbox, with carbon air intakes and a pair of undertail style Akrapovic exhausts cans help expel the gases. These parts bring the bike’s power figured into the 165hp range, and with a 169kg (373lbs) weight, that’s nearly a metric 1:1 ratio. Completing the look of the bike is a carbon fiber chin, à la Ducati Streetfigher, making this bike a looker and a power house.
The HM 1098S would not be complete without some aftermarket goodness, and as such Öhlins R&T forks have been added up front, while an Öhlins TTX shock in the rear gives this Ducati some of the best street suspension money can buy. Helping shave off the unsprung weight are carbon BST wheels, clad with Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa tires. To stop all this two-wheeled goodness, radial Brembo mono-bloc brakes have been employed, thus completing the Holy Trinity of aftermarket motorcycle goodness (Öhlins, BST, Brembo).
How does it ride? According to the owner:
“It accelerated like a ball. In slow corners it has crazy handling like a 600 supermoto, and on the road its like a Ducati SBK…I am thrilled, I realized the bike of my dreams.”
If rumors are true about Ducati phasing out its air-cooled two-valve lumps, we very well could be staring into the future of the Hypermotard line….and we like it.
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