Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1545207
P128 RIDE REVIEW I 2026 DUCATI HYPERMOTARD V2 SP cally enhanced fun to come when you hit the brakes. At the end of Modena's main straight, it's back from fifth gear to second gear, and then, with your braking marker hit, a full-on grab of the ABS-assisted Brembo stoppers, this being the SP version, that means M50 monoblocs over the base bike's M4.32, as well as a high - er-spec master cylinder and 6.6 pounds less to haul up. There are four ABS options to choose from, with two designed primarily for the track and two for the road. ABS 1 has the rear ABS and rear lift removed, and the system is no longer lean-sensitive. ABS 2 is also designed for the track, with both front and rear ABS active and lean-sensitive. ABS 2 also runs "slide by brake," which allows the rider to back into turns with electronic con - trol, a system we first saw on the single-cylinder Hypermo- tard 698. Slide-by-brake allows less experienced supermoto-style riders to back-in relatively safely, as the system controls the rear wheel's speed and lift and prevents it from locking up. You can apply the brakes as (Right) Ducati's V2 engine that has seen duty in the Panigale, Multistrada and Streetfighter resides in the new Hyper. 120 hp is quoted, which is probably way more than you need. (Below) A five-inch TFT is in keeping with the machine's minimalist character. Everything you need, nothing you don't. That translates to instant drive out of turns, no matter where you are in the revs. The Hypermotard punched out of Modena's second-gear final turn with brutal force, the wheelie control (DWC) holding the front wheel an inch or two above the track, perfectly controlled, as the bike was shoved forward. A quoted 120 hp may not im - press the social media experts, but the Hypermotard's special blend of a stunning power-to- weight ratio, great mechanical grip, instant torque, a forensic feel and sophisticated rider aids allows you to get on those horses incredibly early. The SP has four riding modes (Race, Sport, Road, and Wet), three power modes, switchable cornering ABS (four levels), Ducati Traction Control (eight levels and off), the aforemen - tioned Ducati Wheelie Control (four levels and off), Engine Brake Control (three levels), and the Ducati pit-lane limiter and Power launch. Those rider aids do a lot of work on track, encouraging you to open the throttle harder and sooner each lap, and there's more electroni - V2 SP V2 SP V2 SP