{"id":31163,"date":"2024-10-31T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/supermotosweden.se\/?p=31163"},"modified":"2024-10-30T14:31:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T13:31:10","slug":"690-vs-698-the-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/supermotosweden.se\/en\/2024\/10\/690-vs-698-the-comparison\/","title":{"rendered":"690 vs 698 the comparison"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Earlier this spring, Ducati announced their new single-cylinder engine in a smaller sibling to the Hypermotard, the Hypermotard 698<\/a>. After putting some miles on both the road and the track with the 698, it’s now time to share what we’ve learned. This was supposed to be a brief comparison earlier this summer, but after riding the bike on several trackdays, a desire emerged to make the bike just a bit better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can start by addressing some teething issues, something you have to be prepared for with a new model. On our bike, the rubber bushings in the handlebar mounts were too soft. They were so soft that you could feel the handlebar move forward just by braking into an intersection. Ducati has a solution involving a spacer replacement in the triple clamp, but we decided to equip the Hypermotard with an upper triple clamp which doesn\u2019t use rubber mounts for the handlebar at all but rather fixed mounts. This also results in a more distinct steering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve seen a few people online experiencing oil leaks from the engine, but most seem satisfied with their Hypermotard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u00b4s we dive into the actual comparison and start by looking at the chassis measurements for the Hypermotard 698 and the 690 SMC-R. To do this, we\u00b4ve used a software, MotoSpec<\/a>, in which we have measured both bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll set up some values in a table to visualize some of the differences (measurements in parentheses are specs found online).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/td>HYM 698<\/td>690 SMC-R<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Rake<\/td>24,7degrees (26,1)<\/td>26,8degrees (27)<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/td>1441mm (1443mm)<\/td>1506mm (1480mm)<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Trail<\/td>102,7mm<\/td>118,3mm<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Weight (as specified by the manuf.)<\/td>151kg<\/td>150kg<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Power (as specified by the manuf.)<\/td>77,5hp\/63Nm<\/td>74hp\/73,5Nm<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
<\/td><\/td><\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first thing we\u00b4ll focus on is the fork angle, rake. The 698 has a steeper fork angle than the 690. A steeper fork angle is more advantageous for bikes designed for quicker steering. The 698 is also shorter by 3.7\u20136.5 cm (depending on chain length, etc.), which reinforces our view that this bike is built to be agile and responsive. The weight is similar on both the 698 and 690, so there\u2019s no clear advantage in terms of hp\/kg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final measurement we look at is the trail. A long trail gives a stable and confident behavior, while a short trail allows for quicker steering but can sometimes feel twitchy. However, neither of these bikes is overly sluggish or nervous to ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: @patriknordstrm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get a better understanding of the differences between the 698 and the 690, we took both bikes out on the road. Johan Altzar from Dala MC<\/a> workshop joined us as a sounding board and brought along his personal 690 SMC-R.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the narrow, winding roads around Borl\u00e4nge, both bikes are very enjoyable to ride. There\u2019s no doubt that the 690\u2019s engine delivers its power with a rougher character. We should also keep in mind that Johan has tuned his engine somewhat. A different camshaft and mapping have increased the power, so comparing these particular two models isn\u2019t entirely fair. But we have done a bit of riding on stock 690\u00b4s aswell over the years so that engine isn\u00b4t unfamiliar to us. The 690\u2019s torque and shorter powerband invites you to use a more playful riding style, hooning if you will. However, after switching from the 698 to the 690, it felt like you\u00b4ve barely started accelerating before you\u00b4re hitting the rev limiter, in every gear, on every straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 698, on the other hand, has a smoother performance right from bottom of the revs. It pulls from the bottom even in high gears without it feeling like you\u2019re riding a tractor, and it revs all the way up to 10,250 rpm compared to the 690\u2019s 9,000 rpm. The 698 also has significantly less vibrations. If you ride the 690 at higher revs, as you would on twisty roads, chances are that you\u2019ll feel a tingling in your fingers at the next ice cream stop. The 698\u2019s smoother operation didn\u00b4t affect our hands at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those of you who\u2019ve ridden the 690 know it\u2019s a stable bike. There are no surprises in that chassie unless, of course, you as the rider create them. Back when the 690 started being used on larger tracks, many sport bike riders had a hard time realizing that a supermoto could take any line it wanted and still make it through the curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d argue that the 698 is the next step in that evolution. This is a supermoto that wants to turn, even though it can still be improved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn what this bike has to offer, we booked two days at Geller\u00e5sen together with Actionpics. The manual provides basic suspension settings depending on whether you want to ride on the road or the track, tailored for a rider weighing in at 80-90 kg. Since we had done some minor testing of the bike earlier at the track at Gr\u00f6ndal, we knew that the front suspension needed to be a bit tighter in rebound and compression damping than what the manual suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: @patriknordstrm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s very clear from the moment you roll out onto the track that the suspension is soft. My 90 kg (+ gear) is just a bit more than what the manual specifies that the suspension is designed for. But let\u2019s just say that the rider sag was significantly more than expected, causing the bike to wallow out of corners. We adjusted the rear preload from the specified 14 mm to about 20 mm over the two days, but it still wasn\u2019t enough, the spring is simply too soft for my weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To adjust compression and rebound damping on both the shock and the front fork, there are knobs. Nothing unusual there, but they are continuous, meaning you can\u2019t count 8 clicks out\u2014you count 4 full turns instead. According to the manual, the rear compression should be set at 0.5 turns out. By the last session on the second day, we had gradually tightened it to try to eliminate the wallowing, down to about 1\/12 turn out from fully closed, and the bike still wallowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suspension is the weakest point of this bike. Some riders say they have no issues with the suspension, but they seem to be riders under 80 kg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifting the seat and having a look at the intake into the airbox, you\u2019ll find a small opening of 1.5 x 4 cm. At the rear of the exhaust system, there are two mufflers, each with a 1.5 cm round hole for the exhaust gases to squeeze through. Between these openings, there\u2019s a throttle body with a 60 mm equivalent opening and an exhaust system matching the intake. The engine delivers as Ducati claims, 77 hp and 63 Nm, but there\u2019s definitely more power to wrangle out if it. Ducati\u2019s Termignoni system with an open air filter and mapping adds roughly 7 hp. However, this is still a homologated, street-legal system. So, there should be more potential if you\u2019re aiming for track use or maybe racing in the supermono series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We modified the original airbox cover, and we\u2019re waiting for a solution to remap the 698. This would allow it to breathe easier, and we\u2019d likely see very different power figures as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During our track time at Geller\u00e5sen, we had a 690 Duke in our group, giving us the chance to compare performance down the straight. The Hypermotard is a bit stronger than the Duke, as you can see in the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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