SINGLE DOUBT

In a world that goes gaga over multi-cylinder engines, these singles will steal your heart

- Manaal Mahatme

The photo on the previous spread may lead you to think that this story is about the title for the 'Greatest Single Ever', but it is not; it's a walkover for the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono in that case. This story is about these two big singles - the Mono and the BSA Gold Star, which could possibly shove those big multi-cylinder bikes out of your dream garage. Or at least they did so for me.

And it was easy for the Hypermotard to do so. Stupid wheelies and silly slides was its style to charm its way into my heart. The 659cc Superquadro Mono makes the Hyper 'the smallest Ducati on sale' and may make you think that it's just a single, but don't fall for that; I didn't, yet every time the engine fired up, I was elated, surprised and petrified... in that order.

The only time this Hyper feels like a single is while working the gearbox through the city. But on a clear road, past 3000 rpm, it felt like a Golden Retriever that had been waiting all day for its play time. Though I had the leash of fancy electronics to give me a sense of control, it took all my might to keep the Hyper from going...erm, hyper.

First gear at 3000 rpm - the front wheel was up. I had the wheelie control on 1, so it was all right. A second later, the front wheel briefly touched the ground, only to back up in the air at around 7000 rpm. I was prepared for the first wheelie, but the second? Who would have thought there's still some steam left up there? And this routine continued for the first three gears. Given that this engine is one half of the 1299 Panigle, I should have known, but the moment twin underseat exhausts started talking, I just couldn't let them go quiet.

Even visually, the engine was in-sync with the chaos it represented. From the hoses wrapped around the engine to keep it cool to the serpentine exhaust routing and its heat shield, everything screamed, 'Performance!' And right opposite to that was the simple and very retro-looking BSA.