Ducati 659cc 'Superquadro Mono' Engine to be World's Most Powerful Single-Cylinder Engine, Debut on Nov 2

Ducati is developing a new motorcycle and, based on a previous set of spy shots, it appears very similar to the existing Ducati Hypermotard. However, the talking point of the bike is the engine. Codenamed Superquadro Mono, the motor is an all-new 659cc, short-stroke, single-cylinder engine that is based on the same 1,285cc Superquadro as the Ducati 1299 Panigale, and will make its debut in the upcoming motorcycle on November 2. The Superquadro Mono features Ducati's desmodromic system, creating high rpm power. For those not aware, the desmodromic valve system is a system where the valvetrain is controlled through two cams and two actuators that individually close and open a valve. Claimed to be the most 'high-performance road-going single-cylinder engine ever', the Mono uses the same 116mm diameter piston as the 1299 Panigale, but has a longer stroke of 62.4mm, resulting in an extreme bore-to-stroke ratio of 1.86. 

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This, in combination with the desmo valve system, allows the engine to achieve high rotation speeds, with a rev limit of 10,250rpm. Ducati says that there is no other single-cylinder engine capable of reaching this speed. For the sake of comparison, KTM's 693cc LC4 engine, which powers the 690 Enduro R and the 690 SMC R, is the closest similarly-sized Single. The bore and stroke figures are 105mm and 80mm, respectively, therefore having a bore-to-stroke ratio of 1.31. The limiter is set at 8,000rpm.

In addition to the desmodromic valve system, the Superquadro Mono also inherits the 46.8mm diameter titanium intake valves, 38.2mm steel exhaust valves, as well as the design of the combustion chamber from the street-legal 90-degree V-Twin (or 1299 Panigale). The Mono boasts a compression ratio of 13.1:1, which is even higher than the V-Twin's 12.6:1.

Ducati's Superquadro Mono Engine: Power and Torque

According to the Italian manufacturer, the power is the highest in its segment, standing at 76.43bhp at 9,750rpm. If fitted with a Termignoni exhaust system, the power output is raised to 83.3bhp at 9,500rpm. Meanwhile, the torque output is rated at 63Nm at 8,000rpm, and the limiter is set at 10,250rpm. Also homologated for Euro 5 regulations, the engine needs a valve clearance check at every 30,000km and an oil change every 15,000km. On offer is also a ride-by-wire system with 3 power modes (high, medium, and low). 

For handling transmission, the Mono is mated to a 6-speed unit (and a quick shift), with racing gear ratios modelled on those of the Panigale V4. This means that the long first gear enables you to make the most of the engine's thrust in the corner exit. 

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Ducati manufactured its last single-cylinder engine in 1993 for the Supermano race-only vehicle, which had a displacement of 572cc and a power output of about 80bhp.