Ducati announces new 659cc single cylinder engine

Ducati returns to producing single cylinder engines with the Superquadro Mono

It was 30 years ago when Ducati produced its last single-cylinder engine with the Supermono 550. Now, the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer returns to producing thumpers, this time, “splitting” the 1299 Panigale’s L-twin engine to produce the Superquadro Mono – a 659cc engine capable of reaching up to 10,250 rpm and up to 86 Ps of power if equipped with a racing exhaust.

Superquadro Mono

This Superquadro Mono, was designed and built by choosing refined materials and is based on the Panigale 1299 engine, the 1285 cc Superquadro, which represents the maximum evolution of the Ducati street-legal twin-cylinder. The Superquadro Mono inherits the 116 mm diameter piston from the Panigale engine, the shape of the combustion chamber, the 46.8 mm diameter titanium intake valves, the 38.2 mm steel exhaust valves and the Desmodromic system.

The name Superquadro comes from the extreme ratio between bore and stroke which allows, thanks to the very short stroke, to reach rotation speeds typical of racing engines. On the Superquadro Mono this ratio is equal to 1.86 and is the most extreme in the category thanks to a stroke of just 62.4 mm.

The record bore of 116 mm allows the adoption of large diameter valves to benefit performance, which however would not be possible without the Desmodromic system. This system, which Ducati also uses on the MotoGP bikes, allows the limits imposed by the valve springs to be overcome, enabling extreme valve lift laws. In this way, the Desmodromic system contributes significantly both to performance and to the possibility of reaching very high rotation speeds.

Thanks to these solutions, the Superquadro Mono delivers a maximum power of 78 Ps at 9,750 rpm and is capable of reaching up to 10,250 rpm, values never achieved before by a road single-cylinder. The torque, whose maximum value is 63 Nm at 8,000 rpm, is distributed in a particularly favorable manner, resulting in linear and exploitable power delivery. All this while respecting the limits of Euro 5 homologation. In racing configuration with Termignoni exhaust, this single-cylinder is finally able to reach the incredible maximum power value of 86 Ps at 9,500 rpm.

The transmission relies on a six-speed gearbox with racing ratios derived from the experience gained with the Panigale V4. The first gear is long to allow its use in slow corners, exploiting the maximum thrust available. The clutch is in an oil bath with progressive interlocking hydraulic control, characterized by a particularly reduced lever load and specifically developed to offer easy and intuitive braking behavior, with maximum modulability on release and in engine brake management to facilitate power-sliding in corner entry.

The gearbox can be equipped with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up & Down. In this application, the DQS relies on a magnetic hall effect sensor and not the traditional load cell to improve accuracy and reliability.

Ducati will reveal the motorcycle model which will be equipped with the Superquadro Mono on November 2, 2023, via the brand’s official YouTube channel.