A glance at the Hypermotard wouldn’t be enough. You’d want to stop and stare at the pleasant oddity in front of you. The Hypermotard is unlike anything you’d see on the road, and its niche customer base makes it an even rarer sight. It is meant to look like a mix between an MX motorcycle and a street bike- with a tall stance, minimal bodywork, and frame that is almost completely exposed in true supermoto style.

As tempted as I am to make an Angry Birds reference, the front end does bear a striking resemblance with an aggressive-looking headlamp and LED DRL, a short ‘beak’ that doubles up as a fender and knuckle guards with turn indicators fitted in them. And since this one is the limited RVE edition, it comes in red and black paint adorned in white graffiti-style graphics splashed across its fuel tank. It also gets red and black painted alloys that are a cherry on the special edition’s loud, look-at-me colour scheme.

As you walk toward the Hypermotard, you’d realise that it is not only compact but tall too. The brochure reads a seat height of 870mm, but that number seems daunting only until you swing a leg across the flat, MX-style seat that tapers onto the tank. Then, the Hypermotard feels welcoming. The newly revised frame brings a 53mm narrower seat, enabling shorter individuals to have at least one foot on the ground comfortably.

Adding to that, the handlebar is wide, and the pegs are placed slightly rearward, making for a very upright and commanding riding posture. And since there isn’t much going on at the front, the cockpit view is open and free. As for the seat, it might look deceptively wooden and cramped but offers comfy cushioning and space to move around as well. So, on the whole, Ducati has nailed the ergonomics on this one.

There is no denying that the Ducati Hypermotard 950 is one of a kind. And it makes no false claims other than being a mechanised dose of adrenaline with a character that would only want you to keep pushing; if you have the right skill to tame it, that is. Because the Hypermotard 950 isn’t something we’d recommend for a new rider, even though it offers an array of electronic bungee cords. It demands respect and focuses on fully exploiting what it brings to the table with its performance.

However, the motorcycle is somewhat of a mixed bag. It has impressive handling and riding ergonomics and an unexpected fuel efficiency range of 16-17kmpl. However, the explosive manner in which it puts down its power and the immense heat it generates makes it a task riding it in India’s traffic conditions. Having said that, the lack of wind protection makes it a fairly useless long-distance touring bike too.