Is the 939 Hyperstrada the perfect bike ?

Absolutely it's a damn good all-around bike. But it's a jack-of-all-trades, while being a master of none. There's plenty of info (and opinions) around here, but you'll have to be the one to make up your mind on whether or not you'll like it.

It's an amazing bike. I can't think of anything else that I want at this time... nothing fits the bill.

I just wish it was a little better quality and people didn't have so many issues. And the fueling was better.

I've gone through different type of bikes within "standard" to "sport standard" range in recent years (with competitive motocross racing and dirt bike background as a kid).

Namely,
Triumph Bonneville (modern but carbureted), Triumph Street Triple R, Monster 796 ABS, Sport Classic 1000S, and Scrambler.

I think Hyperstrada delivers as an extremely versatile machine. I think "jack-of-all-trades, master of none" statement definitely fits as well, but none of my past bikes was a definitive specialist of certain category neither (e.g. super moto, full-on adventure etc), and I think Hyperstrada does equally good or better in the aspect of my other bikes' strengths while it does remarkably better in the aspect other bikes didn't do well.

I live in city with a very limited parking/storage space. My other bike is a true vintage 1966 Triumph T120R. As the ONE practical and versatile bike to go with, I'm not seeing a better choice than my Hyperstrada right now.

I've only had her for 600 miles so far and the original owner had just over 3k miles. So far no issues whatsoever, and I've got an extended warranty for 6 more years.

kuksul08 said:

It's an amazing bike. I can't think of anything else that I want at this time... nothing fits the bill.

I just wish it was a little better quality and people didn't have so many issues. And the fueling was better.

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My feelings exactly.

coelacanth said:

I've got an extended warranty for 6 more years.

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You lucky man. I would've gone the same route but Ducati UK had pulled the plug on the extended warranty when I bought. I've kinda been cursing that fact since my standard 2 year ran out...

It's a versatile bike but I wouldn't call it perfect. It's basically a rebadged 821 Hyperstrada with Euro 4 engine, so in terms of electronics and features it's more or less 2013 standard and looks and feels a little bit dated given the price hasn't changed.

I like my Hyper (821) a lot and never had any real problems so far, but I wouldn't be satisfied if it was my only bike. A few things I seriously dislike:

* Other (better) pannier bags won't fit, because Ducati has designed its own system for the Hyperstrada and (as far as I'm aware) there no side carrier racks available for this bike. The only alternatives are some soft panniers like Blaze. The stock panniers are ok as long as they work, but on a recent trip I bumped into something at low sped and one pannier got ripped off. The plastic hinge broke, a tiny part, and it's around $200 to replace.

* Terrible throttle response. Can be fixed with different sprockets, at the expense of acceleration, but feels like something Ducati could have done better.

* Front light is pretty weak. Again, can be fixed, but also feels like something Ducati could have done better.

* The two 12V sockets are both located in the worst possible places. At least one should be near the cockpit display.

Overall I like it as a fun commuting bike, and for overnight trips. But I feel like sooner or later I will upgrade to something more serious like a Multistrada or BMW GS.

You can certainly use it for longer trips too, you just need to know the limitations of the bike, work around it and plan ahead. I recently spent 8 days riding 2000km all around Tasmania on a camping trip. The bike handled it well in all conditions, only once I got stuck in sand because the stock tyres aren't the greatest for full off-road. And I had to carry a canister with emergency fuel since the reserve light comes on after about 190km, which can be tight in remote areas.

I'd recommend test riding it. I think if you come from a Diavel you'll be surprised how agile the Hyper is. The way I see my Hyperstrada is like an entry to bike touring. That's probably what it's made for too. I know a few more people who started with a Hyperstrada and later moved to Multi.

stevebgt1 said:

Granted. But I do not want a Multi , or any other full on Tourer for that matter. My riding is 80 % Sunday play time and 20 % little tours, 2-5 days away here and there. The Diavel does it all quite well, but in the tighter twistier territory it / I struggles....

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That sounds like something Hyperstrada excels at, and that's how I'm looking at mine. Mostly for weekend fun, but can do casual touring, casual two-ups, and plenty of luggage capability for those use cases. Like you, I didn't want Multi or other full-on tourers for various reasons. Nothing against them, but I like lighter, compact, simpler bike.

I'm sure Diavel is no sloth and comparing it to conventional cruiser bikes isn't fair at all, but Hyper is VERY nimble. I think it's definitely worth a test ride. Just IMHO, if my friend asks me "which Ducati should I buy" with the use case you just said above, Hyperstrada comes at the very top of my suggestion list.

I use mine mainly for touring and the more I ride it, the more I like it. There really is nothing else like it on the market - compact, agile and lively at both low and high speed, powerful, highway stability, and enough comfort for the long days.

The key is whether you like the ergos - I love having nothing between me and the road, basically sitting up on the front wheel. The closest competitor may be the FJ-9, but you have the big tank etc..

The other thing is that it isn't detuned for touring like many other big twins, so until you get used to its dynamics it might seem jumpy. It loosens up around 6k miles, but if you ride it like you rented it, it will respond happily. Make a half decision and it will grumble. It isn't a BMW - praise the lord.

As often as possible I fill the cases, strap on a waterproof duffle and head for the back-roads. Rain, shine it has never let me down or stepped out of line. The gearing is high for tricky dirt/rock, but ideal for the road and easier off-road. The suspension is a little stiff, but irons out at speed - go faster.

I don't think there is a perfect bike, but this is a unique and wonderful machine.

appliance821 said:

I use mine mainly for touring and the more I ride it, the more I like it. There really is nothing else like it on the market - compact, agile and lively at both low and high speed, powerful, highway stability, and enough comfort for the long days.

The key is whether you like the ergos - I love having nothing between me and the road, basically sitting up on the front wheel. The closest competitor may be the FJ-9, but you have the big tank etc..

The other thing is that it isn't detuned for touring like many other big twins, so until you get used to its dynamics it might seem jumpy. It loosens up around 6k miles, but if you ride it like you rented it, it will respond happily. Make a half decision and it will grumble. It isn't a BMW - praise the lord.

As often as possible I fill the cases, strap on a waterproof duffle and head for the back-roads. Rain, shine it has never let me down or stepped out of line. The gearing is high for tricky dirt/rock, but ideal for the road and easier off-road. The suspension is a little stiff, but irons out at speed - go faster.

I don't think there is a perfect bike, but this is a unique and wonderful machine.

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Great post. I feel the same about my 821 HS.

Paab said:

Great post. I feel the same about my 821 HS.

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I also have the 821 - should have mentioned that.

Not unless the quality issues and fuelling have been resolved. I can't say I ever feel like I need more power...

stevebgt1 said:

So, most/all of you guys that have responded to my OP are 821 owners ? So , imagine your bike, with 10% more mid range torque. Then factor in the possibility of an open pipe and re-map ? Are we now getting something like Hyperstrada Mecca ??

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Mine is '14 821, and have put about 750 miles—mix of twisties and highway—so far. I personally don't need extra torque (used to typical Duc engines, grew up with super peaky 2-stroke motocross bikes), but if you are in the market for a new 939, no reason not to welcome it.

If you live in the area where dealer extended warranties are available, it's maybe worth getting it for peace of mind. Usually they aren't too expensive (for a liquid cooled, computer driven Ducs) and cancellable/transferable. Just as a data point, in 4250 miles between me and the original owner, the bike had absolutely no issues.

So far, mora than 8000 milles in mine, not a single problem.
Use it as daily commuter, weekends twisties, and small trips with lugagge.
An excellent all rounder for me

Also got it with 4 year guarantee.. Just for peace of mind


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I have a 2014 HS.

No problems to date, and its the most comfortable yet fun bike I have owned.

Not everyone will find it comfortable, but I get no aches anywhere from it. It will all be down to the individuals height, weight etc.

I like to test ride other bikes, and everyone I have tried so far it is always great getting back on the HS.

One thing I will say is that the bike is a lot nicer to ride in 'High' engine mode. i.e. put it in Sport or amend Touring so engine is 'High' so you retain Touring TC and ABS levels. For me this makes the bike so much better, easier and smoother to ride. It was a revelation.

I have also noticed the bike is getting a lot smoother as the mileage increases.

All in all a great bike, I didn't gel instantly with it but now I have, I can't see me changing any time soon.

I have ridden a 939, it had a bit more torque but was marginal, the bikes are very similar. The tail pipe of the 821 is a bit smaller, which I prefer, the 939 has a gear position indicator which I would like.

1500 miles on mine so far and I love it. It could use a bigger gas tank though.


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