The 2023 Ducati World Première has been short on surprises—thus far. Ducati kicked off its annual model reveal on September 2, 2022, when it presented the Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Limited Edition. The tricked-out super naked sold like beer at a ball game, but it only catered to a small contingent of wealthy Ducatisti.
The Bologna brand took the opposite approach with the next unveiling, rolling out the up-spec 2023 Monster SP. The latest Monster may have arrived with sharper claws, but we saw it coming from a mile away. Today, September 29, 2022, Ducati’s third World Première saw the 2023 Multistrada V4 Rally break cover. Again, the announcement marked an exciting development but it was a predictable progression, to say the least.
Thanks to Diavel V4 spy shots, an early Scrambler viewing party, and Panigale V4 R rumors, we have a pretty good idea of the cards Ducati has left to play. However, the Porgo Panigale brand may just have an ace up its sleeve, and it comes in the form of a thumper.
On September 22, 2022, Ducati slyly slipped a renewed vehicle identification number (VIN) decoder document the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That updated file wasn’t getting past Motorcycle’s Dennis Chung, because one item stuck out like pineapple on pizza: a liquid-cooled, four-valve, 659cc single-cylinder engine.
Ducati may have garnered a reputation for V-twins and V4s over the past few decades, but the Italian firm is no stranger to singles. Thumpers powered its Scramblers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, but the company’s Supermono project also comes to mind. In the early ‘90s, Ducati manufactured an ultra-limited, 67-unit run of the model for Sound of Singles race series.
The Supermono’s 500cc single generated 75 horsepower (at 10,000rpm). That seems like a modest figure until you learn that the model tipped the scales at just 260 pounds. We highly doubt that Ducati would produce such a specialized sportbike again without a dedicated race series to showcase it. So, what will the 659cc single power?
Looking at the market, big-bore thumpers are a very niche segment. You have KTM’s 690 Enduro R/SMC R in one corner, but that same engine beats at the heart of Husqvarna’s Svartpilen and Vitpilen platforms. Will we see the revival f a single-cylinder Scrambler? Could a new entry-level naked or neo-retro make its debut? Only Ducati knows, but we’re certainly ready for the World Première to finally deliver a surprise.
