Superquadro Mono Is the First Ducati Single-Cylinder Engine in 30 Years, And It's Awesome

It's been three years since we've got word of a new Ducati engine. It was the Granturismo shown back in 2020, and first used on the Multistrada V4 that same year. This time, though, excitement levels should be higher, considering this is the first new Ducati single-cylinder engine made in 30 years.

The last time the Italians made something like this was back in the 1990s, when the Supermono 550 made it into the spotlight and on the race tracks. This time we're treated with an incredible piece of engineering named Superquadro Mono.

The name is partially self-explanatory, partially less so. The Mono particle, naturally, references the engine's single-cylinder layout. Superquadro, on the other hand, is supposed to be a nod to the extreme ratio between bore and stroke. But we'll get to that in a moment.

We'll start, naturally, with the basic info one needs for any engine. The powerplant is based on the one used on the Panigale 1299, which comes with a displacement of 1,285cc. The Mono, however, is about half the size, because, duh, it also has half the number of cylinders.

The Superquadro Mono has a displacement of 659cc, and it is capable of developing 77.5 horsepower at 9,750 rpm. Those are according to Ducati "values never achieved before by a road single-cylinder" engine, but they can go even higher, to 84.5 hp at 9,500 rpm, when fitted with a Termignoni exhaust system.

The engine redlines at 10,250 rpm. That's on par with racing engines, and it's a value that can be achieved thanks to the very short stroke (62.4 mm). When you also take the 116 mm bore (the same as on the Panigale engine) into account, you get a bore-to-stroke ratio of 1.86, the "most extreme value ever seen on a road single-cylinder engine."

The engine runs Ducati's Desmodromic system in the same configuration as deployed on the Panigale (in turn deployed on some incredible two-wheelers, including the MotoGP ones). A ride-by-wire system will allow it to be configured in one of three ways power-wise, depending on needs and uses: high, medium, and low.

The engine looks like it was built not only to last, but also to take quite the beating. It comes with die-cast crankcases, and magnesium alloy clutch, alternator and head covers (these also help bring weight down).

The engine is balanced by two countershafts located front and rear. Because they are installed on the side of the crankshaft, they allow the engine to run at very high speed while keeping vibration levels down to about what you'd get in a 90-degree V-Twin.

The Superquadro Mono will be controlled by means of a six-speed transmission (built based on the one deployed on the Panigale V4). It can also be equipped with the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up & Down system that allows the rider to change gears without using the clutch or needing to reduce throttle.

It all sounds exciting and all, but when will we get to see this new engine in action on a real motorcycle for the first time? Well, the Italians revealed last week our wait won't be long. On November 2, a brand-new bike made in Borgo Panigale will be let loose into the wild, and it will be equipped with this exact single-cylinder engine.

After that, naturally, more motorcycles will get it, more specifically the ones made for A2 license holders. There, however, it will be offered in a detuned version – the specifics of that were not announced.

You can get a closer and a more structured look at what the new Superquadro Mono engine has to offer below. There's also a video further down, allowing us to enjoy a 3D look at the new powerplant.

• 659 cc vertical single-cylinder engine
• Bore x stroke 116 x 62.4 mm
• Compression ratio 13.1:1
• Maximum power 57 kW (77.5 hp) at 9,750 rpm – 84.5 hp at 9,500 rpm with Termignoni racing exhaust
• Maximum torque 63 Nm (6.4 Kgm) at 8,050 rpm – 6.8 Kgm with Termignoni racing exhaust
• Aluminium cylinder barrel
• Euro 5+ homologation
• Mixed chain-gear Desmodromic distribution with double overhead camshaft, 4 valves per cylinder. 46.8 mm titanium intake valves, 38.2 mm exhaust valves.
• Asymmetrical crankshaft mounted on differentiated diameter main bearings
• Double balancing countershaft with control function of the water and oil pumps
• Multi-disc oil-bath clutch, servo-driven and with anti-hopping function
• Semi-dry sump lubrication with delivery pump and recovery pump
• Fuel feed via oval section throttle body with an equivalent diameter of 62 mm
• Six-speed gearbox with the possibility of fitting the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up & Down
• Oil change set at 15,000 km
• Check and eventual adjustment of valve clearance set at 30,000 km