The lightweight, L-Twin stands at the pinnacle of more than three decades of Desmo air-cooled development and its torquey power delivery has excited riders worldwide. The Evoluzione version is positively awesome and makes it the perfect engine to give its name to the Hypermotard 1100EVO SP.
The 1100cc Desmodue Evoluzione power unit uses a bore and stroke of 98 x 71.5mm, and its long list of refinements boosted its power to 95hp (69.9kW) @ 7500rpm with 76lb-ft (10.5kgm) of torque @ 5750rpm giving it outstanding power delivery, from grunting low rpms to the singing howl at redline.
The 1100s crankcases are vacuum cast using the same Vacural technology employed for the lightweight Superbike engines, a process that achieves significant weight saving and ensures consistent wall thickness and increased strength.
But the crankcases were just the starting point of the evolution. Apart from the magnesium alternator cover, the 1100 has a lighter crankshaft assembly by using an 848-style Superbike flywheel and the search for further weight reduction even went as far as using lightweight rare-earth magnets for the generator assembly. The result reduced the original 1100 power units weight by a staggering 5.2kg (11.5lb) and contributed towards making the Hypermotard 1100EVO even more agile.
Power gains have come not only from the new lightweight crankshaft assembly, but also from an evolution of the top-end of the Desmodue power unit. The cylinder head, not only improves lubrication and cooling performance, but also uses a redesigned inlet port shape for optimum flow and a modified combustion chamber shape for improved burn efficiency.
This improved efficiency is the result of a higher compression ratio and the change to a single spark per cylinder ignition managed by high-speed Siemens electronics.