EK Chain ThreeD Tuning: Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono

After the first use of the EK Chain ThreeD, the next upgrade was already on the agenda. Our Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono was to be converted to a significantly sportier gear ratio. The goal wasn't a spectacular power gain on paper, but a bike that responds more spontaneously to the throttle in tight corners and, above all, on supermoto tracks, and pushes forward more decisively out of slow hairpins.

In standard trim, the Ducati runs a 15-tooth front sprocket, a 42-tooth rear sprocket, and a 110-link chain. After around 9,000 kilometers, the original chain showed no critical stretch, but for the planned conversion it was simply too short. We opted for an EK Chain 520 Z/3D, this time with 118 links, combined with a 44-tooth rear sprocket and a new OEM 15-tooth front sprocket.

There were several reasons why we opted for another EK Chain ThreeD: the chain had already impressed during its first use with its high-quality workmanship, the cleanly polished outer plates, and the overall premium impression. At the same time, the high tensile strength speaks for a long service life without any notable weight disadvantage (110-link OEM 1.7 kg vs. 110-link EK Chain ThreeD 1.82 kg – weight-adjusted). Especially on a bike that regularly combines race track and country road riding, it's not every single gram that counts, but the overall package of durability, function, and ease of maintenance.

A chain swap is no place for improvisation. Especially on modern bikes with high engine output and lots of electronics, clean installation determines function and safety. That's why we deliberately had all the work carried out by a specialist workshop. Particular attention was paid to riveting the chain. The correct riveting attachment is crucial here. If the wrong one is chosen, the rivet link can be damaged or insufficiently pressed. The chain tension was then set precisely.

While Ducati specifies a distance of 46 to 48 millimeters at the swingarm for the standard 42-tooth rear sprocket, 48 millimeters was deliberately chosen as the lower limit with the larger 44-tooth rear sprocket. This setting ensures that sufficient play remains even with the rear end fully compressed or under hard landings.

After completing all the work, Ducati's "Tyre Calibration" also had to be carried out. This involves holding a precisely defined speed constant in second gear over several hundred meters. Only then is the system fully calibrated.

Right from the first few kilometers, it was noticeable how harmoniously the new gear ratio suited the character of the single-cylinder engine. The engine doesn't feel stronger than before, but significantly more present. The bike responds more spontaneously to throttle inputs and conveys exactly that immediate feel you'd expect from a sporty supermoto.

The actual stress test for the combination followed at the Pannoniaring. There, the Ducati lost around 5 km/h in top speed on the long start-finish straight. The speedometer (!) showed only around 202 km/h instead of 207 km/h. On paper, that initially sounds like a disadvantage – but on track it feels exactly the opposite.

The Hypermotard now comes out of tight corners much more forcefully, hangs more directly on the throttle, and feels much more cleanly matched when upshifting between second and fourth gear. The brief moment of hesitation that was occasionally noticeable before practically disappeared entirely. Especially on technically demanding tracks with many changes of direction, the bike gains noticeably in rideability as a result.

The seat-of-the-pants feel confirmed exactly what the lap timer later backed up with measurable data: the slightly lower top speed was more than compensated for by the improved acceleration. Faster lap times were the order of the day.

After more than 200 kilometers under race track conditions, the final inspection followed. Especially at the Pannoniaring, high load changes, hard acceleration, and powerful deceleration constantly act on the entire drivetrain.

The surprise turned out to be pleasantly unspectacular: the EK Chain showed no measurable stretch, and re-tensioning was not necessary. The wear pattern also looked completely unremarkable. For a new chain after such an intense first outing, that's an exceptionally good result and speaks to the high manufacturing quality.

Legal notice: A change to the final drive ratio can result in the loss of road registration if the legal requirements are not met. Before any conversion, it should be checked whether registration or approval is required. Use on race tracks is subject to different conditions than operation in public road traffic.