Opinions
Troy Siahaan
I didn't know what to expect with either of these bikes since I've never really been comfortable with the motard style of riding. Once I got the hang of things, tearing up the twisty stuff and bombing through traffic became that much more enjoyable. But the longer I rode these two the more I gravitated towards the Aprilia. Performance from the two were remarkably level, though the Ducati engine would probably get the nod between the two. But it wasn't like the Aprilia was too far behind, its chassis is really well balanced and when it comes to everyday use I actually thought it was a more user-friendly package. Seating position is more comfortable than the Ducati, gauges are easy to read, and not only are the mirrors functional, but they don't expand the wingspan of the bike to completely impractical dimensions. Factor in the price tag and it's a no-brainer for me.
Kent Kunitsugu
I'm kind of torn between the two, actually. The Dorso is smoother and the ergos are more comfortable (with the exception of the narrow seat), and its clutch doesn't suffer the grabby feel of the Hypermotard's after just a few hard launches. The Hyper vibrates and shudders a lot when you get on the throttle hard at low rpm, although it definitely gets with the program past 4000 rpm. It's also got a slightly better positioning for cornering than the Aprilia; you feel right on top of the front wheel when turning aggressively. Brakes need a bit more feel and less aggressive initial bite on the Aprilia. Mirrors are useless on the Hyper, and the bar graph tach is way too small, so it's a good thing the two-valver has a lot of torque. I kind of like the Aprilia's styling more than the Ducati, but that's just me.