Ducati鈥檚 latest motorcycle is literally a Monster. For 2017, the iconic brand has comprehensively upgraded its premier bike with a host of small changes that might not look like much on paper but add up to a聽much improved, much faster riding experience. If you want a fast Italian motorcycle and don鈥檛 want to keep it on a racetrack, make it this one.
What Is It?
Ducati鈥檚 Monster range has been around since 1993, morphing from simple, accessible, affordable bikes to models that are extremely fast, incredibly sophisticated, and very expensive.
The Monsters nevertheless remain targeted at road riders, working equally well in city traffic as they do on winding mountain roads. 鈥淣aked鈥 bikes, they forego plastic fairings and windscreens for a raw, wind-in-your face riding experience and comfortable, upright ergonomics. They emphasize fun, rather than outright speed (such as superbikes like Ducati鈥檚 Panigale range), while still being lose-your-license fast.
In 2014, Ducati launched a new generation of Monsters, complete with a 鈥渇rameless鈥 chassis that apes that of the Panigale, as well as the company鈥檚 new Testastretta motor, which emphasizes low-down torque over top-end power. It was a fast, character-rich, surprisingly fast motorcycle that was nevertheless marred by ergonomic flaws and rough fueling, which limited its outright pace and comfort.
Three years later, Ducati has fixed all that while updating the looks to be more in line with those of Miguel Galluzzi鈥檚 original 1993 masterpiece. The wheelbase is shorter and the forks steeper for faster handling. The incredibly irritating rearsets have been replaced by designs that are now capable of fitting human feet, and a host of new rider-assisting electronics have been fitted in the hopes of making the Monster鈥檚 potential pace more accessible.
It鈥檚 a much better bike, even if it is a very familiar one.
Who鈥檚 It For?
Superbikes like the Ducati 1299 Panigale exist to break racetrack records. You鈥檒l see people trying to ride them on the road, but they鈥檙e simply too much bike for that terrain, with engines that deliver their incredible performance only when revved to maximum RPMs, suspension so stiff it spits riders off at the merest hint of a bump, and ergonomics better suited to a torture chamber than anything designed to support the human body in anything approaching comfort.
On the road, even if you want to go fast, you鈥檙e better off with an upright riding position that facilitates vision through traffic and around corners, more compliant suspension that keeps the tires in contact with rough roads, and an engine that delivers useful torque rather than top-end power. Lacking wind-deflecting plastics, riders of naked bikes also experience an enhanced sense of speed, meaning they鈥檒l enjoy the ride more without going quite as fast.
Don鈥檛 get me wrong: Ducati鈥檚 Monster is still a sport-focused motorcycle designed to deliver Sunday morning thrills over outright practicality. Unlike the Panigale, however, you can get away with commuting on one of these things. And you鈥檒l have a blast doing it.
Design
Where the 2014 model was designed to look like nothing but a naked Panigale, this 2017 refresh returns the motorcycle to the simple, smooth shapes of the 1993 original. Galluzzi penned the tank to resemble a flexed bicep and left the mechanical components on display. The idea is simple, purposeful function.
The I鈥檓 riding here is a very expensive, $17,000 motorcycle. Where that money was spent couldn鈥檛 be more evident. High-end Ohlins suspension is exposed on both ends. Up front, there are top-shelf Brembo M50 radial brake calipers.
The design also exposes Ducati鈥檚 oddly named frameless chassis, which ditches the old perimeter frame in favor of front and rear subframes connected by the engine. That configuration is said to save some weight, and its visual appeal is maximized by the use of steel trellis tubes.
For 2017, Ducati has also returned to the simple, round headlight, now complete with LED running lights.
It鈥檚 a shape that will feel familiar to any motorcyclist yet is also contemporary and high-tech.
Using It
It鈥檚 a little crazy that in 2016 we鈥檙e talking about practicality and accessibility in a V-twin that delivers 150 horsepower, right? The Monster 1200 is faster and better handling than Ducati鈥檚 own superbikes were just ten or 15 years ago.
A big reason why that insane performance level seems so reasonable is the way it鈥檚 constantly managed by Ducati鈥檚 sophisticated suite of electronic rider aids. The ride-by-wire throttle allows you to choose from three different riding modes鈥擲port, Touring, and Urban鈥攚hich alter everything from the outright horsepower to how quickly the throttle responds to the intervention thresholds of the traction control, wheelie control, and the sophisticated Bosch cornering ABS. An inertial measurement unit measures lean angle and how the motorcycle is pitched front and rear, equipping those safety nets with even more information. In operation, they work seamlessly.
That high-tech approach couldn鈥檛 be more at odds with the simple appeal of the original Monster, but it means that bike鈥檚 raucous riding experience can now be translated into a much faster machine. Riding it, you don鈥檛 think about electronic safety measures, but they leave you free to revel in the engine鈥檚 93 pound-feet as you roll on the throttle while exiting a corner. Just dial in how afraid you want to be and the Monster will deliver that thrill.
To put its performance into perspective, Ducati鈥檚 first modern superbike, the 916, launched around the same time as the original Monster, delivered just 114 horsepower and 67 pound-feet and weighed 429 pounds (dry). This new Monster weighs 412 pounds and is fitted with superior suspension and brakes. This naked motorcycle, in stock form, could have won a World Superbike race right up until the early 2000s.
Likes
- New rearsets and a revised exhaust canister finally make room for your right foot.
- Revised tank, round headlight, and narrower seat unit make this Monster feel like a Monster, not a naked Panigale.
- Handlebars are just the right height for comfort at low speeds and control at high speeds.
- New Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires are excellent鈥攖he perfect road-performance tire.
- Faster in real-world conditions than any superbike.
- Remarkably easy to ride, given the performance.
- Ducatis still have character.
- Best brakes and suspension in the business.
Dislikes
- Hanging off in corners can feel precarious due to the slippery foot pegs (a Ducati hallmark) and the lack of a defined knee cutout.
- Fueling remains too abrupt in Sport mode, reducing confidence.
- Stock pipes are loud, but engine note through them isn鈥檛 deep enough.
Should You Buy One?
At $17,000, the Monster 1200鈥檚 biggest problem remains the . That bike delivers nearly all the thrills and sophistication for much less money. Trust us: The novelty of the additional 38 horsepower quickly wears off. Spend the money you save on advanced rider training and you鈥檒l actually be able to go faster on the cheaper bike.
Miss the simplicity of the original Monster? Ducati just launched a new air-cooled version called the Monster 797, and its Scrambler range might appeal if you鈥檙e into something a little more retro.