Light, Compact, Essential And Fun: Ducati Presents The New Monster

I’m surprised they didn’t cover the exhaust in plastic to match the ugly slab under the tank.
That headlight that silly bikini fairing, my god thats bad.

 

The RHS view says MV Augusta. It would take a good look to see it was a Ducati.
Where have all the style pointers gone? Or is it all the better for not being immediately identifiable?

 

I’ve considered Monsters in the past, but I doubt that will tempt me to chop my Street Triple RS in. Does nothing for me visually, and that is important.

Stuart

 

I’ve owned two, a S4 then the S4rs and was looking forward to splashing out on a new one, but oh no not after seeing this.

Well done Ducati design team!

 

I did too. But I test ride all three but found the Monster 1200 and the 821 quite bland.
This new Monster does at least compete with my Street RS on power, price and weight specs.

 

Guy’s this new Monster looks fantastic compared to the utter disaster that is the new BMW S1000r

What a mess this bike looks, now just compare the tidy design details, the quality finish, neatness and build quality of the Monster to this BMW...
Totally the wrong type of headlamp for a BMW 4 cylinder S model ( should be a twin lamp setup like all others in S range ) loads of exposed wires and connectors, horrible ugly mess of the bottom exhaust pipe run and catalyst and loads of cheap looking, already scratched plastic parts , video points out that it’s a pre production unit, but it won’t be far away from the finished article .

New Monster looks utterly top quality compared to this rubbish..

 

Looking at the specs its down on power 121 vs 111, and a whole flippin kilo heavier. I know thats probably next to nowt on the road, but I doubt it will have the top end rush of the RS. And it just doesnt look nice and to me thats the main thing. If I do change it’ll probably be back to a Diavel, or perhaps a Tuono Factory. But you know what, my Street Triple RS will take some beating for overall grin factor riding.

Stuart

 

I don’t think there is a bike available that is better value for fun and ability than the Street RS. It’s plenty quick enough for a road bike and so agile.

 

I haven’t been a Monster fan since the S2R / S4R style

what’s the bets it gets a single sided swing arm next year?

 

you youngsters..

 

Now ya gettin it.

 

Don’t go comparing the bm’s level of design as a benchmark.
Ducatis are meant to be beautiful, well except for the excellent multi, obvs

 

It’s not just the design, it’s the quality of the components, finish and build details

 

Agreed, but it’s got to look good?

 

If you took the BMW logo off and put Ducati on it would pass better than the latest batch from Bologna.

 

Agree some monsters look nice but yes it looks good I bet nice in the flesh

 

No disgrace in that for me

 

Let’s hope so.

 

At first I was <bleugh!> but having watched the video on the Ducati site and looked at the pictures a bit more it's growing on me. It's not a bad looking bike and has the same silhouette as the outgoing 821, but without the trellis frame it could pass off as a Suzuki or Yamaha. The only thing that really puts me in mind of the outgoing model is that droopy headlight - the one thing I don't like about my M797!

Looking back at all of the previous Monsters it's the engine and all the other gubbins getting bigger and blockier over the years that's destroying the look compared to the '90s versions. You can barely make out the actual cylinders on a lot of bikes these days, there's so much 'stuff' packed in there. And some of the latest Monsters looked like they were about to burst out of their trellis frames so I guess Ducati were running out of options.

The original 600 is to me probably the best looking of the bunch, there's just something so elegant and sincere about it Now if Ducati would be so good as to bring back the classic round headlight and fit a front mudguard that was big enough to do its job then maybe we'd be getting somewhere.

 

I think the new Monster has increased the resale value of a proper Monster from previous years. Looks like a Honda or a Kawasaki to me. No Ducati DNA on display there, or at least need to look hard to see it.