WHEN TWO TWINS WAR… GO TO

Perhaps not so much ‘war’ and they’re from the same tribe anyway. Pitching the Ducati Scrambler 1100 and Monster 1200S head-to-head.

An imagined scenario…

So what would you buy? The way I approached this feature was an imagined scenario about walking into a Ducati dealership and trying to choose between the Monster 1200 (list £11,995) and Scrambler 1100 Sport (list £12,455). Although to test we actually ended up with the 1200S (£14,895), the extra money coming from having Ohlins suspension and a quickshifter, though still the same 147bhp engine.

The Scrambler 1100 Sport, billed by Ducati as ‘the sportiest Scrambler ever’ has 86bhp, considerably less the Monster, but in the real world more than enough. Just to put that into perspective, the super sports Ducati 748 made 87bhp, the 916 109bhp. So although the Scrambler sounds tame, it really isn’t. While the Monster produces stupid power.

Looking through the Ducati sales specs and prices, perhaps we should have compared the standard 1200 with the Scrambler, or even the 821 Monster, as it closes the price gap up. But if going to buy one, what would I plump for? I know I’d be swayed by the promise of a quickshifter, Ohlins suspension and those nice red bits on the wheels…

And as I have had an 800 Scrambler in the past, which I thoroughly enjoyed, if I was going to buy one, it’d be the 1100 Scrambler I’d be looking at, only as I’ve had an 800 before, and try to avoid ‘going back’ to something I’ve previously owned.

The Monster has always appealed to me, too. These days, I’m absolutely not interested in sports bikes. I was never really into them particularly, but I am a sucker for Ducatis, and number the original V-twin 1199cc Panigale – of which I was lucky enough to try one of the first in the country in, I think 2012, it was astounding compared to the old 916 derivation 1098s, etcetera – near the top of the most memorable motorcycles I’ve ever ridden. I adore baby Panigales and I spent an absolute fortune building what was probably the best early 90s 750SS in the country. So although this ‘walking into a dealer scenario’ is imagined, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

First impressions

From a visual point of view, I enjoy the Scrambler aesthetics more than the Monster. It looks mean and moody. On an initial try out ride and jumping from bike to bike, I immediately loved the 1100 Scrambler, the Monster far less so. Personally, I delight in wide bars, and so felt straight at home on the off-road influenced model. As I mentioned, I ran an 800 Scrambler a few years ago and this one felt reassuringly familiar, the old DNA clearly pleasant and correct. It’s a comforting saddle position and just feels right; it’s a secure, safe, planted place to be, and not in the slightest bit intimidating.

Monster history

Those of us of a certain age (mine!) were teenagers when the Ducati Monster first appeared in 1993. I loved it from the start; that blending of old and new, an ‘old’ trellis frame which still managed to look absolutely up-to-date. It was a unique, new design. But it was 26 years ago that the Monster made its bow, so is it still relevant today?

I’d say that, yes, it is, and probably more so than it ever has been. While the Scrambler is a pastiche, a machine based on Ducati’s Scramblers of the past, it has no actual links with that machine. Indeed, the original Ducati Scramblers were single cylinder to start with, so there’s not even that in common.

The Monster, on the other hand, is a continuation of what came in 1993. Sure, there’s been a whole host of variations and deviations from that initial model was but, ostensibly, it is the same thing – ie, a stonking big Ducati engine in a rather minimalist chassis. And it’s all the better for it.

There have been many variations of the Monster, from little (596cc) to large, this one being the biggest of all. And now Ducati has gone down the V-four route with its superbikes, one imagines we’ll be seeing a V-four engined Monster coming over the mountain (sorry, naff song reference…) any time soon.

So is this the ultimate V-twin Monster, the final evolution of the model which has spawned a whole class of imitators, but not really been bettered?

If it is to be so, then, well, it’s going to go out on a high, a superb machine which is truly worthy of maintaining the Monster mantle.

When it arrived in 93, the Monster was new and exciting. It was like a response to where sports motorcycles were heading, with full fairings now de rigueur and ‘race replicas’ actually being that – so a full-on race bike on the road, rather than a bit of a racy version of a roadster.

The Monster wasn’t a race rep and neither was it supposed to be. It was more akin to the 1970s bevel 750GT, say, than its contemporary 888. There was a period around that time, when motorcycling (and motorcyclists) were becoming ever more ‘categorised’ into their neat little boxes, so, tourers, adventurers, race reps, commuters all became things. The beauty of the Monster was that really it wasn’t that easy to categorise, other than it was a Ducati.

The current Monster is still rather like that, a machine which perhaps has a bit of an identity crisis, in that it isn’t really any one thing, though this newest one is definitely on the ‘sporting’ side of the coin, rather than any other class. It’s way better in town than any true sports bike (mainly as clip-ons do so much to impair visibility, I’ve realised as I’ve got older), but it’s on A and B roads where it really thrives, the riding position meaning it’s possible to see over the hedgerows, while a twist of the wrist sees one pass, well, pretty much everything else on the road.

Scrambler history

The new Ducati Scrambler was a pastiche from the start, right from when it was unveiled in late 2014, with Ducati sort of missing out the word ‘Ducati’ from much of its early branding, preferring Scrambler, and releasing adverts and videos featuring hipster types artfully drinking coffee, before getting back on their Scrambler to go to another micro craft brewery opening or the ceremonial spreading of an avocado on toast, or something similar.

But in reality, as I discovered when riding about on my first Scrambler, the people who wanted to talk about it were, initially at least, chaps of a certain age, often currently riding things like GS BMs or VFR800s, looking to downsize. Not tattooed, bearded, coffee connoisseurs at all…

But from where did the Scrambler spring? Actually, Ducati made a host of off-roaders in the late 1960s and early 1970s, all single cylinder, and all, to a motorcycle, gorgeous, elegant and lithe, and it was to these that Ducati looked to inspiration for its Scrambler, though nowadays it would have to a be a V-twin, as that’s what Ducati are now known for – well, for now anyway, though that might change as the V-fours get into their swing. V-four Scrambler anyone? It’ll happen for sure.

Simplicity vs Complication

There is lots to be said for simplicity. Often, I look at a modern motorcycle and think, ‘How has it come to this?’ The gargantuan GS ridden by Motorcycle Sport & Leisure editor Mikko is a prime example and it beggars belief and seems incredible to think that the ‘motor bicycle’ (for this is what it is) has evolved to become the GS BMW. And that’s not me picking on the GS at all – they truly are remarkable, wonderful things (even if I have been caught speeding more times on one than any other motorcycle), but there’s no getting away from the fact that they are huge, both in stature and weight, at about 300kg.

So often I yearn for simplicity and although it’s is still a big machine, the Scrambler is a more simple type of motorcycle, almost harking back to simpler times and pleasures. Though, of course, it’s not that simple at all, what with all its ABS, modes and everything else but, cleverly, Ducati has made it feel simple.

There’s nothing of the sort regarding the Monster. It’s not simple, with a whole range of modes, wheelie control and everything else in between, that I don’t really understand. Or want to understand. I do get it why people want endless modes and the ability to change the characteristics of their engines but, actually, isn’t that just an admission that you’ve, maybe, gone too far? Just like really the gearbox is an admission that an engine isn’t flexible enough to go from nothing to all through its own power characteristics, so, surely, having a tonne of modes to choose from is just saying that there’s not one to cover it all?

Ergonomics

Both are really pretty comfortable, in different ways. While the Monster’s tipped forward stance puts a little more weight on to one’s wrists, it’s not annoying or noticeable – in fact, it feels really comfortable. The Scrambler is more sit-up-andbeg, with the wide bars, especially at higher speeds, becoming a little uncomfortable across the top of the shoulders, but then the Scrambler isn’t a machine to trial the length of the A1 on, so it shouldn’t be judged too harshly by those standards.

Riding?

Though both are made by Ducati, powered by a V-twin engine and don’t have all-encompassing bodywork – or hardly any bodywork, really – that is just about where the similarities end.

Climbing astride the Scrambler, it feels possessed of lovely balance, a flat, wide seat and bars which are at just the right height – or at least just the right height for back roads, anyway. Fire it up, and the exhaust note is similarly welcoming; a sonorous bark, deep and devoid of malice. It just feels really nice.

The Monster, on the other hand, is a somewhat different animal (is a monster an animal?), its bark conveying a sense of menace, which means that it may well have a bite. And it has. It revs up so much more quickly than the Scrambler, the riding position tips one forward slightly, and all-in-all it feels as if it’s saying: “Right, let’s get on with it. Finish that Red Bull, fast. I’ll lead, you follow. ”

The Scrambler, by contrast, is a much more laid back. “Let’s have a nice ride. We’ll get coffee. I’ll look after you.”

Sorry, I’ve lapsed into creating talking motorcycles there, but that’s the best way I can think of getting across the contrasting attitudes of the two motorcycles. The Monster is a bit brash, a bit edgy and potentially a bit aggressive. The Scrambler just wants to be your mate.

In and around the legal limit, then the Scrambler is where it’s at. It’s just dead comfy and nice, nothing poking you and saying ‘come on lazy bones, get a move on’ as one would imagine the Monster to do.

If I was going to do a track day, it’d be the Monster every time. Whereas first impressions were that the Scrambler was, and is, your friend and the Monster probably isn’t, actually, with all its electronic wizardry the Monster is better equipped to look after you.

In the real world

The Scrambler is plenty quick enough, but it doesn’t have the nice, edge feeling of precision, which the Monster offers. The Scrambler does everything one would expect – it

stops, handles, brakes, has oodles of torque and is actually a right hoot to ride, the wide bars encouraging, basically, hooliganism. I remember talking to a Ducati salesman years ago, when I had the 800 Scrambler, and he and I were talking about the model. I was saying it reminded me of my old TS125 Suzuki I had at 17, those high and wide bars and upright riding position, happily reassuring and familiar. But also encouraged some of the silliness of youth too, which the salesman and I agreed on, just doing stupid stuff like riding up and down kerbs for the sake of it, as one did as a teenager. The ‘big’ Scrambler sort of feels the same.The Monster is too serious for such frivolity, raising a metaphorical arched eyebrow at the more juvenile Scrambler.

Not in the real world

The Monster is rather awesome – it’s stupidly good fun, but not the sort of silly fun that the Scrambler is about. For a motorcycle to potter round town and take to country lanes, it’s the Scrambler every time, and I’d not think twice about taking it up any moderate off-road tracks or trails, completely confident it’d be fine. One would not do anything of the sort with the Monster – the only thing that could go on would be of the tarmacked variety where, actually, it’d be in its element, the only limiting factor being the competency of the rider, with the right jockey (so not me!) more than capable of basically humiliating any sportsbike not ridden by a talented exponent.

Conclusion

So which would I buy? Well, I thought it’d be the Scrambler, but, actually, I totally fell for the Monster. It is quite simply an awesome piece of kit, and I’d be happy to use it to go the length and breadth of the country, take for Sunday blasts, or do trackdays on. The Scrambler is great, a smile-inducing motorcycle, but, well, I just think that the Monster, in the long term, would prove the more fulfilling relationship.

On the Scrambler, the dash is a funky split screen affair. Still with loads of info though.

That’s a surprisingly large amount of engine squeezed into the chassis.

The Monster’s dash is terrific, easy to read and full of information.

Purposeful, narrow and very easy to get on with right from the off.

Access to the Scrambler’s springers is not obstructed by bodywork.

Notice how not very much sticks out to the sides. Compact and svelte.

The Monster’s rear shock is very easy to adjust.

What the neo-retro Ducati does is take you back to a simpler time. Class.

The Scrambler’s rear brake is more than up to the job.

Brushed metal finishes contrast nicely against the black-on-black engine finish.

Brraaapp! Brap! Brap! Corrr... don’t they look cool?

There’s plenty for the willing right thumb to do.

Let’s be honest, this is just a bit silly. You need to be a jockey to enjoy this pillion seat.

For our man in the saddle, the Monster won the fight, hands down.

A few years ago, this would have been a WSB braking set up!

Rorty and stylish. Sums up the Monster nicely.