‘Look closely and there are Monster signatures’
Landing in the UK the following spring the now ‘Monster’ was an immediate hit. At £7500 it was ‘Japanese money’; its 73bhp, although unremarkable in 900SS sportster trim, was more than enough for a lightweight roadster; it looked great, was easy to ride and reasonably practical – especially around town.
That success triggered the launch 12 months later of a smaller, even more affordable stablemate – the M600 Monster. This version, although visually identical, used the 53bhp engine from the 600SS while a more basic spec (single front disc, no oil cooler) including cheaper suspension components, enabled a price of just £5000, making it a bigger hit still. Suddenly a stylish Ducati was not only affordable it was unintimidating to ride as well, so much so the 600 remained a best seller for years, further spin-offs including Dark and 750 versions were introduced and the Monster legend was well and truly established.
Evolution of the species
Over the years since the Monster’s success has continued through a series of updates and model expansion. Fuel injected, enlarged and performance versions followed, some controversially using liquidcooled engines. While even an allnew ‘second generation’ Monster in 2008 conspicuously retained its ‘signature’ trellis frame (albeit much reduced and now bolted to sizeable aluminium sections) and an air-cooled motor.
Instead, the first truly seismic change to the traditional Monster formula came with the ‘Third generation’ bikes from 2014. The first of these was the new liquidcooled 1200, which replaced the air-cooled 1100 and used a detuned version of the Testastretta 11-degree V-twin already powering the then Multistrada and Diavel. A new liquid-cooled ‘Baby’ Monster, the 821, came the following year using the engine from the Hypermotard.
These new engines not only brought more efficient cooling and thus higher performance they also helped the Monster through ever-more stringent EU emissions and noise regulations which by then were sounding the death knell for air-cooled motors. A further plus point was that their ride-by-wire and ECU systems also brought with them increasingly sophisticated electronic rider aids of the type Ducati introduced on the 1200 Multistrada making these latest Monsters, if not as simple and pure as the ’93 original, then certainly far more potent and sophisticated. The 2014 Monster 1200R, for example, with a full 160bhp, Öhlins suspension, top spec Brembo brakes, slick riding modes and more, not only had twice the power of the original M900, it was a true track weapon that was almost the match for a full-on superbike. Besides, for traditional Monster fans, it still retained that parttrellis frame.
Still a Monster?
Of course, that remaining link to the original Monster has now finally disappeared with Ducati’s brand new, liquid-cooled, aluminium framed 2021 version – or has it? Although the air-cooling and trellis frame have gone, Ducati themselves say the recipe for the new Monster is exactly the same as that of the 1993 original, in having ‘a sporty engine, but perfect for road use, combined with a superbike-derived frame’. They may have a point. This time round, of course, the engine is Ducati’s latest, smaller, 937cc Testastretta producing a very ‘street’ 111bhp. The chassis, meanwhile, rather than being a trellis for trellis’ sake, is, as with the original M900, from Ducati’s latest superbike – in this case an aluminium ‘Front Frame Concept’ as per the Panigale V4, so again helping the new Monster be among the lightest bikes in its class. The original M900 was 185kg wet. This latest version, despite its liquidcooling, catalysers, electronics and more, is just 188kg. Look even closer and there’s plenty of other classic Monster ‘signatures’, too, from the round headlight (albeit a fancy LED), sharp and sporty tail and hunched fuel tank (for some reason, Ducati call it ‘Bison back’). It’s even available in traditional Monster red. A ‘★’ version, meanwhile, comes with a classic Monster seat hump and bikini fairing.
Yes, the newcomer may have been more evocative still had it come with a gold frame but as a riding proposition, with that 111bhp, stumpy geometry, light weight and aggressive riding position, it’s as much of a Monster as ever. If only it had a £7500 price tag as well.