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BRITAIN’S TOP-10 NAKEDS
DUCATI judged for simple, road-riding fun. And it is
so light — at 187kg wet, it’s even lighter
5MONSTER than the previous entry-level Monster 821
it now supersedes.
We reckon it’s the best naked Just like that first machine 29 years ago,
Ducati on the market the bike’s 90° V-twin dominates the bike
and in the same way that the original
Price £10,895 Power 111bhp Torque
69lb·ft Weight 187kg Seat height 820mm Monster was lighter than the 900SS it took
its motor from, the Monster is 18kg lighter
than its SuperSport 950 donor. There’s
It was Ducati’s 1993 Monster M900 that wonderful low-down and midrange torque Loads of character,
truly sparked the naked-bike revival. and that lack of mass means performance wonderful engine,
When Ducati designer Miguel Galluzzi is noticeable each time you open the sweet handling.
mated an 851 frame to the engine from a throttle. Wind on the gas and the Monster Size means it’s not the
900SS, then drew a tank and some drives inexorably forward, full of V-Twin best for larger riders.
rudimentary bodywork, he didn’t realise bluster and usable drive.
that he was creating an icon — but he was. It’s minimalist — almost as if there’s just RIDE VERDICT The Monster
Affordable, light, sexy and fun without some wheels and suspension bolted to a is back! This latest bike is
being too fast, it was an instant smash. motor which, when you look at Ducati’s more affordable, fun and
Over the years, Ducati’s Monsters got airbox-for-a-frame concept, isn’t far from proof that light is right.
bigger, heavier, faster and more expensive the truth. Save for preload on the rear, the
as their range expanded. The silliness suspension isn’t adjustable but both units
culminated with the range-topping 160bhp are perfectly sprung and damped. The say it is the best naked Ducati for over a
Monster 1200R — a big-money, track- Monster works superbly at the speeds that decade – mega-money Streetfighters
focussed Monster that wasn’t even actually most of us ride: light steering and agile included. The new V2 Streetfighter, for
that good around a track. handling imbuing you with devil-may- example, costs 40% more but has an
But now, the Monster has gone back to its care confidence. What’s more, there is a engine that only really pulls harder in the
roots. Using the 937cc, 111bhp twin we’ve level of finish and quality that makes the last part of its rev-range while the £19,395
already seen in the Multistrada and Monster feel like a premium product. It has V4 Streetfighter has so much power that
SuperSport, the new one-platform Monster all the electronics, too, if that’s your thing. riding one feels like a huge responsibility.
is paired to a simple chassis that’s perfectly Perfectly suited to B-road Britain, we’d The Monster is pure riding fun. MATT WILDEE
937 Monster is
nothing but pure,
simple riding fun
THE COSTS
SERVICING
Minor 9000 miles/£230
Major 18,000 miles/£500
PCP
£125.35/month x 36
(Deposit £2179, APR 8.9%,
optional final payment £6379)
PREDICTED VALUE
AFTER THREE YEARS
£7000
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