THEN & NOW DUCATI MONSTER

Words Dean Mellor Photos Ducati

The M900 was labelled the Monster (Il Mostro in Italian), reportedly because of its Frankenstein-like birth, which saw the model borrow parts from other bikes in the Ducati line-up. According to Miguel Galluzzi, the designer of the Monster, “All you need is: a saddle, tank, engine, two wheels and handlebars.” So that’s what he delivered – a pure nakedbike that has stood the test of time and has accounted for a large proportion of Ducati’s worldwide sales over the last quarter of a century.

The Monster, which has been available in various capacities almost since its inception, has undergone a steady evolution over its 25 years of production, and the latest incarnation still pays homage to the original.

Then – 1993

Launched to market in 1993, the Ducati Monster 900 was kind of a parts bin special, utilising the 904cc air/oil-cooled engine from the 900 Supersport, parts of the trellis frame from the 851/888 series and the USD fork from the 750 Supersport. To this base, Galluzzi added an aggressively styled fuel tank, minimal bodywork and a wide, flat handlebar that gave the Monster an upright riding position ideally suited to the street.

Minimalism was the name of the game with the M900, and along with the lack of bodywork, the bike sported a simple speedo with warning lights, a non-adjutable (and stiff) front fork and a monoshock rear with preload and rebound adjustment.

There’s no doubt that a nakedbike like the M900 was a big departure for Ducati in the early 90s, a time when it was renowned for building nothing but sportsbikes, yet it proved so successful that it was followed a year later by the M600 and then, in 1996, the M750.

The Monster range remained relatively unchanged up until 2000 when the M900 scored fuel injection, and a year after that the S4 version was introduced, which sported Ducati’s 916cc liquid-cooled four-valves per cylinder Superbike engine. Power was now up to 74kW at 8750rpm and torque up to 92Nm at 7000rpm. The S4 also received a new Showa 43mm USD fork and Brembo four-piston calipers up front.

In 2003 the Monster S4R was fitted with the 996cc engine and power was up again, this time to 83.4kW and 95.5Nm. Other changes included the adoption of a single-sided swingarm and twin high-rise mufflers on the bike’s right-hand side.

By now the Monster was becoming quite a complex beast, so in 2005 Ducati introduced two air/oil cooled two-valve desmo models called the Monster S2R 800 and Monster S2R 1000.

The Monster S4RS arrived in Australia in 2006 and was fitted with the engine from the 999 Superbike, along with Öhlins suspension front and rear, and radial-mounted Brembo brakes. A year later saw the release in Australia of the S4RS Tri Colore Testastretta, packing a handy 95.7kW of power and 103.9Nm of torque.

The air/oil-cooled Monster 696 was launched in 2008, quickly becoming the most popular model in the line-up, and this was joined a few months later by the Monster 1100.

From 2010 through to 2017, several more models were introduced, and engine capacities were tweaked, and features such as ABS and electronic traction control were added. Engine capacity reached 1200cc in 2013, with the water-cooled, four-valve Monster 1200 and 1200S, and in 2014 the Monster 821 hit the market with the 821cc Testastretta engine.

Now – 2018

There are currently six models in the Ducati Monster line-up: Monster 659 (LAMS); Monster 797; Monster 821; Monster 1200; Monster 1200 R; and Monster 1200 25 Anniversario.

Ducati says the Monster 821 is the machine that most closely pays homage to the legacy of the original Monster 900. It’s powered by a Testasretta 11° L-twin engine that’s mounted as a stressed member in the steel tube trellis frame. Punching out a claimed 80kW of power and 86Nm of torque, it’s far more potent than the original Monster 900, and it features adjustable riding modes and Ducati Traction Control.

Ducati has tuned the Testastretta engine for easy rideability and it says the “11° valve overlap angle ensures outstandingly punchy torque at low-to-mid-range road riding revs”. The three riding modes are Sport, Touring and Urban, the first two allowing access to full power output but adjusting throttle response and DTC intervention, and the latter restricting power to around 55kW. A quick-shifter is available as an option and it allows for clutchless gear changes – both up and down – and features an auto-blipper on downshifts.

Like the original Monster, the 821’s engine is a stressed member, but with the trellis frame attached to the cylinder heads like the Panigale. Ducati says “this configuration results in a highly compact, light frame, while large cross-section tubing gives the high torsional rigidity that is perfect for bringing out the motorcycle’s dynamic performance”.

The 821 runs a double-sided swingarm like the original and sports a 43mm USD fork up front and monoshock at the rear with adjustable preload and rebound damping, and a progressive linkage. The shock is mounted directly to the rear cylinder head.

Ducati hasn’t skimped on the braking package with the Monster 821, with Brembo four-piston Monobloc calipers up front gripping a pair of 320mm discs, and a 245mm disc at the rear with a two-piston caliper.

The 821 has a single, compact instrument cluster, but instead of a big, solitary speedo and warning lights, it has a modern colour TFT display that offers three screen configurations. In Urban mode the screen adopts the Core configuration, showing speed and minimal data, while in Touring mode it changes to Full mode, showing as much useful travelling information as possible. In Sport mode the screen adopts the Track configuration, providing only information related to sport riding, with the tacho graphic adopting a Superbike-style layout. The rider can also override the adopted screen configurations in any Riding Mode to personalise the display.

For those who really want to celebrate the Monster’s 25-year anniversary, Ducati has launched a limited edition called the Monster 1200 25° Anniversario, of which only 500 examples have been built.

The Anniversario’s engine produces a handy 110kW at 9250rpm and a stump-pulling 124Nm of torque at 7750rpm.

Exclusive features on the Anniversario include a 25° Anniversario Italian flag with gold-coloured frame, premium seat with 25° logo, Limited edition serial number on the frame, forged Marchesini wheels with W spokes, Öhlins steering damper, articulated brake and clutch levers, and lots of machined aluminium and carbo-fibre bits.

Somewhat of an oddity for Ducati when it was launched 25-years ago, the Monster has gone on to become one of the marque’s most important models.

Key Specs Then // Now

1993 Ducati Monster 900 // 2018 Ducati Monster 821

Engine: Air/oil-cooled 90° L-twin cylinder, SOHC, desmodromic 2 valves per cylinder // Liquid-cooled 90° L-twin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valves per cylinder

Capacity: 904cc // 821cc

Fuelling: 2 x Mikuni 38mm carbs // EFI, 2 x 53mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire throttle

Power: 56.3kW @ 7000rpm // 80kW @ 9250rpm

Torque: 79Nm @ 6000rpm // 86Nm @ 7750rpm

Transmission: Six-speed // Six-speed

Frame: Tubular steel trellis // Tubular steel trellis

Front suspension: 41mm USD fork // 43mm USD fork

Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound // Monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound

Front brakes: 320mm discs with four-piston calipers // 320mm discs with four-piston Brembo radial-mounted calipers, ABS

Rear brake: 245mm disc with two-piston caliper // 245mm disc with two-piston caliper, ABS

Front tyre: 120/60VR17 // 120/70ZR17

Rear tyre: 180/60VR17 // 180/55ZR17