Ducati Monster

The Ducati Monster is an icon in itself. Not many motorcycles carry the same legacy as the Monster. Now in its latest avatar, Ducati has trimmed down the fat, brought in sharper dynamics, and made it rider-friendly, without losing out on its raw and brash appeal. But does it still feel like a Monster? Let’s find out.

The Italians do know how to design a beautiful-looking motorcycle. Yes, the Monster has lost a lot of visual bulk compared to its last-generation model, but that has also allowed Ducati to design a sleek and sporty-looking bike. The new Monster has the right amount of muscle and aggression, while the oval-shaped headlamp, svelte tail section, and dual slash-cut exhausts add to the visual drama.

As expected from Ducati, the overall quality is top-notch, leaving little to complain about. The motorcycle exudes premium craftsmanship. Whether it’s the plush paint finish, the solid feel of the body panels, or the precision of the welds, everything has been done with meticulous attention to detail. Even the switchgear buttons are tactile and intuitive to operate.

Despite being a near-litre-class motorcycle, the new Ducati Monster feels compact and approachable. The low-slung seat gives a sense of sitting in the bike rather than on it, while the mildly rear-set pegs and a wide, single-piece handlebar strike a fine balance between comfort and sportiness. And when you're in the mood to go full send, there's plenty of room to slide back, tuck in, and grip the tank—everything feels intuitive.

Although the seat height stands at 820mm, even riders around 5’7” can get both feet down with ease, thanks to the slim mid-section and the tapering seat profile. It feels just as slim in the saddle as it looks. While it may feel a bit small for larger riders, it remains comfortable even on long rides.

Powering the Monster is the 937cc, Testastretta, L-twin, liquid-cooled engine that also does duty on the Hypermotard and Supersport. This motor makes 111bhp and 93Nm of peak torque and comes paired with a six-speed gearbox.

The new Monster feels responsive from as early as 3,000rpm and pulls cleanly till about 5,000rpm. But twist the throttle past 5,000rpm, and the bike truly comes into its own, delivering ferocious acceleration all the way to its redline. It also pops power wheelies in the first two gears, bumping up the excitement levels, especially if you’re abrupt with your throttle inputs. And while at it, the wheelie control works in overdrive to try and keep the front wheel down. The motorcycle goes past triple-digit speeds in no time, and keeps climbing to crazy speeds just as quickly.

While it’s all fun and games, what makes the Ducati Monster especially likeable is its linear and predictable power delivery. That said, the engine feels lumpy in lower revs, and I wish it were slightly more tractable. The engine shudders at 50–60kmph in sixth gear, and if you get aggressive on the throttle, it feels choppy until it builds momentum and gets going. Although I’ll let this pass, considering the inherent nature of an L-Twin engine.

Another drawback is the heat management. It gets uncomfortably hot around your thighs within a few minutes in stop-and-go traffic. Even the clutch is on the heavier side and gets cumbersome to operate in such conditions. The only silver lining is the smooth, bi-directional quickshifter, which takes away some of the effort.

The electronics are well-calibrated and work impressively without hampering your riding experience. You won’t even realise the traction control is working in the background as you go aggressively around corners. The wheelie control is just as refined, even at the lowest setting, it allows you to lift the front wheel just enough before cutting the power and not letting the bike do a backflip.

The six-speed gearbox is slick and offers precise shifts, and you move up the gears and build speed. And the bi-directional quickshifter is a joy to operate. It’s almost effortless, and you can shift through the gears seamlessly without using the clutch, adding to the bike’s sporty character and relentless acceleration.

When it comes to its dynamics, the Monster feels light and responsive around bends. Whether you're changing directions quickly in traffic or attacking sweeping corners, the bike remains composed. That said, you need to be precise with your inputs. The more you push it and lean into corners, the more it rewards you by taking the intended line. Much of the credit also goes to the grippy Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres, which inspire a lot of confidence and offer an excellent feel.

The ride quality is equally impressive, striking a solid balance between comfort and sportiness. Although it has an underlying firmness for a sporty ride, the setup smoothens out small bumps and undulations pretty well. However, you will feel larger potholes and rumble strips, even though they never get harsh. Overall, the suspension setup, though basic and non-adjustable, does a great job of handling Indian roads.

The braking setup is commendable as well, courtesy of the twin 320mm front discs and a 245mm rear disc, supported by Brembo M4.32 callipers. The front brakes offer tremendous bite and excellent stopping power. That said, while the overall setup is quite progressive, it could do with a bit more feedback.

Ducati has equipped the Monster with features to the boot. You get three riding modes – Sport, Urban, and Touring – each offering a different throttle response and electronic intervention. Each mode can be further customised to suit the rider’s requirements. The Sport mode offers sharper throttle response and full power, while in the Touring mode, it is slightly mellow in the first two gears. In Urban mode, not only is the electronic intervention at its highest, but even the power is limited to 75bhp.

Other features include launch control, bi-directional quickshifter, three levels of cornering ABS, four levels of wheelie control, and eight levels of traction control. A 4.3-inch Bluetooth-enabled colour TFT instrument cluster displays all the vital ride data in a clean and crisp layout. However, I feel Ducati should’ve offered a joystick or multi-function switchgear to access the menu functions, as the toggle switches take a lot of time to navigate through the menu.

The Ducati Monster is a thoroughly entertaining motorcycle. It has all the right ingredients to be your first premium big bike. It offers thrilling engine performance and a great balance between sporty handling and a comfortable ride. The electronics work seamlessly, and the brakes are great too. However, I wish the clutch was lighter and Ducati could’ve done with better heat management.

At Rs. 17 lakh (on the road), the Monster is nearly Rs. 2.50 lakh more expensive than the Triumph Street Triple RS. While the Street Triple offers better value, there is a sense of occasion with the Ducati. Not only does it offer stronger brand recall, but the Monster's raw character and playful nature are hard to ignore.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi