With a 160 hp, 1200cc v-twin, carrying less than 400 pounds of dry weight, the newly announced Ducati Monster 1200 R should satisfy most adrenaline junkies. The latest member of the Monster family was unveiled earlier today during the Volkswagen Group Night in Frankfurt, Germany. Along with the more potent motor (including nearly 100 foot/pounds of torque), the Monster 1200 R gets an upscale chassis with top-drawer suspension and brakes, making it, according to Ducati, equally at home in urban environments and at the race track. Ducati says the Monster 1200 R will be in dealerships early next year. Here is the full press release:
Meet the Monster 1200 R, the most powerful and sophisticated new addition to the Monster family. The new Monster 1200 R has been designed for all those who make sports performance their lifestyle and wish to turn each ride into an adrenaline-packed experience without forgoing the essential, practical appeal of a naked model.
Equipped with a 1200 cc Testastretta 11° DS “R” version twin-cylinder engine, the Monster 1200 R takes the Ducati naked sports bike concept to the extreme. Compared to the Monster 1200 S engine, the twin-cylinder “R” version delivers 10% more power and 5.5% more torque. Its 160 hp and 13.4 kgm (97 lb-ft) torque turn the Monster 1200 R into a naked supersport bike able to show its true colours on a race track while making the rider feel perfectly comfortable during daily commutes – thanks to a full-bodied, smooth delivery at low and medium RPM.
The “R” spirit that inspired the new Monster 1200 is immediately recognisable in its completely redesigned, compact, lightweight and high-slung tailpiece, seat and high-mounted plate holder. The bike set-up and technical features are in line with the power rating of its “R” twin-cylinder engine. The latest naked model out of the Ducati factory features a higher stance than the Monster 1200 S, for more extreme lean angles and to make the most of the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. At the rear end, grip is guaranteed by the 200/55 x ZR17 size tyres.
The Monster 1200 R is equipped with new suspensions and Öhlins steering damper, and separate rider and passenger footpegs to enhance its racing-inspired riding experience. The new naked sports model by Ducati is even lighter than the S version thanks to the new tailpiece, forged wheels, and carbon fibre components – bringing the total dry weight down to 180 kg (397 lb).
The nose fairing, radiator trim with engraved “R” logo, and the two available colour schemes – Ducati Red and Thrilling Black – give this bike the unmistakable, sophisticated, sport-inspired Ducati touch.
The Monster 1200 R is also equipped with the Ducati Safety Pack including the ABS and Ducati Traction Control systems to enhance vehicle performance, optimise control and improve overall riding safety. This package is managed by three different Riding Modes (Sport, Touring and Urban): three different Monster R ‘souls’ delivered by different settings of the power mode, the ABS and Traction Control systems.
Colours
- Ducati Red with R livery, Ducati Red frame and Dark Chrome wheels
- Thrilling Black with R livery, Dark Chrome frame and wheels
Standard equipment highlights
- Testastretta 11° DS, 1198,4 cc, 160 hp “R” version engine
- Exhaust with pentagonal section twin silencers
- Euro 4 conformity
- Sport seat with model ID plate
- New design passenger seat cover
- Separate rider and passenger footpeg supports
- Billet machined footpegs
- Nose fairing
- Carbon fibre front fender
- 3-spoke forged wheels fitted with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres, 120/70 ZR17 at the front and 200/55 x ZR17 at the rear
- New 48 mm adjustable diameter Öhlins forks
- New Öhlins adjustable shock absorber
- Öhlins adjustable steering dumper
- 3 Riding Modes
- Ducati Safety Pack (3-level ABS, 8-level DTC)
- Colour TFT instrumentation display
Design
The iconic Monster design of the tank blends with the sport-inspired, elegant lines of the rear, creating a compact, lightweight assembly immediately evocative of high performance and power. The Monster 1200 R has been substantially revised to make it visually compact, lightweight and high-slung. The single-piece rider and passenger seat is shorter and thinner if viewed from the side, with a tapered, sharp-edged look in the passenger section.
This motorcycle’s higher stance features an increased gap between the tyre and seat assembly, making the rear look more streamlined, further enhanced by the new design of the high-mounted aluminium plate holder, fully exposing the 200/55 rear tyre; both the rear and the front tyres are mounted on 3-spoke, Panigale R-inspired forged wheels.
The new, separate rider and passenger footpegs are unmistakably race-derived and create a more streamlined side view – also enhanced by the new, oversized exhaust in line with Euro 4 standards and perfectly integrated with the new rear design.
The finishing touches to the Monster 1200 R design can be seen in the nose fairing and the longitudinal graphic pattern inspired by the iconic Ducati Corse stripe. The exclusive character of this model is reflected in the painstaking care for detail: the radiator metal covers have a graphic “R” design obtained by sand- blasting, while the bi-material seat has contrasting seams and a metal plate bearing the name of the model.
Engine
The new Monster 1200 R is powered by the “R” version of the liquid-cooled 1.198,4 cc Testastretta 11° DS engine with 4 valves per cylinder. The Monster 1200 engine version has been revised to increase its efficiency to a maximum power of 160 hp (117.7 kW) at 9,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 13.4 kgm (97 lb-ft) at 7,750 rpm, whilst maintaining smooth delivery at low and medium RPM, typical of latest-generation Testastretta 11° DS power units. The Monster 1200 R engine is in line with the Euro 4 pollution control standards.
The Monster 1200 R’s Testastretta 11° Dual Spark engine is equipped with a new 2-1-2 exhaust system with 58 mm diameter pipes and redesigned twin silencers. Although their routing has not been changed, the exhaust pipes have a new cross-section with a diameter that’s been increased by 8 mm to boost engine efficiency which now breathes better thanks to a new throttle body. The original round design with 53mm- diameter bodies featured on the Monster 1200 has been replaced in the new version by a larger, oval section design with a 56mm equivalent diameter. A lower-height cylinder seal has made it possible to increase the compression ratio from 12.5:1 to 13:1, improving combustion efficiency.
Compared to the twin-cylinder version powering the Monster 1200 S, the “thrust” of the “R” version remains strong and vigorous beyond 7,000 rpm, adding extra power and torque throughout the rev range. A thrilling experience on track, where all the potential of this engine unravels for maximum excitement as the rider long-shifts through the gears all the way up to 10,200 rpm. During road use, at lower RPM, delivery is consistently smooth and responsive to throttle opening, with 75% of the torque already available at 3,500 rpm.
The Monster has a wet clutch with ‘slipper’ function actuated by a Brembo master cylinder. Thanks to its progressive self-servo mechanism, it can be operated smoothly and progressively.
15,000 km (9,000 miles) or 12 month intervals are recommended between major services, with valve clearance adjustment checks only required every 30,000 km (18,000 miles).
Frame
As with the rest of the Monster family, the signature Trellis frame remains a feature of the Monster 1200 R, with attachment points directly on the cylinder heads, a race-derived solution pioneered by the Panigale for the first time in the world of production motorcycles. Thanks to this configuration, the resulting frame is highly compact and lightweight and, with large cross-section pipes, it offers massive torsional strength – a characteristic which enhances the dynamic profile of the Monster 1200 R.
The rear sub-frame is also attached directly to the engine, creating a compact structure designed to support the new passenger footpeg brackets – now a separate design from the rider’s, to guarantee greater freedom of movement for the best road and track sports riding experience.
The rider and passenger footpeg mountings are made of forged aluminium and support aluminium billet- machined footrests with a surface pattern designed for enhanced boot grip during riding. The rider’s footpegs have aluminium heel guards in line with the sports character of the new Monster.
To ensure lean angles suitable for track use, the chassis set-up has been raised by 15 mm both at the front and at the rear end, and the seating height has been adjusted to 830 mm (32,7 in) accordingly. The ‘ergonomics triangle’ has been preserved to ensure a natural riding position and improved control during both road and track use and help the rider complete more laps with less effort.
Another major focus of attention was weight reduction. The new tailpiece, wheels, carbon fibre parts and the new footpegs together made for a 2kg (4.4lb) weight saving – down to a total dry weight of 180kg (397lb). A critical factor in weight saving was the use of forged wheels – making the Monster R even more agile in tackling corners thanks to the reduction in unsprung weight and inertia.
Suspension
The high-tech suspension system features new, fully adjustable dia. 48 mm titanium nitride-coated Öhlins forks with black-anodised bottoms and bodies and a fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock. Operating through a progressive linkage, the rear suspension attaches directly from the rear vertical cylinder to the die-cast aluminium single-sided swingarm at the opposite end. The Öhlins suspension package is completed by the adjustable steering damper that controls handlebar movement under heavy acceleration and enhances the sports inspiration of the instrument panel view.
Wheels and tyres
The Monster 1200 R features 3-spoke light alloy forged wheels inspired by the Panigale R design and is fitted with Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP tyres – 120/70 ZR17 at the front and 200/55 x ZR17 at the rear. DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP is applied technology at its best: embodying all the experience and racing expertise acquired by Pirelli as the sole supplier to the World Superbike Championship since 2004, this tyre designed for road use can offer the ultimate racing experience, allowing the user uncompromised enjoyment of a top-performance product both on the road and the racetrack. The structures and compounds of the DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP, directly derived from WSBK competitions, optimise the performance ensured by the tyre profiles. The 200/55 ZR17 rear tyre in particular has a carcass made from high-module fibre and a bi-compound tread with polymers ensuring quicker tyre warm-up and constant grip in any riding condition. The perfectly paired front and rear profiles ensure greater handling and agility. The bi-compound tread pattern features long longitudinal grooves, expanding from the central profile area to the shoulder, ensuring regular wear even in the harshest riding conditions. The distinctive element of the DIABLO™ line is a ‘naked’ shoulder area, ideal for sports riding where maximum adhesion and constant grip are a must.
Braking system
The Monster 1200 R braking system is the very best of the Brembo production range and includes twin radially-mounted M50 Monobloc callipers gripping 330 mm discs at the front – the same components that are part of the equipment of the 1299 Panigale supersport model, actuated by a master cylinder with remote reservoir. At the rear, the Monster 1200 R features one 245 mm disc gripped by a single Brembo calliper with sintered friction material pads to improve efficiency. The braking system is controlled by the triple stage ABS Bosch 9MP system – which can be disabled by the user.
Ducati Safety Pack (DSP)
The Monster 1200 R is equipped with the DSP (Ducati Safety Pack) system including the ABS and Ducati Traction Control systems to enhance vehicle performance, optimise control and improve overall riding safety. This package is managed by three different Riding Modes (Sport, Touring and Urban): three different Monster R ‘souls’ given by different settings of the ABS and DTC (Ducati Traction Control) systems.
ABS
The Monster 1200 R standard equipment includes a Bosch ABS 9MP controlled Brembo braking system with an integrated pressure sensor as part of the Ducati Safety Pack (DSP). The 3-level system provides shorter stopping distances with enhanced stability in any riding condition by being fully integrated with the Riding Modes. While level-1 of the system enables a sport-oriented ABS intervention with no rear lift prevention, level-2 delivers the same intervention with rear lift prevention activated. Level-3 provides outstanding braking stability and rear lift prevention. The ABS action can be disabled in any Riding Mode and will not be reactivated upon the next Key-On.
Ducati Traction Control (DTC)
The DTC (Ducati Traction Control) is able to detect and control rear wheel-spin, considerably increasing the bike’s active safety and performance. The Monster 1200 R uses the very latest DTC software, optimised to guarantee seamless response to ignition advance only. The system offers eight ‘sensitivity profiles’, each set to offer a level of rear wheel-spin tolerance in line with progressive levels of riding skills, classified from one to eight. Level one is programmed to offer the least amount of interaction while level eight uses the highest degree of interaction. DTC levels are factory pre-set in each of the three Riding Modes, but can be individually customised and saved to suit the rider’s characteristics by accessing the set-up menu within each mode. The DTC action can be disabled in any Riding Mode and will not be reactivated upon the next Key-On.
Ducati Riding Modes
The Ducati Riding Modes offer different factory settings designed to optimise vehicle behaviour according to riding styles and environmental conditions. The Monster 1200 R comes equipped with three Riding Modes (Sport, Touring and Urban) – each programmed to adjust the Ride-by-Wire (RbW) engine control system and the ABS and DTC intervention levels. The modes are made possible by combining a number of class- leading technologies. If the Riding Modes can be changed while riding, the customised setting of ABS and DTC can only be changed when the bike is stationary with the throttle closed.
Sport
The Sport Riding Mode provides 160 hp (117,7 kW), delivered with direct Ride-by-Wire throttle response, reduced DTC system intervention (level 3) and ABS high braking performance (level 1) with no lift prevention.
Touring
The Touring Riding Mode provides 160 hp (117,7 kW), delivered with a more progressive Ride-by-Wire throttle response, increased DTC system intervention (level 4) and ABS-controlled lift prevention (level 2).
Urban
The Urban Riding Mode provides 100 hp (73,5 kW), delivered with a progressive Ride-by-Wire throttle response, further increased DTC system intervention (level 6) and ABS ensuring maximum braking stability and lift prevention (level 3).
Thin Film Transistor (TFT) colour instrumentation
The Monster 1200 R dashboard has a latest-generation TFT colour display. The display has three different layouts, named Core, Full and Track, each designed to display information suitable for different uses, now with a selected gear indication in each display screen.
In the Urban Riding Mode the display adopts the Core layout, offering the bare minimum of information in line with urban use. The vehicle speed becomes the most obviously visible piece of information at the centre of the screen, with indication of the gear selected on the right.
In the Touring Riding Mode the display changes completely to the Full layout, delivering the maximum amount of information required during a longer trip.
In the Sport Riding Mode the display switches to the Track layout, offering only the information required when sports riding. The graphic rev-counter recalibrates itself according to a Superbike-derived layout.
The Monster 1200 R TFT screen is customisable and the user can choose a preferred display, regardless of the selected Riding Mode.
Lighting
The Monster 1200 R’s headlamp unit uses halogen main light illumination with LED position lights on either side and full LED lighting for the beautifully shaped rear and brake light illumination. LED technology is also used for the directional indicators which also sport a hazard light function, activated by holding the left-turn signal button for four seconds.
Ducati Monster 1200R Technical Specifications
The engine is just too messy and complex, bring back an aircooled monster for us luddites please. Just a big tank, simple engine and a whispy frame to barely support a rider…
How much $???
EBR 1190SX is the way and ive seen the for less than 10k
I’ve been riding a Monster 1200S for over a year, and it was the replacement for the air-cooled Monster 1100 Evo.
The old M1100evo had loads of character but had terrible fuel efficiency, awful low-rpm fueling and some mechanical faults common to that generation of Monsters (eg. clutch slave and kickstand sensor issues).
The M1200S is over 60% more fuel efficient, packs in 45% more hp and is relatively smooth even at low rpm. Yet it gets lots of derision from many quarters, and that’s puzzling to me. It’s one of the best all-rounder bikes Ducati ever made and I haven’t met any M1200 owner online or offline who thinks otherwise.
There’s no question that they are a great evolutionary step up from an air-cooled Monster.
However, I own an 1100 evo Hyper and a 1200 Multistrada. The MTS is far and away a better motorcycle than the Hyper. Is faster, easier to ride, handles better, is smoother, more comfortable, better fuel economy, more stable, etc. The Hyper is an unforgiving brute that will hurt you if you are careless and ham-fisted. However, if I am heading out for a ride by myself and want to cruise around town and maybe even act like a hooligan there is no question which bike I’ll ride. I guess that a lack of refinement can be attractive, eh? So much so that the other Ducati that I am seriously attracted to is a carbureted 900 Supersport. It’s hard to get much less refined than that.
Agreed, the M1100evo was always an exhilarating ride even as it punished your left grip with its crazy-stiff clutch and threatened to blow up if you dared go below 4000rpm. The M1200S can feel like a family sedan car in comparison with its refined engine and even though it’s more powerful, it just doesn’t feel like you’re taking off the stop line like the M1100evo.
But I ride daily to work and after 2 years, I just couldn’t keep on visiting the petrol station so frequently and the M1200S was a big relief for my type of usage. I do miss the rocket-like thrust, sputtering and backfiring of the M1100evo, and its lightweight design, but other than that, not much.
Anyway, my message to folks who have never ridden the new generation Monsters (821/1200), give it a go and you’d be pleasantly surprised what Ducati has produced. They’re not designed to win competitions or awards, they’re just beautiful machines with great real-world performance.
Do Ducati lovers (especially the ones with preference for simpler designs (90’s M900)) doesn’t feel like part of the soul of the monster line is the chassis and that is somehow gone with these “bolt on engine” designs?
yes i like the air cooled monster … these ones do nothing for me
It needs the 1299 Panagale motor to be truly an “R” model.
Sweet, but I’m still an air cooled 2-valve fan. Their apex engine was the 1100 EVO, too bad it’s no longer an option in their model line. That said, it’s nice to see Ducati’s fending off the competition. Long live Il Mostro!!!!!!!!!
The top pic is not flattering but not everything is photogenic. I bet this bike in person still pales in comparison to the air/oil cooled Monsters. Take one of those older beauties and upgrade it with today’s components.
+1 on the comment about the internet. Funny
No amount of Ducati can fix that. If I want to look at plumbing fixtures I can go to Home Depot for free.
Have we gone a whole thread without some _-_-_-_-_-_ telling us how 50 horsepower is all anyone needs?
WE should enjoy that while we can….
And no one has complained that the valve clearances need to be checked/adjusted every _-_-_-_-_ miles. The planets must be aligned…….better buy a lotto ticket.
Very nice industrial strength naked Ducati.
Enjoy..
I think it’s a machine of great beauty.
The left side of the engine is ugly as!
Why don’t we hear anything of the Street Fighter anymore?
Could never replace my ’93 M900 Monster. They got it right the first time and it’s been downhill ever since – at least they removed the low RPM herky-jerky.
So…shorter Diavel?
Minus 50 lbs me suspects, and about 5″ shorter wheelbase….maybe I”m wrong, someone chime in.
Jean Luc might think this is a Borg bike.
Looks like Erik Buell is moonlighting in the design department at Ducati. Used the the same ugly stick on this bike that he used on his Buells!
Careful there Grover – i’m a Buell fanboy – ha ha
The rider here was hit by the ugly stick first!
Ugly – they could have just as easy, if not easier, gave us a drop dead dyed in the wool MONSTER. Ducati, you had the ball in your hand and fumbled it completely – all on your own. Too bad.
… I don’t know why, but it looks like it got Botox injections in just the wrong places.
Wonder how it would sell if it said “Volkswagon” on the tank?
200/55 rears are $413.75 list, on sale for $302.04. Get ’em while they last!
OMG!!!!!!! I remember buying Cheng Shin tires for about $50 from Dennis Kirk and changing them myself. Breaking the bead on big radials sucks, had to drive my car over the tire.
You should have done the trick where you put the tire under you car (or your 4×4 in the case of these 200s) and use your jack between the car and the tire.
Beautiful bike, no doubt a blast to ride. But it is not for me. If I needed a Duc, it’d be a Multistrada.
I love the overall shape and stance of this bike. And of course, the sound is pure sex.
But that motor is the ugliest thing in the motorcycling industry. It looks like the ugly love child of an air compressor and a gigantic LawnBoy push mower. Sheez. This is one naked that really needs some clothes……
Great – are we really already back to manufacturers quoting their imaginary “dry” weights? I’ve been seeing this a lot lately, after it sort of went away for a few years.
I think Ducati pretty much always stuck to the dry weights. Personally, I think the best standard would be wet weight sans fuel so that a manufacturer that decides to put a decently sized fuel tank on the bike doesn’t get a spec sheet penalty.
Test rode a 1200S and thought it was a bit underpowered. Nice to see the extra power added.
Yep,
A couple of weeks back I rode with the Ducati Demo Days crew and I too was underwhelmed with the power of the 1200 S.
It was light, nimble & the suspension felt good (without an adjustment for my weight).
It just didn’t strike the nerve or push me into “I’ve got to have one” territory…
Hopefully its going to at least be invited to compete with the two top Hooligan Naked Machines; the KTM 1290 Super Duke R and the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100RR….even though its still down on brute power comparatively.
I don’t think the Monster will ever be able to compete with the two examples you note. I am thinking the monster might lose its identity if it ever evolved to that point. To compete with the KTM or the Aprilia would require a Panigale-based Streetfighter, IMO. Of course this is coming from a guy who is still mourning the loss of the Desmodue Monsters.
I’m with you TF. The 2-valvers were my favorite and just so much better looking than the newer models. I would never exclude a bike from purchase ONLY based on looks but this Monster looks so bad compared to my ’96 M900, it may have changed my thinking on that.
I’m not that hung up on the looks as I can appreciate the look of the newer Monsters as well. I just like the simplicity, the sounds (loud clutches save lives!), and the torque of the two valve air-cooled engines. That said, the 11 degree Testastretta does produce gobs of mid-range thrust making it a great street motor. Just don’t pick a fight with a Tuono out on the highway.
Re: “I don’t think the Monster will ever be able to compete with the two examples you note.”
I wonder if it even needs to try. The Monster series is Ducati’s breadwinner. I doubt KTM and Aprilia’s models are anywhere near as successful in sales.
It doesn’t make the same hp but it makes 97lb./ft. below 8k/rpm, suggesting that this could be an awesome all around street engine.
“I don’t think the Monster will ever be able to compete with the two examples you note”.
I said:
“Hopefully its going to at least be invited to compete…”
Can you see that I wasn’t saying it SHOULD be included?
I even offered the following acknowledgement:
“even though its still down on brute power comparatively”.
It would be excellent company to keep “IF” they can get an invite from the mags for the commparos
Sheesh!
I suspect it will be included in the comparison tests as the most recent 1200 Monster was. I also suspect it won’t fare that well because it lacks the outright thrust of the others, as you said, plus the fact that the KTM and Ape are both great bikes in addition to their engine performance. However, I don’t think that Ducati ever intended to knock one or both of those bikes out of the top spot with the Monster. I would like to see a new 1299 Streetfighter come along and do that. That’s all I wanted to add. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Maybe I’m just getting old but I never liked the liquid-cooled Monsters and they just seem to get uglier every year. That’s funny, I had the “Loud Clutches Saves Lives” T-shirt and a carbon fiber amplifier on my clutch. Wish they still made a liter-sized 2-valver for someone like me but that’s just not being realistic. I think you are right about needing a 1299 Streetfighter to take the battle to KTM & Aprilia. Good comments.
Disappointing visually, this mainly due to the deep knee cutouts rendering what almost looks like shoulders on the upper part of the tank. Just kinda odd. But yeah, should be a hoot.
Anybody got a cigarette? I’m gonna need a moment
How about a barf-bag instead? That plumbing and tank design is hideous!
Everybody has an opinion. And thanks to the internet, we get to hear every damn one of them.
“Everybody has an opinion. And thanks to the internet, we get to hear every damn one of them.”
Phrase of the month, you can use it to bring to an end any discussion, works irregardless of the topic, decouples the responsibility to the internet (1) and can be easily modified for other circumstances.
(1) general form “Everybody has an opinion. And thanks to the (meeting/internet/email/whatsapp/iphone/goverment/youtube/motorcycledaily), we get to hear every damn one of them.”
honorable mentions:
“no one needs a bike, you want a bike” – free ticket to buy anything you want because… you want it, works so well that should be banned.
I’m with you I say we ban that phrase, and every other cliche. I say we ban motorcycles, or rather private transport. Also we should just go ahead and ban disagreeing and anything deemed to be offensive by anyone. We should just ban the internet. Ban everything and when we get that done we’ll ban the bans so nothing else will change. And with everyone in lock set no one will every be able to have a thought of their own and the whole wide world will be wonderful!
Not only is this bike ugly just wait for the recalls that the unit will have.I worked for a Ducati dealership and the 1199 had like 5 recalls and dealers had to sit on them.Ugly and high cost to maintain ..That’s ducati!
Everything is very tidy and well sorted. Nothing wrong with seeing the workings of a machine, provided its not a mess. IMO, they’ve done a great job in that regard.
Technically it’s a beauty, but has too many exposed pipes for a naked bike.
Ultra performance bikes should be faired.
Still not a fan of the droopy headlight, but like the rest of the bike. I look forward to seeing the new 800 more, I just wish you could get it without a red subframe, or as a Dark.
“I just wish you could get it without a red subframe, or as a Dark.”
There is a picture of a black with a charcoal gray frame Monster in the article.
What? No cheesy hype ala Ducati Scrambler?
Anyhow, I’m bit disappointed. It’s just a 20HP hike from Monster S… I was expecting something fire breathing, like Super Duke R. Oh well… 160HP used to be in Superbike territory not so long ago.
“Just” 160 hp?
Sexiest offering in the category by far, the black on black is killer. I have nothing negative to say about it. I want one.
Monstergale Strada Fighter
Excellent in so many ways, but this premium model should have a full LED headlamp.
I was expecting DVT. Oh well, the 11 degree engine is a great street motor. Maybe it’s just me but I think Ducs always look better from the right side. I can’t think of a single exception.
I didn’t think it was possible to ugly up a Ducati, but lo and behold,they’ve done it. Musta been a new hire from Yamaha.
I’ve always been a fan of Ducati’s Monster line. The plumbing has always been pretty shoddy-looking on the water-cooled bikes, and that is still true unfortunately, especially in person. And I have never really warmed up to the most recent exhaust routing used. Despite all of that, the minimalist design has a timeless quality about it and still appeals to me.
The 1100 evo is still my personal favorite.
The S2R 800 gets my vote.
I like it. Why hide all that excellent, functional machinery under covers and panels? This is entirely useful equipment, and accessible.
If more is good, is too much better? In my world, a Super Light 800/900cc Multistrada with the electronic farkles would be much more usable.
Heard of the Hyperstrada?
I own a new concours 14, v2 touno and a hyperstrada. The hyperstrada is by far the most fun bike and maybe my fav of all the bikes I’ve owned.
A chef has many knives in his big…
We motorcyclists should have multiple bikes!
Dan and John,
Of bikes I’ve not ridden I am most interested in the Hyperstrada. For some strange reason I never knew about it till a couple weeks ago. It seems about as close to perfect as I can imagine.
How do you characterize cornering clearance?
I wish Dirck would write an aricle on this bike.
They also seem to have emphasized smooth throttle response at low rpm too – very promising. Hopefully no unpleasant fz09 like surprises.
Might be a bit busy looking, but I think it hangs together pretty well. Really like the fact that you can properly customise all the settings within the riding modes. Hopefully all the other manufacturers will follow suit. And it’s light!
So this is the answer to the KTM Superduke?
The KTM is my choice for sure. This thing is a packaging nightmare.