The Monster has never needed to be the fastest Ducati. It needs to be the one you ride on a Tuesday. The current generation is built squarely around that idea, and the spec sheet is candid about it: a lower seat and less weight than the bike it replaces.
386 lb (175 kg) wet without fuel, 8.8 lb (4 kg) lighter than the previous generation. That is where this motorcycle starts.
The 890 cc V2
The engine is described by Ducati as a "Ducati V2 engine: 90° V2, 4 valves per cylinder, intake variable valves timing system, liquid cooled." Displacement is 890 cc (54.3 cu in), bore and stroke 96 mm x 61.5 mm, compression 13.1:1. Output is 110.7 hp (81.6 kW) at 9,000 rpm and 67 lb-ft (91.1 Nm, 9.3 kgm) at 7,250 rpm.
Peak torque at 7,250 and peak power at 9,000 is a narrow gap — this engine does its best work in one band rather than two, which is exactly what a street bike wants. The intake variable valve timing is what makes that possible without gutting the bottom end.
Fueling is electronic injection, one injector per cylinder, full ride-by-wire, into a 2-1-2 exhaust. The gearbox is a 6-speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down 2.0, primary drive straight-cut gears at 1.84:1, final drive a 520 chain on a 16-tooth front and 42-tooth rear. The clutch is a hydraulically controlled slipper and self-servo wet multiplate unit with a self-bleeding master cylinder.
Monocoque frame, Showa suspension
The frame is monocoque aluminum, carrying an aluminum double-sided swingarm. Suspension is Showa, with adjustable rear preload and wheel travel of 5.1 in front / 5.7 in rear (130 mm / 145 mm).
Preload-only rear adjustment is the right place to spend at this price. It is the one setting that actually needs changing — for a passenger, for luggage, for a rider who weighs 140 lb or 240 lb.
Geometry is sharp: 58.7 in (1,492 mm) wheelbase, 23.3° rake, 3.6 in (92 mm) trail.
Brakes are Brembo: two 320 mm front discs with radially mounted calipers and a radial master cylinder, and a 245 mm rear disc with a dual-piston caliper. The radial master cylinder is the component that decides whether lever feel is linear or wooden.
Wheels are cast light alloy, 3.50" x 17" front and 5.50" x 17" rear, shod with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV, 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17. Fuel capacity is 3.7 US gal (14 l).
Ergonomics, which is the point
Seat height is 32.1 in (815 mm) — 0.2 in lower than the previous generation. With the low seat accessory it drops to 31.3 in (795 mm), and with the low seat plus the suspension lowering kit, 30.5 in (775 mm). Two seats are standard.
That range, all of it from the factory parts catalog, is why the Monster suits a shorter rider without compromise. None of it requires aftermarket fabrication or a seat shaved by a shop.
Electronics with levels that matter
Ducati publishes the intervention counts, which is more useful than a feature list:
- ABS Cornering — three levels, including an "only front" function
- Ducati Traction Control — eight levels
- Ducati Wheelie Control — four levels
- Engine Brake Control — three levels, new on this model
Eight levels of traction control on a naked bike is more resolution than it strictly needs, and that is a compliment — the steps are small enough to actually tune for cold tires or wet pavement rather than choosing between "on" and "off."
Engine Brake Control is the new addition and the one riders will notice most. A 90° V2 engine-brakes hard on a closed throttle; softening that in three steps changes how settled the chassis is on corner entry.
Four Riding Modes and four Power Modes (High, Medium, City, Low) sit above all of it, with Bosch Cornering ABS and auto tire calibration in the safety list.
The dash is a 5-inch full-color TFT, 800 x 480 px, 16:9 — 16% larger than the previous generation — with Day and Night modes and two information layouts, Road and Road Pro. Standard equipment includes DQS up/down 2.0, Coming Home, full LED lighting with DRL, self-cancelling turn indicators and a Lap Timer.
Ownership
Oil service every 9,000 miles (15,000 km) or 24 months, annual service at 12 months, and a valve clearance check at 28,000 miles (45,000 km). Warranty is 24 months, unlimited mileage.
That valve interval is the quiet headline. A Ducati that goes 28,000 miles between valve checks is a different ownership proposition than the ones that built the brand's maintenance reputation.
Pricing
| Version | Color / livery | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Monster | Ducati Red | $13,295 |
| Monster | Iceberg White (Racing Red wheels) | $13,595 |
| Monster | Sport Livery | $13,795 |
| Monster + | Ducati Red | $13,995 |
| Monster + | Iceberg White (Racing Red wheels) | $14,195 |
| Monster + | Sport Livery | $14,995 |
A $995 destination charge applies.
The Monster + costs $700 more and, per Ducati's own equipment lists, adds exactly two items: a flyscreen and a passenger seat cover. Nothing mechanical changes — same engine, same weight, same suspension, same electronics. If you want both, the + is the easier way to get them than buying them as accessories. If you don't, it buys you nothing.
Who this bike is for
The Monster is for the rider who wants one motorcycle. It is light enough to be unintimidating in traffic, steep enough in the front end to be genuinely entertaining on a back road, low enough to suit a wide range of inseams, and serviced infrequently enough that it does not punish you for using it. It carries a passenger as standard.
It is the right first Ducati, and often the right fourth one, for a rider who already owns something fast and has stopped pretending that is what they ride daily.
It is not for someone who wants wind protection or range; there is no fairing and the tank is 3.7 gallons. It is not for someone shopping on peak horsepower.
See it at MotoCorsa
The Monster and Monster + are available through MotoCorsa Ducati in Portland in all three liveries. Browse our current Ducati inventory to see what is in stock, or contact us to schedule a test ride — and tell us your inseam, because the low seat and lowering kit options are worth setting up before you ride.
Specifications and pricing sourced from ducati.com and are subject to change. Contact MotoCorsa for current availability and out-the-door pricing.