Now now, guys and girls, this is not that kind of website! I’m talking about something totally different. With the onset of the recent bout of unseasonably warm weather, it got me thinking.
Faired bikes are not that pleasant to ride in the heat of the day. All the engine heat seeps from under the fairing and conspires to slow-cook your nether regions. Similarly, the screen, such a boon in cold weather, becomes an obstacle to keeping you comfortable on the bike. Enter the naked bike.
Strangely enough, the Europeans caught on to this ages ago. Perhaps it is because only in recent years have we experienced traffic volumes that are not conducive to riding fast most of the time, where a screen and fairing are a boon.
These days, especially if like me, you use your bike daily, you spend most of your time on the bike at low speeds negotiating traffic. It is in this situation that your bike becomes an unpleasant sauna. Something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Enter the naked bike.
Ducati’s Monster is about as iconic as naked bikes can be. The Monster, introduced in 1993, has built up a cult following all over the world, and for good reason. Firstly, there is the Italian styling and flair that comes standard with every Ducati. Secondly, the Monster is an absolute fun-filled blast to ride! None more so than the latest version.
At its heart is the dependable 937cc, 84 Kw L-Twin Testastretta desmodromic motor (Desmodromic valve actuation is to Ducati what flat sixes are to Porsche). It is a fantastic motor for a naked with oodles of torque (more than 80%) available from as low as 3,000rpm. Rev it out and it rewards with a typical Desmodromic top-end hit. Bolt on a twin tailpipe Termignoni slip-on and get a symphony of sound going that only a V-Twin can offer. It makes the most beautiful music through a mountain pass…only Andrea Bocelli could come close!
Ducati have managed to pare significant weight off the latest Monster by utilising an aluminium frame and high-tech composite sub-frame. Whilst retaining the required rigidity of the old trellis frame, it has reduced the frame weight by a whopping 6,4 kg. The whole bike is a feathery 167 kg. You feel this as soon as you lift it off the side stand and especially when you are winding it through the twisties.
All variants of the Monster handle superbly, with their 43mm upside-down forks and mono-shocks. You even have the option, if you are a well-heeled connoisseur, of shelling for the top-of-the-range SP model, which is Ohlins equipped.
Taller bars and lower pegs have made the rider even more comfortable without compromising ground clearance. The wheels are also almost 2 kg lighter, making the lean-sensitive ABS Brembo brakes even more effective. The seat height is modest at around 820 mm and 840 mm on the SP. A lowering kit can be purchased to drop the seat height to 795 mm, making the Monster accessible to damn near everybody. A bi-directional quick-shifter mated to a six-speed box, enhances the riding fun even more.
In summary, there is an almost undefinable something that is built into a Ducati that makes these bikes special. A kind of unique Italian exotica which looks so undeniably cool outside your favourite coffee shop or eatery.
Stick on your open face and Carrera’s and go for a cruise. Alternatively, pull on your leathers and go and bait sportbikes on your favourite stretch of twisty road. The Monster will always be a willing companion. So, if you are getting a bit hot under the collar, (or a bit further south) on your crotch rocket, maybe you should add an Italian hottie of the Monster variety to your stable.
Ducati Monster Range
For more information on the bikes featured in this article, click on the links below…
