What’s it all about?
Inflation is a fact of life. It’s inescapable if you’re a biker too, with subsequent generations of bikes often becoming bigger, weightier and, consequently, more powerful. Ducati’s latest Monster is a case in point. But is bigger necessarily better or is it just another way of extracting more money from your savings? This 1200 now replaces the 1100 model which has now been retired.
Ducati has some form here. Their 851 superbike needed to compete with the best Japan had to offer and metamorphosed into the 888, the 916 becoming the 999. The Monster hasn’t abandoned its roots quite so drastically as some of the bigger Ducatis. It now features the second-generation Testastretta 11 DS engine which is smoother and has dual spark plugs and a secondary air system.
What does it cost?
Ducati has a fashionable reputation helped by its deliciously exotic superbikes and bolstered by a pedigree of track success. The Monster plays on this a little, although £10,695 doesn’t seem unreasonable for a brand-new slice of Italian exotica residing in your garage.
How does it handle?
The Monster 1200 is even easier to ride than the 1100cc bike thanks to its 92 lb/ft of torque that chimes in a tad lower down the rev-range. Long-legged riders will welcome the adjustable seat height that can be varied from 785mm up to 810mm. The wide, flat bars and the canted forward seat tuck your chest down towards the enlarged tank in such a way that cruising at 90mph is no problem. In sixth gear the Monster is super relaxed with a comforting burble emanating from its twin exhausts.
This bike has always been a wheelie machine par excellence and you’ll need to be a little careful when cracking open the throttle not to stand the thing on its back wheel. The standard traction control should help here though. Power has crept up too with 135bhp resulting from the engine enlarging process and this gives the Monster a very useful turn of acceleration. The handling is very decent as well, if a little ragged at the envelope when the low-mounted exhausts come into play.
Verdict
The sheer class of the Ducati brand means that you are going to pay a premium to own one of its bikes and the Monster 1200 is no exception. At £10,695 however this Monster looks great value for money. It makes a great bike for sunny days when you can parade around town or go for a country-road blast just for the fun of it. As long as you don’t take it too seriously and enjoy it for what it is, it’s churlish to find serious fault with the Monster 1200.