2021 Ducati Monster First Look Preview

This is more like it. After we gave Ducati a razzing over its insistence that a paint scheme and some small spec changes constituted a new model, it has wowed us with an all-new 2021 Monster. It’s 40 pounds lighter, it’s more powerful, and its bones are substantially different than the 2020 bike.

Ducati’s legendary naked bike showed up in 1993, a Massimo Tamburini-designed beauty with a steel trellis frame and Ducati’s infamous L-twin on full display. It was a hit, but even with a blue-chip name behind the drawing board, it was a parts-bin special. That, friends, ain’t the case here.

The 937cc Testastretta L-twin pushes out 111 ponies to push the new Monster’s insanely lithe 366-pound dry weight. Backing that up is 68.7 pound-feet torque at 6,500 rpm. As is de rigueur with Ducati, it sucks its air and gas through desmodromic valves. Peak power hits at 9,250 rpm, which should mean the Monster’s power curve is nice and friendly.

The power is sent through a new gearbox that has an up-and-down quickshifter as standard.

To lose all that heft, Ducati went for broke, chucking the iconic trellis in favor of an aluminum “front frame” that apes the Panigale V4′s. The new cradle bolts straight to the engine from the headstock and is extremely compact. Out back, the subframe is now glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP in Ducati marketing speak), which Bologna says saves 4.2 pounds. The wheels shed another 3.75 pounds, and the swingarm has been slimmed by 3.5.

Coupled with the weight loss, the new Monster is narrow, and has a stock seat height of 32.3 inches. If you’re more compact, Ducati will sell you a seat to lower the bike to 31.5 inches, and if you’re of truly Napoleonic proportions, you can throw in a lowering spring to get the seat down to just 30.5 inches off the deck.

The 2021 Ducati Monster gets all of Borgo Panigale’s standard technological fare, including cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, and launch control. All of those interventions can be configured to your liking, or specified in one of the bike’s three riding modes. The riding modes (Sport, Urban, and Touring) are controlled via a switch on the bars and a 4.3-inch TFT dash keeps the rider updated.

Last but not least, for 2021 Ducati is unveiling decal sets to help buyers separate their Monster from the crowd. The Monster will be available in Ducati Red and Dark Stealth with black wheels or Aviator Grey with red wheels in ’21, though price varies by color. If you want a small windshield and a pillion cover, you’ll need to upgrade to the Monster Plus, which is available in the same three hues.

The 2021 Ducati Monster will hit dealers in April, starting at $11,895 for the standard bike in Ducati Red. Monsters in Dark Stealth and Aviator Grey will go for $12,095. The Monster Plus starts at $12,195 for the Ducati Red version or $12,395 for the other two shades.