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I had received the phone call confirming to get the bike last week. I was apprehensive to say the least about getting the bike, about the feel good factor, about my idea about this image placed on a pedestal going sour, about the whole idea going bad... but I did not say no when I was asked to go to the Ducati guys last weekend and to have some free time in my hands.
The MeetingThe Ride
Twisting the throttle gently I was getting myself accustomed to the soulful staccato growl of the Vees! You will not get this character in your regular run-of-the-mill inline twin, four, six or whatever. I pulled in the hydraulic clutch, remembering that this was a Ducati that have dry clutch plates! I engaged gear with the customary thud of such bikes and eased her out of the parking on to the road. Now this is where the Ducati Monster takes over and wins your heart. I had a clear choice of vast open roads and traffic ridden office going roads. I decided to try out both. But first the office roads to see what this baby can do in traffic.
Monster to Office.Positives:
What does this Ducati deliver? Much of everything that one would want in a naked street motorcycle. Riding ergonomics come foremost in mind. You are inclined to the front, but not enough to tire your back and wrists. But this aids in the handling around fast corners. Handling in stalled traffic, on fast straights, around corners and on the narrow back lanes comes with uncomplicated ease. Some find the handlebars a bit too wide. I find them to be really helpful in Indian conditions while dealing with not-so infrequent bad road conditions. The wide handlebars help in keeping the bike gathered while going off the road on gravel and while hitting sudden potholes.
The bike delivers usable power and torque and at sane accessible engine revs without having to make it scream at the top of its lungs to extract the power. The juices are there for the asking. You just have to gently open the throttle.
One cannot say enough of the styling. This is an unmistakable eye magnet with the bold new cross trellis frame underneath the muscular tank, the sloping angled single seat, single sided swingarm exposing the carefully carved beauty of the rear alloys and the glitzy headlamps.
Negatives:
The biggest negative in the riding factor in this bike I felt was the stiff rear suspension. It is a non-link type mono-shock. For relatively good tarmac and even around corners, it holds its own pretty well. But when the ride gets bumpy, which can happen in India, the rear begins to lose a bit of its feedback.
This bike is good for long hauls. But going fast for long hours will take a toll on the rider without any fairing what with the wind hitting straight on the chest at 150kmph! I also felt that for a bike of this stature the braking lacked bite and could have been better. And the biggest deterrent however is the price tag. But then is there a price for lifestyle and class! Now that is a rhetorical question.
Conclusion.
In 1992, Ducati had come up with a concept that they had been working on and finally unveiled a street motorcycle that went on to become the iconic Monster based on a philosophy of minimalism as far as styling goes and raw grunting power delivered from an L-twin coupled with sweet handling coming from a trellis frame. The Monster has grown and evolved to its iconic status over the decades and has become one of the most desirable motorcycles for bikers around the planet. Would I buy this? Now that is another rhetorical question. Few things on the planet would give me greater pleasure than to become part of Ducatisti!
Motion of Thanks: A big thanks to Ducati Gurgaon who was largely helpful in my endeavours and agreed to give me the bikes for several hours to work and test on last week and extended a helping hand in everything that was required for the above test and ride.
Text and Photos: Krishnendu Kes, aka KEN
The MeetingThe Ride
Twisting the throttle gently I was getting myself accustomed to the soulful staccato growl of the Vees! You will not get this character in your regular run-of-the-mill inline twin, four, six or whatever. I pulled in the hydraulic clutch, remembering that this was a Ducati that have dry clutch plates! I engaged gear with the customary thud of such bikes and eased her out of the parking on to the road. Now this is where the Ducati Monster takes over and wins your heart. I had a clear choice of vast open roads and traffic ridden office going roads. I decided to try out both. But first the office roads to see what this baby can do in traffic.
Monster to Office.Positives:
What does this Ducati deliver? Much of everything that one would want in a naked street motorcycle. Riding ergonomics come foremost in mind. You are inclined to the front, but not enough to tire your back and wrists. But this aids in the handling around fast corners. Handling in stalled traffic, on fast straights, around corners and on the narrow back lanes comes with uncomplicated ease. Some find the handlebars a bit too wide. I find them to be really helpful in Indian conditions while dealing with not-so infrequent bad road conditions. The wide handlebars help in keeping the bike gathered while going off the road on gravel and while hitting sudden potholes.
The bike delivers usable power and torque and at sane accessible engine revs without having to make it scream at the top of its lungs to extract the power. The juices are there for the asking. You just have to gently open the throttle.
One cannot say enough of the styling. This is an unmistakable eye magnet with the bold new cross trellis frame underneath the muscular tank, the sloping angled single seat, single sided swingarm exposing the carefully carved beauty of the rear alloys and the glitzy headlamps.
Negatives:
The biggest negative in the riding factor in this bike I felt was the stiff rear suspension. It is a non-link type mono-shock. For relatively good tarmac and even around corners, it holds its own pretty well. But when the ride gets bumpy, which can happen in India, the rear begins to lose a bit of its feedback.
This bike is good for long hauls. But going fast for long hours will take a toll on the rider without any fairing what with the wind hitting straight on the chest at 150kmph! I also felt that for a bike of this stature the braking lacked bite and could have been better. And the biggest deterrent however is the price tag. But then is there a price for lifestyle and class! Now that is a rhetorical question.
Conclusion.
In 1992, Ducati had come up with a concept that they had been working on and finally unveiled a street motorcycle that went on to become the iconic Monster based on a philosophy of minimalism as far as styling goes and raw grunting power delivered from an L-twin coupled with sweet handling coming from a trellis frame. The Monster has grown and evolved to its iconic status over the decades and has become one of the most desirable motorcycles for bikers around the planet. Would I buy this? Now that is another rhetorical question. Few things on the planet would give me greater pleasure than to become part of Ducatisti!
Motion of Thanks: A big thanks to Ducati Gurgaon who was largely helpful in my endeavours and agreed to give me the bikes for several hours to work and test on last week and extended a helping hand in everything that was required for the above test and ride.
Text and Photos: Krishnendu Kes, aka KEN
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