2021 Ducati Monster Track Review

The Ducati Monster is almost three decades old, with the first Monster being unveiled in 1992, and the production model of the first-generation Monster rolling out in 1993. And it's been an iconic name in the world of motorcycles, and quite a successful model for Ducati, selling over 3,50,000 bikes across the world. In fact, the naked bike motorcycle design as we know it today, was pioneered by the Ducati Monster, with bodywork and fairing stripped off from sports bikes, with an exposed frame and engine.

Also Read: 2021 Ducati Monster Launched At Rs. 10.99 Lakh

The most significant visual change is that Ducati has done away with the signature steel trellis frame on the new Monster, and replaced it by a lighter aluminium frame inspired by the chassis of the Ducati Panigale V4.

The exposed steel trellis frame has been a signature design element of the Ducati Monster all these years; that is, until now. The 2021 Ducati Monster has done away with the steel trellis frame, replaced by an aluminium frame inspired by the chassis of the Ducati Panigale V4. But more than a design change, it's a practical structural change, offering a lighter, but firmer structure to offer better balance and handling. After all, Ducati's high-performance sports bikes have been using aluminium frames for a few years now, with each iteration proving to be more improved and advanced in its performance and dynamics.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About The 2021 Ducati Monster

With prices beginning at Rs. 10.99 lakh (Ex-showroom), the new Ducati Monster is not exactly an affordable beginner's sport bike, but Ducati says it offers best of both worlds; a fun experience for expert riders, and a friendly tool for rookie riders.

In a way, the new Ducati Monster seems to have changed with the times, but has it lost its appeal? According to Ducati, the 2021 Ducati Monster offers a fun experience for expert riders, but also a friendly tool and accessible performance for new and inexperienced riders. With prices beginning at Rs. 10.99 lakh (Ex-showroom), it's not exactly an affordable beginner's sport bike, but comes loaded with tech and features, as well as boasting of entertaining performance and dynamics. We spent some time at the Buddh International Circuit to see what exactly the new Monster offers, and if it's any fun as Ducati promised us.

The new Ducati Monster may look compact, but still has that muscular naked bike appeal.

Design & Ergonomics

The absence of the steel trellis frame aside, the new Monster retains that chiselled naked bike appeal. The muscular and sculpted "bison back" fuel tank gives it a sense of mass forward design. The round-ish LED headlight is more oval than round, with a ring of LED daytime running light (DRL) around it. The dynamic "swiping" front indicators are mounted on the flanks of the fuel tank, and the handlebar is flat and wide, offering a comfortable upright riding position for everyday riding.

The flat and wide handlebar, with a narrow and slim seat between the rider's legs make it an easy bike to straddle, friendly and comfortable. With just 188 kg kerb weight, it's a light and unintimidating motorcycle.

The standard seat height of 820 mm with a narrow and slim seat design between the rider's legs offers an accessible and friendly riding position. With my height of just over 5' 9", I can comfortably place my feet flat on both sides, so the new Monster certainly should make it easy for new riders to get comfortable. Besides, it feels slim and light once you straddle it, unlike the 821, which felt a little heavy and cumbersome, especially when turning around at tight spaces. And there's been weight reduction everywhere possible, including the engine, wheels, frame and sub-frame.

The new aluminium frame is 4.5 kg lighter, the engine 2.6 kg lighter, and features new rods and pistons, new cylinder heads, new geardrum, and a new clutch with 20 per cent less lever effort.

In fact, the replacement of the steel trellis frame is more of a functional change, than a design departure. The new aluminium frame is 4.5 kg lighter, the swingarm 1.6 kg lighter, and the 17-inch alloy wheels are 1.7 kg lighter and shod with sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres. The steering diameter has been reduced, with a sharpened rake, and the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) sub-frame is 1.9 kg lighter, and is also stronger than before. Overall, the new Monster is a full 18 kg lighter than the Monster 821, and now gets a kerb weight of 188 kg.

Swing a leg over it and the new Monster feels noticeably and significantly light, and once you get moving, it's almost intuitive and easy to manoeuvre.

Engine & Performance

Swing a leg over it and the new Monster feels noticeably and significantly light, even off the side-stand, and once you get moving, it's almost intuitive and easy to manoeuvre. The 937 cc, Testastretta, 11-degree, L-twin engine is a tried and tested unit, used in the Multistrada 950, as well as the SuperSport 950. But now it gets new rods and pistons, new geardrum, a new clutch with 20 per cent less effort on the lever, new cylinder heads, as well as new clutch, alternator and belt covers.

Acceleration is brisk, and entertaining; triple digit speeds are reached very, very, quickly. Ducati says the new Monster has improved power and torque over the Monster 821 from as low as 3,000 rpm to well over 9,000 rpm.

On the Monster, the engine is tuned to produce 109 bhp at 9,250 rpm and 93 Nm at 6,500 rpm. But more than peak numbers, it's the torque curve which has been boosted substantially from 3,000 rpm, all the way past 9,000 rpm. So, this Monster may feel small, but there's plenty of shove when you play on the rev range through the gears. According to Ducati, the new Monster's engine has improved power and torque over the Monster 821 from as low as 3,000 rpm to well over 9,000 rpm, and combined with the weight loss and new chassis, it's a different animal altogether!

The new Monster has enough performance for an entertaining outing at a racetrack; experienced riders will appreciate its razor-sharp handling, while new riders will welcome its unintimidating performance and stability.

Acceleration is brisk, and entertaining; triple digit speeds are reached very, very, quickly, and will go well past 150 kmph in a matter of seconds! While it may not have the manic performance of, say, the Hypermotard 950, the Monster is no slouch. The engine revs freely, and a handful of the throttle will prod it to lift its front wheel, without much effort! The six-speed gearbox feels a lot easier to shift through the gears, and the bi-directional quickshifter works seamlessly, allowing clutch-less upshifts, and rapid downshifts when approaching a chicane! It's addictive, and a whole lot of fun!

The new chassis aids in quick direction changes, and the sticky Diablo Rosso III rubber gives the rider superlative confidence around corners.

But what's immediately impressive is how friendly the new Monster is to ride! The new chassis aids in quick direction changes, and the sticky Diablo Rosso III rubber gives the rider the confidence around corners. For me, the first warm-up session around the Buddh Circuit is usually a cautious one; after all, it's been a while since the last outing here, and that too, this time around, on a brand new bike, with cold tyres. But as the day progressed, the new Monster helped increase my confidence, to push harder and harder! Corner exits are extremely enjoyable with a smooth throttle hand, and approaching a chicane became a gleefully enjoyable experience!

The 4.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen offers all the menus for the three fully-customisable riding modes, as well as cornering traction control, cornering ABS, wheelie control, and even launch control.

Safety & Tech

The Monster's new electronics suite includes three fully customisable riding modes - Sport, Touring and Urban, with each mode offering further customisation on throttle maps, traction control and ABS levels. On our outing at the BIC, we stuck to Sport, with the throttle mode at its highest, and it's quite simple to toggle and change through the modes, as well as different levels of traction control, wheelie control and cornering ABS. Everything is neatly displayed on the 4.3-inch high-resolution TFT instrument panel, and the inertial measurement unit (IMU) powers the sophisticated electronics suite, ensuring things remain in control, whether a new rider is piloting the Monster, or an experienced one, possibly getting too adventurous with it! There's even launch control, which many street riders may not find any use for; instead, cruise control may have been more useful.

Out on the smooth surface of the Buddh International Circuit, we've had no complaints with the non-adjustable suspension. The front-end performed very well, providing precision and stability where it mattered, under hard braking, as well as through the corners of the track.

Ride & Handling

Ride quality can seldom be judged on the smooth surface of a racetrack. So, how the new Monster actually rides, on Indian roads, in our conditions, will have to be a story for another day. But at starting prices of almost Rs. 11 lakh (Ex-showroom), what could be a point of discussion is the suspension, despite most of the Monster's owners not thinking of fiddling with suspension settings at all. The 43 mm upside down KYB fork doesn't offer any adjustability, but comes with 130 mm travel, while the rear monoshock only offers preload adjustment, but with 140 mm travel.

The chassis offers a well-composed ride, and the riding position makes it easy to shift body position from left to right corners with ease, and all the while, the new Monster really nails it as far as handling and mid-corner composure is concerned.

Considering the Monster's closest rivals in pricing and segment offer adjustable suspension, this could certainly be a subject of discussion. However, out on the BIC, I have had no complaints with the stock suspension. The front-end performed very well, providing precision and stability where it mattered, under hard braking, as well as through the corners of the track. Put on your hooligan mode, and the new Monster will gladly oblige!

The new Ducati Monster really nails it as far as handling and mid-corner composure is concerned.

The chassis offers a well-composed ride, and the riding position makes it easy to shift body position from left to right corners with ease, and all the while, the new Monster really nails it as far as handling and mid-corner composure is concerned. The Brembo M4.32 four-piston monobloc calipers offer superb braking power, and together with the Bosch Cornering ABS, the new Monster offers a level of confidence that is difficult to resist!

The top-spec Ducati Monster+ features a standard flyscreen and rear seat cowl and is priced beginning at Rs. 11.24 lakh (Ex-showroom).

Price & Variants

The 2021 Ducati Monster is available in two basic variants, with prices for the standard Ducati Monster beginning at Rs. 10.99 lakh (Ex-showroom) in Ducati Red. There are two more colours available, Aviator Grey (with red wheels) and Dark Stealth, both priced at Rs. 11.09 lakh (Ex-showroom).

The top-spec Ducati Monster + gets a standard flyscreen and rear seat cowl, and is priced at Rs. 11.24 lakh (Ex-showroom) in Ducati Red, while the Aviator Grey and Dark Stealth colour options are priced at Rs. 11.34 lakh (Ex-showroom). At those prices, the Ducati Monster goes head to head against the Triumph Street Triple RS, and a comparison between the two should throw up some interesting, and not to mention, very entertaining observations.

The new Ducati Monster is an extremely likeable motorcycle. It has enough performance, razor-sharp handling, and offers a platform for an entertaining outing at a track, and will offer an easy and accessible platform for new riders.

Overall, it's quite a fun and likeable package, and the new Monster has evolved in the right direction, with a near-perfect blend of performance, safety net, dynamics and accessibility.

To sum up, the new Monster offers enough performance to keep things entertaining for experienced riders, and for new riders, it offers an easy and accessible platform, which is unintimidating and easy to ride. Overall, it's quite a fun and likeable package, and the new Monster has evolved in the right direction, with a near-perfect blend of performance, safety net, dynamics and accessibility.

The new Ducati Monster offers a superb option as a first big bike, offering a level of performance and handling that is both entertaining, and accessible.

Our first ride experience of the new Ducati Monster was on the smooth surface of the Buddh International Circuit. But the fact is that nearly all of the Monster's customers will end up using it on the street, and that's where true performance, ride quality and its actual strengths and weaknesses can be ascertained. But after a very entertaining outing at the track, we say this with certainty, that the new Ducati Monster offers dollops of fun. That's more than enough reason to say, it's a versatile street naked that is exceptionally friendly, and entertaining, and makes the Monster name very appealing in its 2021 avataar!