DUCATI MONSTER 800 (1996 - 2005) Review

The Ducati Monster 800 is a middleweight naked motorbike that evolved from the M600 version released in 1994. Over the years, the larger model variant of Monster has evolved to larger capacity versions and so the middleweight version has followed suit.

The original Ducati M900 Monster became the M1000 before 1100 and 1200 versions followed and so the M600 middleweight became the M620 followed by the M750 and finally the M800.

As with the others, the Ducati M800 Monster is a beautiful, painfully cool machine and, like the others, enjoys teasing owners with its fiery, Latin temperament. Imperfect but an iconic machine nonetheless.

Jerky throttle response and a heavy clutch mean on/off town work is hard going. Slow speed manoeuvring’s tricky too, given a poor turning circle. But the power’s where you want it and the brakes are great. At speed, the handling’s good but pegs and cans can scrape and the front suspension’s a bit squashy for anything too adventurous.

The Ducati M750/800 Monster's engine’s been taken from the Ducati 750SS but detuned to provide more midrange grunt for this urban roadster motorcycle.  Healthy torque means easy fun in town without millions of gear changes, whilst the powerband’s perfectly suited for blasting down twisty lanes, too. The Ducati 750 Monster used carburettors - the later Ducati 800 Monster was fuel injected.

Ducati M750 or M800 Monsters, like all Ducatis of this vintage can be touchy but it’s often the electrics, rather than anything mechanical, which goes wrong. Component-wise, they’re beautifully built and put together. If you’re adding or repairing anything, use Ducati OE parts, if possible.

Midway between the 600 and the 900, this 750/800 is a good compromise: the sprightliness of the former combined with (most of) the extra oomph of the latter. And, as Ducatis go, it’s not a bad price. For not a whole lot more, you could get a Monster M900 and an extra 15 or so bhp. Find a Ducati Monster 800 for sale.

The dash on the Ducati M750/800 Monster is a bit spartan, especially the Ducati M750 Monster without a rev counter… Plenty of warning lights but no useful gauges. Low seat and high bars look the part but discomfort on long distance rides is a common complaint, especially amongst tall riders. Aftermarket screens are a good idea if you want to ride over 85mph.