Ducati set to launch new Monster

Ducati insiders have revealed that the firm will launch a new generation of Monster at the Milan show this November.

The bike, shown here as a computer-generated image, will feature evolutionary styling, but is the first completely new Monster since the bike was launched in 1992.
Powered by the air-cooled 1100cc engine from the Hypermotard, plus the 675cc motor of the smallest current Monster, it hopes to take the old bike’s place as the firm’s best-selling machine.

The styling is said to be instantly recognisable as a Monster, but with a more modern overall appearance. Twin high-mounted exhausts, one either side of the seat, and a sloping headlight similar to that on the Aprilia Shiver are said to be the main styling cues of the bike.

Ducati is concentrating on air-cooled versions of the Monster, so the current Testastretta-engined S4R is likely to be dropped, and eventually replaced by a sportier machine based on a stripped-naked version of the 1098.

• Thinking of getting a Ducati Monster? Save money on your motorcycle insurance with MCN Compare.