DUCATI MONSTER 821 (2014 - on) Review

Two hours is my normal maximum ride time but I have traveled long and fast through France riding all day. Pillion would be a different matter (see earlier comment) However, this bike has a sport orientated riding position with relatively bent legs. Sadly, my age related aches and pains in my legs and hips will mean that I will be changing this bike for something with a more relaxed riding position. This is to do with me not the bike.

The engine in standard form pulls like a train. In this iteration of the 821 engine there is no real advantage to be gained by changing the pipes (except to lose some weight). I have geared the bike down by one tooth on the front sprocket - a worthwhile modification that increases the ability to embarrass bigger and supposedly sportier bikes.

Battery life has been a problem but this might be down to the aftermarket Tracker and the need to keep it trickle charged through the winter. Battery goes flat at around two weeks with no charging. If the battery is low it can throw out the digital dashboard display.

The bike is 5 years old, 23,000 miles and I have owned it from new. New tyres each year, chain and sprockets at 10,000 mile intervals, sundries as per service intervals. The "big" service where the belts are changed is no longer the great cost that it was on older Ducatis and is comparable to any major service on a modern bike.

The only major change I have made is to lower the gearing.Pirelli Diablo tyres suit my riding style so I have stuck with them.

Fantastic front brake, and ok rear brake. My only other comparison is the Z650 that I learned on, and that had a very impressive rear brake. Very comfortable to ride, smooth and engaging.

Plenty powerful enough for me. Much more fun when used in Sport mode with a much more direct feeling between throttle and pick-up

All seems very nicely put together - stays looking very sharp and so far, has been very reliable. I did get a yellow engine warning light but that was after stalling it and dealer explained that it would likely automatically clear (which it did).

Not a cheap bike, but it is a quality item. I’m a relatively new rider and so I’m not giving the tyres too hard a time.

The quick shifter (not too expensive an addition) is worth every penny. I found (new rider) that there is a bit of a knack to avoiding false neutrals, but the rumbles changing down through the box are brilliant!

Stripe has multi adjustable suspension so getting personal preference for set up is possible. Handling is superb & instils confidence, as do brakes which are excellent. No pillions on this one but riding position suits me fine with no aches or pains on rides. Bike is not a mile munching tourer & is most happy on our tighter country roads.

Power is strong & builds but can be a bit lumpy on small throttle openings.

Bike is now nearly 5 years old, has admittedly only just covered 2500 miles & no corrosion or reliability issues.

Returning to dealer for servicing etc is a must but not overly expensive & always lots to look at in showroom while you’re there!

More than enough toys to play with from ride modes to trips & possible to personalise ABS & TC. Gear indicator would have been good which is on newer models.

Decent bike, very comfortable whilst being slightly on the firmer side of standard, non adjustable front fork does an ok job, but if it bothers you that much, change it.

Plenty powerful enough for the road. You can wring its neck without terrifying yourself. Love the v twin burble. A very characterful motor.

No issues so far.

a lot of money for an annual service where they don't do a lot!

I've fitted bar end mirrors, so much better than seeing your shoulders only. new colour tft dash is spot on, everything missing from previous models is there, so no complaints.

Easy 5 stars! It may lack a little in giving confidence in long sweeping corners but it is so easy to ride. It is also very comfortable for a sporty(ish) bike and no real weight on the wrists. For us shorter riders it is easy to put both feet down in traffic. The brakes are very good too, the front is a little snatchy but the rear is superb, great feel on them. And the ABS is just right in all modes.

Another easy 5 stars. It is a V-twin so expect it to be a little vibey, but it has so much torque! I haven't tried the 1200 but I can't see how you could need more power, especially on the road. The sound is also incredible. Well done Ducati!

Within two days of receiving the bike, the gear linkage fell off. Not a great start and had to ride the bike to the garage in 2nd gear. However worse was to follow when the pin to hold the swing arm to the rest of the bike came loose three days later! The nut to hold it in place on the other side was missing. I was out enjoying some twists, so doesn't bare thinking about had I not noticed and stopped there and then. Fortunately, the bike comes with roadside assistance - which was very good.

Not sure about the running cost as I have just run the bike in and had the first service done (£140). I get about 50 mpg overall so not bad. However it is a Ducati so the parts may not be cheap.

Love the brembo brakes. For the price, all models should really come with adjustable suspension. And is it too much to ask for a fuel gauge!?

Rigid ride which has got better with miles. Front end not so harsh now. Eased off by 2k miles. front brake is too angry. What rear brake?

The best part of the bike is the physical experience underpinned by that lovely engine. Very quick-fire throttle on Sport mode and a joy to ride as long as you are not on a windy motorway. Makes you feel special.

A couple of minor niggles but nothing major. You pay a premium for that cachet though

The mandatory annual service is a joke if you are doing very few miles, but it seems that many manufacturers insist on this now. Tyre wear seems low considering the torque it pumps out.

Everything works and is sensible. Minimum required for a modern motorcycle. Anything else is just a distraction from riding anyway.

A simply superb handling bike it just gobbles up the twisty bits and is so much fun to ride it also has a very comfortable seat, the only downside is the very small mirrors are almost impossible to see anything behind.

Grunty and loud with loads of power.

No problems so far

Good fuel economy, no service cost yet

I would try and get better mirrors

fork dives a bit into corners. breaks are good.

sounds great. just got Competition Werkes GP style exhaust makes it sound even meaner.

cheap fix, but mirrors don't work if you can only see your shoulders

expensive initial cost plus taking it to an authorized dealer to have an authorized mechanic work on it for$100+ an hour isn't ideal

Very comfortable. The pegs are fine even though the exhaust intrudes a bit on the right. Seat nice. Minimal vibrations which is surprising given the v-twin engine. Mirrors though are very buzzy. Suspension is like any other. Back brake mushy, front brake very sharp. Neutral hard to find till you get the knack. Sidestand has a habit of flipping back up - so make sure you put it down all the way!

It's a V-Twin! Lumpy low down. Loads of torque. Is plenty fast but deceptive about it.

Quality parts. If the display pannel is good enough for the Panigale it is good enough for the Monster 821.

Getting 55-57 mpg. Probably high compared to others. I do mostly motorway mileage. Have not yet given it any welly. Service schedule is 9k miles so good. Not a cheap bike to buy or insure. But then it is Italian exotica.

Loads of nice instrument panel features. 9 traction control levels, 3 ABS levels, temperature, time, mpg, trips..... but no fuel gauge. But you know from the trip when it will be fuel up time. Most I can potentially squeeze into the tank is 15 litres (sitting on bike filling upright). Supposed to be a 17.5 litre tank. All manufacturers lie about the tank size.

With the Termignioni exhaust the front peg gets on the way and keeps touching the exhaust cover.

Fantastic torque and power. The only thing that is anoying is the grunt at lower gear and speed.

The bike is a solid piece of engineering.

As it is a fun bike for me I have not used enough

I give it four out of five because the suspension is harsh (reducing front tyre by 2 psi helps), but the front break is awesome and it needs to be. The rear brake is, well, an expensive light switch. ABS is welcome under these circumstances! Very easy to ride.

Wonderful between 3 and 8 k revs. Sublime. Sounds great too. Sport mode is very punchy at lower revs. Great character.

Just 1200 miles to date. No issues.

Getting 55 mpg and an easy 150-160 per tank before fill ups. Ideal for a naked bike riding duration.

Some whinge about lack of gear indicator, but the gearing is perfect for the road and I always seem to know what gear I am in. Very easy to understand and clear instrumentation. Annoying main beam switch.

Superb grunty engine that delivers power just where you need it

Expensive but well worth the money, makes mt09 look cheap by comparison

Has excellent safety equipment, brilliant brakes and adjustable suspension front and rear. I changed tyres to Rosso Corsas which suit bike giving mega grip and fantastic feel at big lean angles. Bike is also much more pillion friendly than rivals.