Buyer Guide: Ducati Monster

Launched 1993: M900. It’s the first Monster and the birth of a legend. November 1994 sees a change to grey cam belt covers and a gold rather than grey suspension torque arm. December 1996 sees more minor changes and an optional small fairing. Monsters from November 1997 onwards have smaller valves (less power), Showa adjustable front forks, separate reservoirs for the master cylinder and clutcha with braided steel lines. In October 1998 the tank emblem changed. Major updates for November 2001 as the bike becomes the M900ie with fuel injection, new swing arm, uprated suspension, small fairing and an aluminium clutch housing. The M900S is launched in November 1997 and it’s a hotted up M900 with a more powerful engine (with the original larger valves) and small fairing. In December 1999 it gets gun-metal grey frame and wheels, minor engine mods and carbon mudguards. In gets fuel injection, uprated suspension, aluminium clutch housing and a headlight cowl in November 2001 as the M900Sie. The M900 Dark is released in October 1998 and it’s a budget version based on the 600 Dark but with the larger engine. It has no seat cover and cheaper matt black paint. In November 2001 it becomes the M900ie Dark with the addition of fuel injection.

Click to view: Ducati Monster owners reviews, specs and image galleries.

Genre busting is an over-used phrase, but it’s completely accurate when applied to Ducati’s Monster. When it was launched in 1993 we hadn’t seen anything like it before. Somewhere between retro and streetfighter, Monsters are minimal, stiff, purposeful and very cool. The original 900 version was crafted from an 888 Superbike chassis with calmer steering plus the ancient, but effective, 900SS V-twin engine and upright bars.

The result was a unique bike with sharp looks and plenty of personality. It’s a great town tool although a poor steering lock and firm suspension stops it from being King of the urban jungle. It really shines on smooth back roads but, once again, that hard suspension pisses on the bonfire if the surface deteriorates. The original bike isn’t that great over distance but later models got a small but effective bikini fairing, which makes a big difference to wind blast and can be fairly easily fitted to most naked models without if required. It’s still no tourer though.

All that makes it sound like it’s flawed. In a way it is, but no machine does everything well and the Monster is still a very competent all round bike. It’s a very desirable machine and one you buy for emotional not logical reasons, like most Italian bikes. It’s a superb bike to ride and a great entry into Ducati ownership.

A survey like the one this article is based on only works when you don’t cast the net too wide. We’ve included all air-cooled monsters in this article except the very latest 696 and 1100 models which are so new they’re barely second hand bikes.

Like all Ducatis, some pub experts will tell you they’re unreliable. But 75 owners filled in our survey and they’ve covered a massive 829,372 miles between them on their Monsters, so believe what you read here, not what the pub expert says.

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