2026 Ducati Monster gains 890cc V2 engine
Ducati’s 2026 Monster gets a new 890cc V2 engine with variable valve timing, a lighter chassis, and updated electronics, making it sharper, smarter, but still unmistakable.
Ducati has lifted the covers off the 2026 Monster, the fifth generation of the naked icon that first appeared back in 1992 and arguably saved Ducati from disaster.
The original bike was light, sporty, easy to ride and, unlike some of the models that came before it, attainable to most riders. It was an almost overnight success, and provided the Borgo Panigale brand with the stability it needed to ride out the financially turbulent 1990s.
That history makes any updates to the model tricky. Sure, you have to update for safety and homologation, but you also can’t completely trample the heritage of a brand that has been much-loved for more than thirty years.
Because of that final point, this latest version sticks to the same recipe: simple, muscular, and fun. But it brings with it new technology, less weight, and a completely reworked engine.
What’s new with the 2026 Ducati Monster
At the heart of the new Monster is Ducati’s latest 890cc V2 engine with IVT (Intake Variable Timing). It’s lighter by nearly six kilos compared to the previous Testastretta Evoluzione lump, and Ducati says it’s smoother, cleaner, and easier to live with.
It produces 109.5 bhp at 9,000rpm and 67 lb ft of torque at 7,250rpm, with more than 80 per cent of that torque available between 4,000 and 10,000rpm, highlighting the bike’s on-road tractability. The new engine’s service intervals are another standout feature — valve clearance checks every 45,000km (around 28,000 miles), which should keep maintenance costs in check.
The IVT system itself varies the timing of the intake valves, giving a flexible spread of power rather than a peaky rush. Ducati has been keen to make the Monster accessible to more riders, and the V2’s broad torque curve should make it as happy carving up a twisty road as it is in stop-start city riding.
As before, the engine is a stressed member in the chassis, with the 2026 model using a monocoque frame made from aluminium, which is bolted directly to the cylinder heads. That’s joined by a technopolymer trellis-style subframe and a double-sided swingarm that takes design cues from the Panigale V4’s hollow version. The result is a bike that weighs 175kg with an empty tank, four kilos lighter than the outgoing model.
Suspension comes from Showa, with a 43mm upside-down fork and a preload-adjustable rear shock. The setup is said to balance comfort and sportiness, giving a bit of plushness on the daily grind while keeping things tight enough for enthusiastic riding. Brakes are top-shelf Brembo M4.32 radial calipers gripping 320mm discs up front, and Ducati says the feel at the lever has been softened slightly for smoother urban braking without losing power when it’s needed.
Electronics are up to Ducati’s current high standard. There’s a six-axis IMU controlling cornering ABS, traction and wheelie control, engine braking, and the latest version of Ducati Quick Shift. Riders can switch between four modes, Sport, Road, Urban, and Wet, through a new petal-style joystick on the left switchgear and a 5-inch TFT dash with day/night display modes. The system is ready for Ducati’s Multimedia System and turn-by-turn navigation, and cruise control is pre-wired as well.
Other notable updates include a new, narrower seat that sits at 815mm, with optional low versions available, and a revised riding position with higher bars for a more natural reach. Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres come as standard, with a 120/70 front and 180/55 rear.
On the styling front, the new bike is visually very similar to what came before it, but that’s no bad thing. The Monster has gently and gracefully evolved over the years, and maintaining that unmistakable silhouette is quite a big deal. Only the most eagle-eyed (and eared) roadside observers will be able to tell that this is the new V2-powered 2026 edition of the machine.
Two versions will be available, the standard Monster and the Monster Plus, which adds a cowl and seat cover. Both bikes will be available in either Ducati Red or Iceberg White. The bike will hit European dealers in February 2026, before rolling out to the US, Japan, and Australia later in the year.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
