2017 Ducati Monster 1200 & 1200 S
2017 Ducati Monster 1200 and 1200 S updated with 150hp and 126.2Nm of torque
The Monster 1200 is packed with new design and content and available as a higher-performance S version. The Monster 1200 has a sleeker tank, a fully redesigned sports-style tail, an all-new technologically advanced headlight and a first-rate electronics package derived from the one on the 1299 Panigale.
The Monster 1200 features the latest version of the Testastretta 11° DS engine, ensuring not just outstanding power and torque but also full, smooth power delivery right off the bottom end.
The twin-cylinder Ducati power unit on the Monster 1200 delivers 150hp at 9,250rpm (15hp more than the previous Monster 1200 and 5hp more than the previous Monster 1200 S) and a maximum torque of 126.2Nm at 7,750rpm.
Accurate Ride by Wire calibration gives the Monster 1200 fluid performance, ensuring exciting, precise riding. Moreover, the new Monster 1200 meets strict EURO 4 standards.
The frame is a classic Ducati Trellis that employs the Testastretta as a stressed chassis element.
Attached to the engine are the new, compact single-sided swingarm and the all-new die-cast aluminium rider pegs, separated from the passenger pegs.
A comprehensive electronics package with three different Riding Modes (Sport, Touring and Urban) includes the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that feeds information to the Bosch Cornering ABS and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) systems.
Top-drawer electronics gives the Monster 1200 true Ducati sport naked performance, but in a way that makes it accessible to everyone, ensuring high levels of active safety at all times.
The exclusive Monster 1200 S sharpens that Monster sports performance to an even finer edge thanks to a 48mm Öhlins fork and rear Öhlins monoshock, both fully adjustable.
Awesome braking is provided by two 330mm Brembo discs at the front working in concert with Brembo M50 monobloc calipers.
Moreover, the Monster 1200 S features wheels with three Y-spokes featuring exclusive “S” graphics and a front carbon mudguard while the front headlight is characterised by the DRL (Daytime Running Light) system and LED – not bulb type – indicators.
The Monster 1200 is available in Ducati Red with a red frame and black wheels. The Monster 1200 S offers the same Ducati Red, red frame and black wheel livery or the new, refined Liquid Concrete Grey with black frame and black wheels.
Ducati Monster 1200 main features
- Colours – Ducati Red with red frame and black wheels
- 1198cc Testastretta 11° DS engine with 150hp at 9250rpm and 126.2Nm at 7750rpm
- Euro 4 emissions
- Exhaust with dual silencer
- Wheels with ten spokes mounting DIABLO ROSSO™ III tyres, 120/70 ZR17 up front and 190/55 ZR17 at the rear
- Adjustable 43mm Kayaba fork
- Adjustable Sachs shock absorber
- Brembo front braking system with 320 mm discs and M4.32 calipers
- 3 Riding Modes
- Ducati Safety Pack (3-level Bosch Cornering ABS, 8-level DTC, 9-level DWC)
- Colour TFT instrumentation
Ducati Monster 1200 S main features
- Colours – Ducati Red with red frame and black wheels or Liquid Concrete Grey with black frame and black wheels
- 1198cc Testastretta 11° DS engine with 150hp at 9250rpm and 126.2Nm at 7750rpm
- Euro 4 emissions
- Exhaust with dual silencer
- Headlight with DRL
- Wheels with three Y-spokes mounting Diablo Rosso III tyres, 120/70 ZR17, 190/55 ZR17
- Adjustable 48 mm Öhlins fork
- Fully adjustable Öhlins shock absorber
- Brembo front braking system with 330mm discs and M50 calipers
- 3 Riding Modes
- Ducati Safety Pack (3-level Bosch Cornering ABS, 8-level DTC, 9-level DWC)
- Colour TFT instrumentation
2017 Ducati Monster 1200 & 1200 S design
When the Ducati Design Center started working on the Monster 1200, their goal was to come up with a sleek, compact bike with true sporting character, to get back to the “sport naked bike” concept and the anodized aluminium attachment clip has made a comeback.
The short, compact, sleek tail, supported by the steel Trellis subframe, still lets riders set a seat height of 795 or 820 mm.
The subframe also supports the passenger footpegs, now separated from the rider’s pegs. This new configuration gives the Monster 1200 a sporting line while improving ergonomics.
Another feature that has always been a Monster hallmark is the headlight. Fully redesigned for this motorcycle, it now features dual parabolas and, on the Monster 1200 S, the DRL (Day Time Running Light) too.
The adoption of this new headlight has led to the development of a new instrument panel support, now attached to the handlebar risers.
This gives the front end a visually “lighter” look, thanks also to repositioning of the indicators, now underneath the top yoke and not on the headlight itself. Moreover, the motorcycle also features new switchgears.
Another important step taken by the Ducati Design Center has been to reduce – and simplify – the number of plastic parts. The expansion tank cover is now more compact, the radiator cap is minimalist and the exhaust manifold guard has a more “technical” look.
2017 Ducati Monster 1200 & 1200 S engine
The Monster 1200 is powered by the liquid-cooled 1198cc twin, 4-valves-per-cylinder Testastretta 11° DS. Euro 4-compliant, the engine is also a structural element of the chassis set-up, with attachment points on the Trellis frame.
This engine delivers a huge 150hp at 9250rpm. Thanks to the new throttle bodies and the dedicated exhaust, Ducati has produced an impressive torque curve that means even more riding enjoyment, generating a maximum torque of 126.2 Nm at 7.750 rpm.
The 1198 Testastretta 11° DS gulps in air via Mikuni Ride-by-Wire oval throttle bodies (equivalent diameter 56 mm) and features a twin-spark set-up.
The double flame front ensures complete combustion within an ultra-short interval, giving – together with the secondary air system that optimises performance by reducing combustion cycle dispersion but without affecting emissions – smoother power delivery and an even more enjoyable, exciting ride.
Keeping the engine cool is a curved radiator with two high-efficiency electric fans.
The Monster clutch, instead, is of the oil bath slipper type with ultra-low effort lever control. Spring load is automatically increased by a progressive self-servo system.
The outcome is much better fingertip “feel”, ensuring excellent comfort when frequent gear changes are inevitable in city traffic or on long rides.
When the rear wheel exerts back-torque, the same mechanism reduces pressure on the clutch discs, activating the slipper function and so preventing rear end destabilisation during aggressive downshifting.
The exhaust ducts, with a cross-section of 50-52 mm, are part of a 2-1-2 system designed with identical lengths for both cylinders in order to maximise power and delivery efficiency. This system features a lambda probe for each cylinder to make fuelling both autonomous and optimal.
Ducati’s nonstop investment in quality and reliability means the Testastretta 11° DS engine on the Monster 1200 has lengthy maintenance intervals: valve timing adjustment is now needed just once every 30,000 km (18,000 miles).
2017 Ducati Monster 1200 & 1200 S chassis
On the Monster 1200 the engine acts as a load-bearing element, the Trellis frame being attached to the cylinder heads, a racing-derived concept first applied on a factory bike with the Panigale project.
This configuration gives a highly compact, light frame, while large cross-section tubing gives the high torsional rigidity that is perfect for bringing out the motorcycle’s dynamic performance.
The Monster 1200 also boasts an all-new, beefier swingarm and a compact 1,485 mm wheelbase.
The rear seat-carrying subframe – also attached directly to the engine – has been redesigned to provide a compact structure that also supports the new passenger footpeg struts.
These pegs are separated from the rider’s to ensure greater freedom of movement in sport-style riding.
Both rider and passenger footpeg attachments are made of die-cast aluminium and mount aluminium pegs. To underline the Monster’s sport pedigree, the rider’s pegs also feature aluminium heel guards.
The Monster 1200 features fully adjustable 43mm Kayaba forks up front, while the Sachs shock absorber at the rear has spring pre-load and rebound damping adjustment.
The Monster 1200 S, instead, mounts 48mm fully adjustable Öhlins TiN coated forks and a fully adjustable Öhlins shock absorber.
At the rear, the shock absorber works in concert with progressive linkage, it is attached directly on the vertical cylinder head at one end and on the die-cast aluminium single-sided swingarm at the other.
The Monster 1200 employs a Sachs shock absorber, while the Monster 1200 S features a fully adjustable Öhlins model.
The Monster 1200 is equipped with light 10-spoke Panigale style alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17in at the front and 6.0 x 17in at the rear, while the Monster 1200 S offers up wheels with three Y-spokes that have undergone finer supplementary machining.
Both models mount Pirelli Diablo Rosso III dual-compound tyres, 120/70 at the front and 190/55 at the rear, that combine mileage-enhancing durability with constant grip, even in assertive cornering.
Up front, the Monster 1200 mounts twin Brembo M4.32 monobloc 4-piston radial calipers that grip 320mm discs, the Monster 1200 S, instead, has Brembo M50 monobloc calipers and 330mm discs – the same components seen on the Panigale.
Both models feature front brake radial pumps with separate reservoirs; a single 245mm disc at the rear is gripped by a Brembo caliper that mounts enhanced-efficiency sintered brake pads.
These components ensure top-notch braking performance, a feature that has always been a Ducati hallmark.
2017 Ducati Monster 1200 & 1200 S electronics
Both the standard and S version of the Monster 1200 come with the Ducati Safety Pack (DSP) which, thanks to the Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), integrates Bosch 9.1MP Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) to ensure high levels of safety.
The Monster 1200 boasts a Brembo braking system with the Bosch 9.1MP Cornering ABS device, the latter makes use of the Bosch IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) platform to optimise front and rear braking power even in critical situations and with the bike at considerable lean angles.
The system has three different intervention levels. Level 1 offers maximum sports riding performance, disables rear wheel lift detection and allows rear wheel drift during braking by applying ABS at the front only.
Level 2 ensures a balance between front and rear: while rear wheel lift detection is disabled the Cornering function is applied and calibrated for sport riding.
Level 3 optimises braking action: rear wheel lift detection is enabled and the Cornering function is on and calibrated for maximum safety.
Nevertheless, the ABS can also be fully disabled via the instrument panel in any Riding Mode, and settings can be saved and recalled at the next Key-On.
The DTC (Ducati Traction Control) detects and subsequently controls any rear wheelspin, enhancing both bike performance and active safety.
The Monster features the latest DTC software version, optimised to ensure a soft response thanks to intervention on spark advance only.
The system lets riders select from among eight different profiles, each calibrated to provide a rear wheelspin tolerance that matches progressive levels of riding ability and road conditions (classified from one to eight). Level 1 minimises system intervention, while level 8 ensures maximum traction on wet road surfaces.
Ducati sets DTC levels for each of the three Riding Modes; however, these can be personalised to suit riders’ preferences and saved on the individual menu settings. The DTC function can be switched off in any Riding Mode and will then stay off until the next Key-On.
The Monster 1200 is equipped with 8-level DWC (Ducati Wheelie Control). The system analyses vehicle wheelie status and consequently adjusts torque and power to ensure maximum yet safe acceleration without any imbalances in the set-up.
Like the DTC, this feature has 8 different settings and is integrated into the Riding Modes.
Ducati Riding Modes let riders select different pre-set modes to optimise motorcycle behaviour according to individual riding styles and road conditions.
The Monster 1200 has three Riding Modes (Sport, Touring and Urban), each programmed to act on the electronic Ride-by-Wire (RbW) engine control system and the ABS, DTC and DWC levels.
The available modes stem from a combination of cutting-edge dedicated technologies.
Riding Modes can be changed on the go, while personalised ABS, DTC and DWC settings need to be made with the bike at standstill and the throttle closed.
Riding Modes
- Sport Riding Mode delivers 150 hp of engine power with direct Ride-by-Wire throttle twist response, reduced DTC intervention (level 3) and high ABS braking efficiency (level 2); rear wheel lift detection is off and DWC is on (level 3).
- Touring Riding Mode delivers 150 hp of engine power with progressive Ride-by-Wire throttle twist response, heightened DTC intervention (level 4), ABS with rear wheel lift detection and active DWC (level 5).
- Urban Riding Mode delivers 100hp of engine power with progressive Ride-by-Wire throttle twist response, even more decisive DTC intervention (level 6), ABS with maximum braking stability and rear wheel lift detection and active DWC (level 7).
The control panel on the Monster 1200 features a latest-generation TFT display. This has three different configurations called Core, Full and Track, each designed to show the information that is best suited to certain riding situations. All three screen configurations show the currently selected gear.
In Urban Riding Mode, the display adopts the Core configuration, minimising the amount of data displayed, as is advisable in an urban environment The most evident information is vehicle speed, this is shown in the centre of the screen while the selected gear is shown on the right.
In Touring Riding Mode, the display changes completely and goes to the Full configuration to show as much useful travelling info as possible.
In Sport Riding Mode, the display adopts the Track configuration, providing only information related to sport riding. The rev counter graphic is reset with a pure Superbike-style layout.
The TFT control panel on the Monster 1200 can be personalised and the rider can choose the display mode whatever the selected Riding Mode.
On the Monster 1200 the headlight offers a powerful halogen light source and LED “horseshoe” side lights.
The Monster 1200 S headlight is characterised by the incorporation of the LED Daytime Time Running Light (DRL) system, which ensures perfect vehicle visibility during the day.
At the rear, both versions have full LED lighting (both brake and tail light). On the S version, LED lighting technology is also applied on the indicators.
Moreover, the Monster 1200 features a hazard warning lights function, activated by pressing the left indicator switch for four seconds.
