Ducati Monster
Almost 30 years after first going into production in 1993, Ducati’s Monster reached a significant milestone in its history this week with the delivery of the 350,000th model rolling off the Ducati production line. The bike in question was a Monster 1200 S “Black on Black”, which Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and the Director of the Ducati Design Center Andrea Ferraresi personally delivered to its owner, the Ducatista Sebastien Francois Yves Hervé De Rose.
Mr. De Rose, who ordered the Monster 1200 S from the Ducati dealer in Milan, was invited to Borgo Panigale for the occasion. The bike was personalised with a plate bearing the number 350,000 and was delivered to the owner accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Claudio Domenicali and a sketch of the Monster signed by the designer Angelo Amato.
The Monster is the biggest selling Ducati model of all time, as well as the longest-serving motorcycle in the range. Its legend was created in 1992 when the company had the intuition of putting on the road a Ducati with a Superbike chassis stripped of the fairings and all elements not strictly necessary. With the launch of the M900 model, the first Monster ever, Ducati was able to give rise to a new segment of the motorcycle market – the sports naked – creating a bike that has represented a true benchmark for several generations.
Over the course of almost thirty years the Monster has changed, improved and evolved from a technical and aesthetic point of view, but without ever losing sight of its main goal: to be a fun-to-ride bike for motorcyclists from all over the world and inspire new generations of enthusiasts. From the legendary Monster 600, which opened the Ducati world to many young motorcyclists, to the second generation with the 696 and 1100 models, passing through the 4-valve versions, up to the most recent 797, 821 and 1200, Monster represents an extraordinary success for the brand and for the Ducati company.
On 2 December 2020, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer presented the new generation of the Monster to the public, which will arrive in dealerships in April 2021. A light and essential bike, inspired by the original recipe from 1992, with a frame derived from the Superbike and a high-performance engine perfect for road use.
Ducati Monster History
1992: 900 cc Monster was presented for the first time at the Cologne Motorshow.
1993: 900 cc Monster with Desmodue engine (2 valve, air-cooled) was put into production.
1995: Monster family expanded with the introduction of the smaller 600 cc model.
1996: Monster family was further expanded with the arrival of the 750 cc model.
1998: Monster achieves sensational success with the introduction of the Monster 600 dark, Monster 900 Cromo and Monster 900 S.
2000: Monster technology and styling continue to develop. The latest arrival is the Monster 900 with electronic injection, and the styling of the entire range is updated.
2001: Evolution of sports Monster models continues with the introduction of the Monster S4 with 916 cc Desmoquattro engine and completely new running gear.
2002: Electronic injection is introduced on the smaller models; the entry level model now has a larger 620 cc engine; all models benefit from the new running gear used on the S4.
2003: Monster 800 and Monster 1000 are introduced, the latter equipped with the new Dual Spark engine.
2004: Flagship of the Monster range is introduced: the S4R with 996 cc engine, single-side swing arm and totally revised styling and technology.
2005: Monster family grows with the arrival of the S2R powered by the 800 cc Desmodue engine.
2006: Monster S2R with 1000 cc engine is born; in addition an authentic, no-compromise bike is introduced, the Monster S4R S Testastretta, a true naked Superbike with all the power and grunt of the Desmodromic “Testastretta” engine.
2007: Monster family adds the new S4R Testastretta to its already impressive line-up. This new model is powered by the famous 130hp Testastretta, deep-sump, L-Twin engine, previously powering only the top of the range S4R S; another newcomer is the Monster 695 which replaces the entry-level 620, taking a quantum leap forward in terms of handling, riding pleasure and performance.
2008: Monster 696 was born and the modern era begins!
