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Ducati Motorcycles: Monster
Ducati Motorcycles: Monster

Video: Ducati Motorcycles: Monster

Video: Ducati Motorcycles: Monster
Video: Ducati Monster SP | Mad for fun 2024, March
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Out of all Ducati motorcycles, there is one that has been the most popular motorcycle of the Borgo Panigale brand for almost two decades, the monster. This mythical model was born from the hands of Miguel Galluzzi, an Italian designer who started working for Ducati when it was owned by Cagiva.

History says that to design his master lines, which remain intact today, he based on his 851 with which he had had a hit and had fitted a round headlight while it was being repaired. The end result was very faithful to the first sketches he designed Galluzzi, with a multi-tube chassis that came from the 888, inverted fork, a small body and a round headlight that has remained until today.

Ducati Monster 600
Ducati Monster 600

Some say that Monster's name It comes because a factory worker, upon seeing the first sketch, said it was a "monster." Others say that the name also comes from Galluzzi himself, since when he designed it, "monster" toys for children were in fashion. I have tried to locate him to ask him but I have not succeeded, so everyone who thinks what they want.

I remember when I was just 14 years old, my father let me drive a motorcycle that left a mark on me. It was the first Ducati Monster 900 of history. That motorcycle impressed me in the barely 5 minutes that I drove it through a deserted urbanization near Vigo.

His appearance was impressive and it was completely unlike any other bike we had seen so far. One of the things that most caught my attention was how short he was, since at only 14 years old he arrived perfectly with both feet on the ground, and that I have never stood out for my height.

The motor I only had 73 horses, and it was an L-twin with two valves per cylinder. The weight of the set was quite low, and its dimensions too. Perhaps that mixture of concepts together with a most attractive and revolutionary exterior appearance were the key to its success, a success that in its first year of production, in which it was planned to manufacture only 1,500 units, they had to be expanded to 5,000 units, a third of Ducati's total production.

Ducati Monster 900
Ducati Monster 900

The Monster 900 (M900) was the first to go on sale in 1993, but in 1994 it was followed by Monster 600 (M600) and in 1996 the Monster 750 (M750). In the middle was born a version of the Monster that we did not know in Spain, the Monster 400 (M400). This very special 42hp version was only aimed at countries like Japan, Italy and Singapore, and was basically a Monster 600 with smaller diameter and travel pistons.

The M600 only had a front disc brake, but it looked just as strong as the M900 and M750. The 600 version became a bestseller, being for years the best-selling large-displacement motorcycle in Italy.

The success of the Ducati monster It was unstoppable, and it was already succeeding all over the world, something that possibly neither Galluzzi nor the Ducati managers could think of when this project was launched. For this reason, other versions began to hit the market, such as the Monster dark, a cheaper and simpler model that was differentiated by the matte black color of its bodywork.

Less than a decade and the Ducati Monster already had sold more than 100,000 units worldwide.

The injection and the revolution are here

The arrival of the new century was the time of change for the Monster family, subtle changes that should not spoil a motorcycle that had conquered so many people. A) Yes in 2000 the M600 was replaced by the 620i.e, which incorporated injection and went from 52 to 60 horsepower. Her appearance changed little, simple details to keep her unmistakably a Monster.

Ducati Monster Dark
Ducati Monster Dark

At year 2000 Another of the most prominent versions within the Monster family arrived, the S4. Ducati was then owned by the North American group Texas Pacific Group, and Galluzzi was no longer with the company, but worked for Cagiva.

The Ducati Monster S4 It had a 916 cc engine, but not the one in the Tamburini-designed supercar, but the one in the ST4. One of the most striking parts of the new Ducati Monster was the small windshield that was located on top of the round headlight. This seemed to contradict the bike's naked aesthetics, but time has shown that it made sense and even today's models still carry it.

The Monster S4 maintained its characteristic riding posture, with its arms wide open and the body leaning slightly forward. It was not exactly the most comfortable driving position, but it must be said that this has been and continues to be another of the characteristic points of the Monster family.

This model with a "mil" engine considerably increased its performance, and thus the cycle part was also able to keep up with better suspensions and changes in the bike's geometry.

S4R and S2R

At year 2003 came a new evolution of the S4, the S4R. The 916 cc engine was replaced by the 996 cc that produced 113 horsepower, and in addition the single-sided rear swingarm and a decoration in various colors with a line that crossed from back to front were incorporated.

Ducati Monster S4R
Ducati Monster S4R

Also in 2003 came the Monster 800 and 1000, also air-cooled like the original model. In 2005 came the Monster S2R, which mixed the 800cc engine and the single-sided swingarm and the look of the S4R.

Three years later, the S4R saw its engine displacement increase from 996 cc to 998 cc. Was the Ducati Monster S4RS that incorporated the engine of the sports car 999, the motorcycle that already reigned in the super sports sector. 130 horses for what was until now the most powerful Ducati Monster in history. Most surprising of all, nine years later it still is.

The Monster family had grown a lot, and all of them enjoyed great success and were already some of the most popular motorcycles in cities and roads around the world. Everyone wanted a Monster, and so came the 695, a basic version that with 73 horsepower was offered at a price that made it affordable for almost anyone who wanted a large displacement naked.

M696 and M1100, present and future of a myth

TO the end of 2007 came the most radical change until now in the Monster family, with the arrival of the new 696. This new model had little to do with the previous Monster, and it was a completely modern, avant-garde version, but still maintaining the spirit of the original Monster.

Tubular chassis, very small dimensions and a headlight that was still round despite having a metal structure in front. The exhausts are still coming out at the top of the tail, but with respect to the S2R and S4R in this new model they come out one on each side of the tail.

Ducati Monster 696
Ducati Monster 696

The Monster 696 it dropped a lot in price compared to its predecessors, finally becoming a true bestseller. It was a sales record in many countries, and to give us an idea of how far its success has come, suffice it to say that in Italy 902 units were sold in a single month.

But of course, the Monster 696 was not the end of this family that seems to have no end, and a few months later Ducati presented the 1100 version. This incorporated the well-known engine that the Hypermotard also carries among others, it had a single-sided swingarm and despite the engine's displacement, it only offers 95 horsepower.

Its secret lies in the overall lightness, which makes it one of the bikes with the best weight / power ratio in the naked segment.

I have succumbed to its charms

This is very briefly the history of the Ducati Monster, possibly one of the most popular motorcycles in the history of two wheels. There are many things that have remained in the pipeline, since the Monster has achieved such a high popularity index that several books could be written about it, books that exist on the other hand.

Ducati Monster 1100 S
Ducati Monster 1100 S

I have to say that I too have succumbed to its charms, and for half a year I am a proud owner of one of the new Monster 1100 S, the highest-end version of how many Monsters are sold right now. I can't describe what the Monster has to have managed to make so many people fall in love in its almost two decades of life, but what I can say is that when you carry a Monster between your legs you know that you are not carrying just any motorcycle.

People look at you as you go, and that their appearance is rather discreet. But precisely there lies the success of the Ducati Monster, having managed to become a model that does not go unnoticed by anyone.

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