The original Ducati Monster may have started out as a bit of a mongrel, thrown together from bits of the Italian company’s other models, but it’s significance cannot be downplayed. It may have been a budget model, an entry into the Ducati range, but in 1992 it was exactly what the struggling manufacturer needed. It was cheap to develop but sold well and introduced new riders to the Ducati brand. Without this, we might never have had the race wins, the Desmosedicis, the Panigales and the Multistradas. It might sound like an exaggeration, but without the Monster we probably wouldn’t have the successful Ducati we know today.
And here we are, 34 years on, in 2026 with the latest, fifth generation Monster. There have been so many versions in the intervening years – some entry-level, others track animals, most somewhere in between – but the focus once again is clearly on the street – delivering a spirited and uncomplicated ride on the roads we ride every day.
Admittedly, that original formula of rugged air-cooled simplicity and trellis frame (all taken from other Ducati models of the time) has long disappeared from the mix. And for the first time in the Monster's more than 30-year history, its valves are spring operated, not desmodromic, as Ducati's latest all-purpose V2 replaces the long-running Testastretta V-twin.
The V2 mill now features, in various states of tune, at the heart of the Hypermotard, Multistrada, Panigale and Streetfighter, as well as the latest Monster. Its conventional valve train may offend the desmo faithful but it's still a 90-degree V-twin and, with the engine weighing just over 54kg, it is as light as it is compact.
Ducati has allotted the Monster the less sporty iteration of the motor, which churns out a claimed 111bhp at 9000 rpm and 91Nm of torque at 7250 rpm, leaving it fractionally down on top end performance compared to its sportier Streetfighter sibling. Ducati's variable valve timing system, called Intake Variable Timing (IVT), brings flexibility right across the rev range, while the highly refined DQS 2.0 up-and-down quickshifter is a standard fitment. Service intervals, meanwhile, go out to 27,000 miles for a valve clearance check, while an oil change is scheduled every two years, or 9000 miles, whichever comes sooner. We never had that with the old desmo engines!
With the V2 comes Ducati's signature and minimalist aluminium monocoque chassis, which contributes to the without-fuel weight of just 175kg, some 4kg lighter than the outgoing Testastretta-powered bike.
The new Monster is as naked as the day it was born, too. Its big single headlight may be LED but remains true to its origins, while original designer Galluzi's distinctively muscular tank design of old lives on, albeit in a more modern form and with a modest 14 litre capacity. As you approach it, the bike looks light on its wheels and up for a good time too. Just as a Monster should.
Priced at a pound under £12,000 in the UK, the new Monster carries a premium price tag for the class and is 10-20% more expensive than nakeds like the Yamaha’s MT-09 and Triumph’s new Trident 800. Despite the price, the Showa suspension is non-adjustable (except for spring preload on the rear), and the brakes utilise Brembo’s lower-spec M4.32 calipers, rather than the sharper M50 items found on the Streetfighter V2.
Step astride and you’re greeted by a new 5.5” colour TFT dashboard and the same neat and navigable switchgear shared with Ducati's other V2s. Traditional one-piece handlebars shape you into a relaxed and neutral stance. There are now four power modes and four riding modes to choose from: Sport, Road, Urban and Wet, with the latter two limiting peak power to 95bhp.
These are easy to change on the move, via the switchgear and a momentarily closed throttle, and each can be modified to suit your riding preferences. You could, for example, have the full stable of 111 horses in Wet mode rather than the prescribed 95, or remove the traction control and wheelie control in Sport mode. The extensive raft of rider aids features cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, engine brake control and that Ducati quickshifter, which can be deactivated if you wanted to be all old school and analogue. All your settings remain saved, which is a welcome bonus.
In a bid to appeal to newer and shorter riders, as well as more experienced folk, Ducati has made the Monster as easy to ride as possible. At just 175kg it feels especially light at a standstill, while there's plenty of steering lock for intricate manoeuvres. Seat height is at 815mm, which is 5mm lower than the previous Monster.
According to Ducati, the inner leg curve has been reduced by 18mm, while the official accessories catalogue even offers a 20mm lower seat and a suspension lowering kit that removes another 20mm, giving a theoretical seat height of just 775mm. I’m 5’ 7” (170cm) and could easily get both feet firmly planted on the road both sides on the standard set-up.
Monsters are as popular in town and as in the country for good reason, and the new bike excels in the cutthroat chaos of rush hour traffic. It's keen, clean and so easy going you understand why Ducati feels there's no need for a more entry-level Monster these days. In Urban mode the fuelling is all but perfect, and a far cry from the low rpm lumpiness of the original desmo. In fact, some 70% of the V2's torque is available at 3000rpm, and 80% between 4000rpm and 10,000rpm, thanks in part to that IVT system. Pick-up from a closed throttle is instant, without being overly sharp, while drive is as linear as it is lively.
Both Urban and Wet have similar power curves and are restricted to a 95bhp peak, but in Wet mode the rider aids are at the maximum level of intervention, whereas in Urban they are only reduced a fraction. Part of our ride with the Monster came in soaking wet conditions and, with maximum electronic back up, the bike gave great feedback on treacherous asphalt. The all-round Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres also deserve praise for working well in both the wet and dry, and for warming up quickly.
The Monster's base set up is plush and forgiving – certainly not as racy as some previous models. The bike steers very naturally – you’re never forcing or fighting things – and when we encountered a road punctuated by countless switchbacks, the Monster slowed, turned and drove out again with light-footed efficiency and zero drama. When the traction control was activated, the intervention was smooth and the re-introduction equally sophisticated, and noticeably more refined than that of most middleweight nakeds. In the wet I prefer lots of engine braking, giving the front brakes less to do, and the opposite in the dry, so having the ability to change this characteristic is another plus point.
As noted previously, the 2026 Monster gets Brembo calipers up front with lower-spec M4.32 calipers than the M50s found on the faster and more expensive Streetfighter V2. The set up works well, but it will be interesting to see how both the stoppers and Showa suspension, which has limited adjustment at the rear and none at the front, perform when the pace hots up. In the rain, when precision and feel were the main priorities, both were excellent.
And, overall, the new Monster is as distinctively stylish, desirable and easy to ride as it has ever been. Smaller and less experienced riders will relish its blend of a low seat, a smooth engine (especially in Urban and Wet modes) and easy agility. Its slightly less powerful version of the new V2 powerplant may not punch out big numbers but it is precise, responsive and smooth right across the rev range. There's traction everywhere and superb electronic rider aids work away in the background. Open the throttle with meaning and the Monster accelerates with crisp and linear urgency. It is quick when it wants to be.
Despite the limitations placed on this test by bad weather, the Monster managed to be fun. And that's a serious compliment, particularly as the bike gives virtually no protection from the elements.
Ducati Monster specification
Price: £11,995
Engine: 890cc V-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 111bhp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 91Nm @ 7250rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, quickshifter (up and down), chain drive
Frame: Monocoque aluminium
Suspension: (F) 43mm Showa USD forks (R) preload adjustable single shock absorber.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, (F) 17” x 3.5”/ (R) 17” x 5.5”
Tyres: Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV (F) 120/70 x 17 (R) 180/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 320mm disc, Brembo M4.32 four-piston radial caliper, (R) 245mm disc, Brembo two-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Weight: 175kg (wet, no fuel)
Wheelbase: 1,493mm
Seat height: 815mm (with standard saddle)
Fuel tank: 14 litres
Fuel consumption: 53mpg
Service intervals: 9,000 miles/24 months
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.ducati.com
