And here it is, meet the new Ducati Monster 1200 R, the most powerful Ducati Monster yet. Every bit, a Monster every bit pure Ducati. A motorcycle that promises the track thrills as well as everyday road usability. The 1200 cc Testastretta 11° DS “R” version V-twin engine produces approximately 10% more power than the engine on the 1200 S. That makes the output numbers at 160 HP @ 9,250 RPM and 131.4 Nm @ 7,750 RPM, numbers that can be very scary on a naked motorcycle. But the real changes that the ‘R’ tag brings in are much more. The tail piece is now high mounted, lightweight, compact and totally redesigned. To match the added performance, the new Ducati Monster 1200 R has a higher rider stance. This enables greater lean angles which coupled with the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres should be immense fun on a race track.

Furthermore adding to the premium part list is Öhlins steering damper, Öhlins front and rear suspensions and redesigned footrest bars for the rider and pillion. Ducati have further made the package track friendly by using forged wheels and carbon fibre to reduce the overall weight of the new Ducati Monster 1200 R. At 180kgs dry, this new Monster should totally be nimble on track and on the road. This new Monster also gets the best of electronics on offer by Ducati. ABS and Traction control come as standard and will go a long way in keeping the rubber side down. Furthermore, Ducati have also included 3 riding modes. The Sports, Touring and Urban riding modes have different power levels on offer and these also have different levels of ABS and Traction Control intervention.

Internally there are minor changes to the exhaust pipes and the throttle bodies that along with the new power maps enable the power bump from the engine. The compression ratio has also been increased from 12.5:1 to 13:1 to enable higher efficiency and meet the Euro 4 standards. A slipper clutch also comes in as standard equipment.

The overall design remains classic Ducati Monster style. The high, front heavy looking design is a typical Monster trait and cannot be mistaken for anything else out there. The new Ducati Monster 1200 R has many subtle and minor changes all around. For example, the seat is sharper and thinner than from the S model with a more sleek design. There is a lot of attention to detail and the ‘R’ badge is sandblasted onto the metal radiator cover to emphasize this point. The forged 3 spoke wheels are clearly inspired from the pure race bred Panigale R. The new Ducati Monster 1200 R will be available in two colour options globally, the Ducati Red and Thrilling Black.