Ducati Monster 1200 S

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By chance we came to the Ducati Monster 1200 S for our test – what luck, as it turned out in hindsight. The monster rocked us vigorously, to the general joy of Dietmar and me.

The Short-Term Monster

The planned test drive is cancelled 15 minutes before the start and we had to reschedule. What to do if SuperSport isn't there? The friendly Ducati dealer helps further: The new Hyperstrada, even as an SP, would be ready, or the fresh Multistrada 1260. Nice and highly interesting bikes, but unfortunately not seriously feasible: There is so much new on both that a test cannot be shaken off the sleeve without adequate preparation. At least not if you want to say more than "everything quite nice, only the color I don't like" – that's where we have our ambition.

But the monsters standing in front of the entrance? Have I driven privately, the preparation from the short presentation of the 1200 is available, although with Dietmar, but what is to come surprisingly? – so from time to time, side roads and a whole bit of free highway sit up to the meeting point with Dietmar for our test video. More on that, first a round around the monsters.

It looks good, and it is only at second glance that you discover the skills of the designers. Apart from the beautiful frame, the monster always seems so bullish. However, this is a trick of the designers, because this impression results from the powerful rear and the wide tank. But this one is only wide from above – in fact, like the rest of the motorcycle, it is narrow, almost graceful. No one knows better than Ducati to take advantage of the narrow-build V2.

This is how she drives herself

Cool, what is that? It's like crazy. Check the next corner and first the data of the Monster 1200 S on the web. 145 HP? 124 Nm torque? This is indeed much more than my monster at the time.

You always do a lot of things. For example, to let it go quietly at first. However, since I have a lot of Ducati experience, and the monsters just turn on you with their sound, precise chassis and brutally beautiful engine, it may be that I have stretched the limits of the highway code somewhat in my favor. With a bad conscience, I go to the letterbox every morning. Post from Ducati, the forwarded penalty note with the request for payment? Not yet.

Driving fast on the motorway with a Naked Bike is only limited fun. Everyone knows.

If there are longer distances.

If the conditions did not allow the sprint.

And if you weren't sitting on a Ducati Monster S and only had two rides to the meeting point.

To be brief, I did not reach the 258 km/h Vmax of the monsters. But I don't want to deny that this V2, which runs simultaneously through the speed band and pushes forward with brutal force, is a top engine. After every traffic-related braking, one is looking forward to driving the Duc through the gears again. The whole thing is served in small courses pre-sorted thanks to Blipper. Nominally, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R 20 hp, which was also recently tested by Dietmar and me, has more on the chain. In practice, there is no sign of this. However, all this only applies if the speed is above 3,000 revolutions. She has strength underneath, but it doesn't make her happy.

In my memory, the monster was a rather small motorcycle, with a short wheelbase and thus a tilting chassis. I had to jet a few kilometers over country roads to the meeting point and already after the second bend I was sure: this memory is also deceptive (wheelbase 159 cm and thus average). Ducatis are not beginner bikes. The generally high engine power contributes only a small part to this (you can also kill yourself at 60 km/h). Instead, I use a Duc to give this precise landing gear every kilometre, which increases at a higher speed. You control, and the Duc goes right down to the millimetre. However, this can only be achieved if you drive the machine, which you should be able to do.

A hallmark of the "S" version is the fully adjustable chassis from the specialist Öhlins. Bikers get into a swarm here and I have to say: compliment.

I'm here first. Clear. Höhö, the Dietmar (currently driving BMW boxer), To whom I put the monsters and say nothing, he can experience his blue miracle. Well, unfortunately nothing, because unlike me, Dietmar tends to read data sheets BEFORE the trip and interpret them correctly.

To be brief, 26 years ago the monsters not only saved Ducati, but also gave us great joy. No matter what you drive privately: the monsters drive, steer, beat, experience, hear for quite a while on different roads... that's great. The farewell days later was very difficult.