Ducati Monster 1200 S 2018 — Specifications

When Bologna decides to revisit a model iconic, two scenarios present themselves to the observer: a cosmetic evolution that reassures accountants, or a genuine questioning that shakes certainties. With this generation of Ducati Monster 1200 S, the answer lies somewhere between the two, and that's precisely where the debate begins.

Let's start with what causes displeasure. The S version of this specification once held an advantage in horsepower over its little sister, a solid selling point in dealerships. This hierarchy has disappeared: both variants now share 147 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and 124 Nm of torque at 7,750 rpm, extracted from the 1,198 cc Testastretta V-twin. Those who had chosen the S for this power margin can legitimately grimace. However, 147 horsepower on 185 kg dry weight is a density that places the Ducati Monster 1200 S 2018 in the same brutal register as the BMW S 1000 R, the Aprilia Tuono V4, or the KTM Superduke 1290. The club of extreme naked bikes doesn't joke around, and the Monster now has its own membership card.

What justifies the depreciation of the S on the used market is precisely what the standard version cannot offer. The gold tubes of the 48 mm Öhlins TIN forks are not there to look pretty in a catalog; they signal a level of filtration and precision that standard dampers cannot match. The Öhlins mono-shock at the rear works in tandem with the asymmetrical aluminum swingarm, and the whole gives this motorcycle a rigidity in curves that the 211 kg when running hardly presages. The four-piston Brembo M50 calipers, mounted radially on 330 mm floating discs, are identical to those that Ducati mounts on its Panigale. At 17,190 euros, you are therefore offered the braking of a superbike in a naked chassis. Cornering ABS, piloted by the IMU inertial unit, modulates braking pressure according to the lean angle. It is discreet, effective, and avoids a few embarrassing situations.

Electronics are, moreover, the area in which this generation most clearly marks its predecessors, whether we are talking about the Ducati Monster 1200 S 2014 or the Ducati Monster 1200 S 2017. Three riding modes, eight levels of traction control, eight positions for the anti-wheelie, bidirectional quickshifter: the catalog hits the specification, even if some purists will find that the electronics too carefully packages the raw character of the V2. Ducati Monster 1200 S forum communities readily debate this point. The Testastretta engine with its 12.5:1 compression ratio has something to say, and not always in a whisper.

For the target audience, let's be frank: the Ducati Monster 1200 S price does not target the neo-motorcyclist looking for his first machine. It is aimed at the experienced rider who wants a versatile motorcycle capable of swallowing a ride on winding roads with as much appetite as a daily commute, without ever falling into the compromise of the generalist roadster. The 785 mm seat remains accessible, the 16.5-liter tank offers correct range with a consumption announced at 5.2 liters per hundred, and the all-electronics allow you to modulate the character according to the mood of the moment. Those considering a Termignoni exhaust will find a motorcycle that reveals even more of its sonic temperament, provided they accept a few pointed looks in quiet streets.

The Monster 1200 S is not a perfect motorcycle. It weighs its weight, its price stings, and the disappearance of the power differential with the base version leaves a bitter taste for those who had paid for this gap. But it has a rare coherence: the trellis frame, the Öhlins suspensions, the Brembo brakes and the high-performance V2 form a homogeneous ensemble that few naked bikes in the segment can claim as clearly. Purchased new or unearthed in a Ducati Monster 1200 S used after a few years of good and loyal service, it remains a reference in its category.