Ducati Monster SP 2023 — Specifications

It's impossible to escape this obvious fact: the Monster has definitively traded in its jeans for racing leathers. With this SP, Ducati delivers a roadster that has little to do with the original recipe of a simple, minimalist machine. Here we face a motorcycle that clearly aims for the necks of pure sportbikes, while maintaining a nude appearance. The result is a proposition at €15,090 that questions as much as it seduces.

Under the hood, the 937 cm³ V2 remains faithful with its 111 horsepower and 93 Nm of torque, figures that, admittedly, no longer intimidate the competition. Yamaha with its MT-09 SP or KTM with its 890 Duke R offer more vigorous and often more playful engines. The soul of the Ducati Monster SP 2023 lies elsewhere: in its Desmo distribution, its sharp character and that dry sound, enhanced here by the original titanium and carbon Termignoni exhausts. It's an engine that demands to be revved to express itself, a philosophy more circuit than leisurely.

Where this Monster Hunter truly establishes its territory is in its chassis equipment. Fully adjustable Öhlins fork and shock absorber, Brembo Stylema brakes, lithium battery, Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires… everything is designed for precision and efficiency. The weight saving is tangible, with 186 kg fully fueled, even if it remains far from a featherweight. The increased geometry and travel invite you to lean without restraint. The electronics follow suit with specific settings for Sport, Road and Rain modes, the latter limiting power to 75 horsepower. A technical specification that makes this Ducati Monster SP test a resolutely performance-oriented experience.

But for whom? The touring rider seeking comfort will pass on by, the 810 mm seat height and the aggressiveness of the riding style will not suit them. On the other hand, the Sunday track rider or the demanding urban rider will find their account. It's a motorcycle that rewards commitment, that requires the rider to be active. Compared to a Streetfighter V2, it is lighter and more responsive, but also less powerful and radical. It is a sporty reason choice, halfway between the classic roadster and the supermotard.

So, buy a Ducati Monster SP? If you're looking for the most versatile or most powerful roadster, probably not. But if you want a machine with a sharp character, dressed in high-end components, and that communicates every piece of information from the road with surgical clarity, this SP is a serious candidate. It is not perfect – the lack of standard connectivity at this price is a matter of taste – but it possesses that aura and that bite that make Ducati legends. A mixed but admiring Ducati Monster SP review therefore: it is the most accomplished and consistent version of the modern Monster, for the best and the most demanding.