What Sets the 2021 Ducati Monster Apart from Its Predecessors
The 2021 Ducati Monster review conversation starts in one place: the trellis frame is gone. For anyone with time on older Monsters, that’s the first thing you process when you walk up to the bike. The new chassis is a front frame section bolted directly to the engine, saving 4.4 pounds and dropping the wheelbase compared to previous generations. Whether that changes what the Monster is, or just what it looks like, is something you need to ride to settle for yourself.
I own both a 2015 Ducati Scrambler and a 2009 Monster. Both have been modified — lowering the suspension two inches, swapping handlebars for clip-ons, new exhausts, carbon fiber bodywork. I’ve put laps on my Monster at Laguna Seca alongside the 821. I came to this 2021 Ducati Monster review with a strong opinion about what a Monster should be, and that opinion got tested from the first mile.
Ducati North America invited me to San Francisco for the launch. We started the ride in the city, through typical SF traffic, where the Monster’s urban ride mode proved immediately useful — smooth, predictable throttle response that makes city filtering feel manageable without any of the jerkiness that plagues some twins at low RPM. Coming from Florida, I wasn’t prepared for the grade. San Francisco streets average 30 percent in some sections. We pulled off midway up a steep incline for photos, sitting horizontally on the hill waiting for traffic to clear. I was more than a little nervous.
2021 Ducati Monster Review: Sport Mode in the California Redwoods
From the city we rode south down the Pacific Coast Highway toward the California Redwoods. I experimented with ride modes along the way. The grip warmers made that section comfortable in a way that would have been genuinely miserable otherwise — San Francisco in the morning is cold regardless of what the calendar says.
At the Redwoods, I switched to sport mode, and that section of the ride was the best part of the day. The weather had cleared, sun coming through the trees, and the Monster’s handling sharpened noticeably. The brakes were direct and easy to modulate. Engine response through the full RPM range was smooth even when getting hard on the throttle in the curves. The new TFT dash provided strong visibility in changing light conditions and navigating through settings mid-ride was straightforward. This is where the 2021 Ducati Monster earns its review.
Who the New Monster Is Actually Built For
The 2021 Ducati Monster is not a beginner bike dressed up as a performance machine — it is a lightweight, accessible performance machine — the Ducati Monster lineup page has full spec comparisons across model years. At 407 pounds wet, it is one of the lightest Ducatis in the current lineup. The 111 horsepower from the Testastretta 11° engine is enough to be engaging without being punishing, and the seat height at 32.1 inches is workable for a wider range of riders than most of the Panigale family. Ducati’s Performance accessories catalog offers real customization: seat options, luggage, exhaust, windscreens — the Monster platform supports a build that can grow with the rider.
This ride completely changed how I think about the new Monster. My 2009 is staying in the garage — it’s still the bike I have the most miles and emotion invested in. But the 2021 model is now on a very short list next to the Streetfighter V4, which is saying something considering how long it has been on my radar considering how long the Streetfighter has been on my radar. The new headlight shape, the bold proportions that reference the Streetfighter without copying it — Ducati made a Monster that earns that name on the road, not just on paper.
Images: Phlewid Films
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Devonne Duerbaum is a great author!
Devonne Duerbaum is a great author!