My first Ducati was a 2005 Monster Dark 620, so the 2027 Ducati Monster Dark hits close to home. Ducati has put the all-black look back on the current Monster, with a US price of $12,995 and North American dealer arrivals in February 2027. It runs the 890cc V2 and weighs 386 pounds without fuel, and the story here is the black finish.
The Dark livery goes back to the first generation of the Monster, and Ducati describes this version as the purest, most essential one. The bike keeps the shapes that made the Monster recognizable: a headlight framed by the shoulders of the fuel tank, a one-piece seat for rider and passenger and a short, light tail.
2027 Ducati Monster Dark Livery and Trim
Black does most of the work on the 2027 Ducati Monster Dark. The seat is cut from a single fabric, the wheels are all black and the turn signals are static. Ducati leaves the front frame, the exhaust end caps and the air intake snorkel unpainted, so the structure of the bike shows through the black bodywork.
Owners who want more can build on it from the Ducati configurator. Options include Ducati Quick Shift, Cruise Control, a passenger seat cover and a windscreen, along with Ducati helmets, jackets and pants. Ducati lets owners choose only the accessories they want, which suits a bike sold on leaving things out.
2027 Ducati Monster Dark Engine and Chassis
The 2027 Ducati Monster Dark runs the 890cc Ducati V2 with Intake Valve Timing. It makes 111 hp at 9,000 rpm and 67.2 lb-ft (91.1 Nm) at 7,250 rpm, and the service interval is 28,000 miles, which Ducati calls a record. The V-twin is tuned for road riding, with torque that makes the bike easy to ride at any pace.
The frame is an aluminum monocoque, and the rear subframe combines a techno-polymer structure with a steel trellis. Ducati puts the weight at 386 pounds without fuel, 9 pounds less than the previous generation. Showa supplies a 43mm upside-down fork and a monoshock with adjustable preload. Brembo M4.32 calipers and a PR16/21 radial master cylinder handle braking, and the tires are Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV in 120/70 and 180/55.
The seat sits 32.1 inches high on a narrow profile, which makes it easy to put both feet down. The footpegs and handlebars are placed for control during spirited riding and for relaxed use, the same layout as the current Monster.
2027 Ducati Monster Dark Electronics and Riding Modes
A 6-axis IMU feeds Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and Engine Brake Control, and each can be adjusted across several levels of intervention. A 5-inch color TFT with a 16:9 aspect ratio shows the riding information, with a handlebar joystick for the menus. The display is ready for the Ducati Multimedia System and turn-by-turn navigation, and the lighting is full LED with a daytime running light.
Four riding modes change the bike’s character with a button: Sport, Road, Urban and Wet. Urban is aimed at newer riders and city commuters, and Sport sharpens the engine for riders who want a livelier response. Ducati Power Launch is an option for riders who want a MotoGP-style launch, and Quick Shift and Cruise Control are available as accessories.
2027 Ducati Monster Dark Price and Availability
The 2027 Ducati Monster Dark is $12,995 in the US and arrives at North American Ducati dealers in February 2027. Ducati is launching it alongside IMLegend, a photographic project that gathers Ducati riders from past and present and Monster owners from around the world. It follows more than thirty years of the Monster, which began in 1993, as a symbol of individuality and belonging.
The Monster has a long line of special editions, from the Monster Senna Limited Edition to the Dark models that came before this one. The 2027 Ducati Monster Dark sits at the quiet end of that list, with black paint and one seat.
Black paint, one seat and nothing extra, and the Monster still invigorates the way it did when I bought mine.
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