Prior to 2021, the year Ducati unveiled its next-gen Monster, the OG naked bike was typically available in multiple versions featuring different engine sizes, spec levels, and price tags. That year, however, would be the final year of production for all but the new Monster—that’s just Monster, thank you (no displacement-alluding suffix needed). With an entirely new chassis concept based on the monocoque design of the Panigale superbike, edgy styling, and an updated version of the 937cc Testastretta 11° engine first used in the Hypermotard in 2016, all other Monsters—even the top-shelf Monster 1200—became obsolete. At least in Ducati’s eyes.
The 2024 Monster is available in four versions, but the Plus and the SP are the core of the lineup; the Monster 30th Anniversario and Monster Senna are costly special editions.
In Plus and SP trim, the bike is both the most affordable and the most approachable model in Ducati’s lineup (aside from the Hypermotard 698 Mono, which is the same price). The engine is tuned for friendly power delivery; the 32.3-inch seat height feels even lower thanks to a narrow saddle; the electronics, featuring lean-angle-sensitive TC and ABS, are top-notch; and nimble handling, which begs for weekend blasts through the local twisties, is equally adept at navigating city streets on the daily commute.
Some people may think its style is too far removed from Miguel Galluzzi’s original Monster—fair enough—but it’s not like the design hasn’t been evolving ever since Ducati released the Monster 696 in 2008 (before that, Galluzzi’s basic design went largely unchanged, despite a gazillion different versions). Although 2021′s changes were vast, they adhered to the spirit of Galluzzi’s original concept, in which a racing-derived chassis was fitted with a road-going engine and intentionally spare styling. Same formula, different era.
The 2024 Monster Plus starts at $13,195 for Ducati Red. The SP model ($15,995) is upgraded with longer-travel, fully adjustable Öhlins NIX 30 fork and Öhlins monoshock, Termignoni silencers, Brembo Stylema calipers, and a MotoGP-inspired livery. The Monster 30th Anniversario ($18,595) is similar in spec to the SP but has forged alloy wheels, carbon fiber fenders, its own livery, and is limited to just 500 units. Finally, the Monster Senna ($25,000), limited to 341 units and built to a similar spec as the 30th Anniversario, pays homage to Ayrton Senna, the legendary Formula 1 driver and Ducatista.
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