Motorcycle specifications DucatiMonster 2026 In search of its prey

A 90° open V2. A V2 for all... Or for all. While the V4 has taken over all of Ducati's muscle bikes, the twin-cylinder is far from dying out in Bologna. As proof, the brand-new 890 cm3 is involved in a number of actresses. Here, it plays a big part in developing its reputation. For it must give life and lift the soul of the Monster 2026.

THE MONSTER, not them! It's been a while since there was a single model in the catalog. As if there were only one place for the descendant of the 1993 900. It's up to the Streetfighter, Diavel and Scrambler to provide other experiences of the roadster theme. For the Monster, it's all about the essentials: handlebars, engine and two wheels. That was very true in the early days... It's a little more dense today.

This twin takes it into the future

Let's take a look at this engine. If its displacement is close to the early days, its design is light years ahead. Light, compact and highly technical, it features today's solutions: 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooling, fuel injection, ride-by-wire - everything found in the Testastretta 937, except... Its ribs are a little more super-square, it loses the desmodromic system, is 5.9 kg lighter and gains variable valve timing.
Not for the first time, purists will choke on it. For other enthusiasts, it means a fuller, smoother, more usable block.

It's already at work in the Panigale V2, Streetfighter V2 and Multistrada V2 - a consanguinity linked to cost rationalization without disappointing.
It drives the trail bike with real pleasure; this engine fits like a glove.
Its efficiency is highly exploitable on the Streetfighter;
But power-hungry fans of the sportbike will be disappointed. The efficiency is there, the madness less so.
Okay, okay, but what's its power? I'll come to that. Against all expectations, the new Monster develops exactly the same amount as its predecessor : 111 horsepower. Torque? The maximum is down a little, by 2 Nm, to 9.3 mkg. Ducati didn't give as many watts as in the Streetfighter V2, just to make the difference. Where the new twin really comes into its own is with 80% of maximum torque available between 4,000 and 10,000 rpm.

Marking the spirits

The engine's round belly goes hand in hand with its rounded back. While Ducati has extensively redesigned the new Monster, it has done so in a spirit of continuity with the 2021-2025 model. Nothing to do with the previous shock. Volumes are similar, the fuel tank captures attention with its sculpted shapes, plastic takes up space around the edges of the radiator while abandoning the engine walls, the rear is streamlined in favor of the one-piece seat - the Monster still has quite a personality. And the new headlamp, clearly influenced by the XDiavel V4, is just the beginning.

When Ducati decides to take its bikes into a new generation, it doesn't do it by halves. New engine, new look, new chassis. Although the design takes a similar approach to the previous Monster, with a minimalist aluminum frame-hull, there are many things that lead it towards renewal. Especially in terms of dynamics: the bike is 4 kg lighter (175 kg before benzine), the wheelbase increases by 18 mm, the rake is reduced to 23.3° and the rider's position changes. He sits 5 mm lower, puts his arms 7 mm forward and raises them 7 mm to grab the handlebars. A slightly sportier stance, to recapture the expression of the first Monster bikes.

The aluminum frame weighs just 4 kilos, acts as an airbox, and holds a 43 mm Showa inverted fork. The swingarm is attached directly to the engine. Completely new to the Monster, it follows the layout of the latest Panigale V4 models. A beautiful piece, entirely dedicated to efficiency. The Monster doesn't just want to give you a thrill, it also wants you to ride valiantly.
No worries on the braking front, with the same Brembo components: large 320 mm discs, M4.32 4-piston calipers, aviation hoses, PR18/21 radial master cylinder. And with its low weight, the Ducat' won't overheat them. The right-hand lever will be your buddy, without having the formidable level of a Stylema or Hypure system, more suited to the big guns of the road or track.

New opus from Monster.... So, reinforced electronics? Very sparingly. There were already quite a few assistants.
It's the driver's station that's evolved the most, with an improved commodo and a new, larger 5-inch display. The display has been upgraded to offer two themes (Road or Road Pro). The shifter has been upgraded to model 2.0, offering a more direct, less rubbery feel. The Monster also retains its cornering ABS, traction, wheeling and engine braking controls, power modes and riding modes. Previously, there were three: Sport, Urban and Touring. The Monster V adds a fourth composition, Rain. With greater efficiency and intervention from DWC, DTC, ABS, EBC, a low power level, a very progressive throttle response and power lowered to 95 bhp.

Two legendary Ducati bikes were born in the '90s: the 916 and the Monster. The former was transformed by performance to become the Panigale V4. The latter came in many versions and was sufficiently renewed that only its name and the angle of its engine remain. Once again, the Monster has evolved, and the enfant terrible has been given a new look, but it doesn't change or shock as much as its predecessor.

The Monster phase 4, the 937 cm3, was a visual slap in the face. An upheaval, almost a change of identity, that upset fans. But not the market, which ranked it among the brand's best-sellers. This 5th generation presents itself as more available, as striking as ever; only its brutality is lost with time.

The Monster will be offered in an A2-compatible version, with 43.5 hp (not 47.5 hp ?????????) and 5 mkg. There's also a + version, with a small windscreen and seat cover.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos