The Monster unleashed

The Ducati Monster can be tamed for Indian city rides

The Ducati Monster can be tamed for Indian city rides
It was a warm Wednesday afternoon,the perfect setting for a ride on the Sohna-Gurgaon highway. The traffic was sparse,except for the occasional car and tractor-trailers jutting in and out of the sidelanes,the road peppered with potholes and gravel,ideal conditions to put a good city bike to test.
There was something that didnt fit the script,though. May be,the bike I was going to ride the 1078 cc Ducati Monster.

You can get the real feel of a cruiser,sports tourer,or a supersport only on a freeway. So calling a litre-capacity machine a city bike does seem a bit out of place. But then the Ducati Monster is one bike that can be a gentle giant in city traffic and then leave it behind at the blink of an eye.

As I turned on the ignition,the beast came to life with a mild hum. Absolutely naked,with no fancy cowls covering the engine the Trellis frame sticking out like ribs enclosing the L-Twin cylinder air-cooled mill the bike seemed ready to roll. The 1078-cc mill delivered a steady grunt from the high-mount exhausts at the rear,coupled with a mild vibration that makes the rider feel the bike is very much alive.

But then this is one machine that needs to be tamed. With a raw power of 95 horses the bike can even do wheelies in the third gear it can literally heave the machine from beneath you. To give a fair indication of the raw power in store,the engine rpm is around 2000 at idling which zooms to 7000 rpm at half throttle. But still the Monster would be easy to ride for any inexperienced big-bike rider over any other litre-capacity bikes,which have throttle response that can be best described scary.

The Monster is a very light bike. This Italian powerhouse carries a dry weight of only 169 kg,as light as a 350 cc Royal Enfield. It is this blend of unadulterated raw power and lean weight that makes it a delight to ride in the city. With carbon fibre accessories,the weight can be reduced further.
The light weight doesnt make the bike unwieldy or bulky unlike the more popular Japanese marques. In fact,this also makes it easier for the rider to cut through traffic. You can manoeuvre the Monster at 100 kmph as one would a 150 or 200 cc bike at a speed of 50 kmph on a not too clean tarmac.

The riding position is very comfortable with the footpegs,gear shift lever,brake pedal and handle aligned in perfect symmetry to reduce strain or fatigue.
The Monster series the 696,1100 and the 1100 S is the entry-level of the Ducati range of bikes in India.

The S series comes with two standard fitments the Ducati Data Analyser and the Ducati Traction Control DTC available as an aftermarket option for the 696 and 1100. The DTC system slows down the bike if it anticipates its going into a skid or is losing traction. The Data analyser allows the rider to fine tune and map the ride on a computer on six parameters RPM,gear ratio,temperature,distance travelled,whether the DTC mode is working,and how much the gas throttle has been opened. The Monster series also comes with tanks and the rear fender in 13 different colours as part of the Monster Art concept.

Story continues below this ad

The Foreign bikes club
YAMAHA has three models in India The 998 cc R1,the cruiser MT-01 and the VMAX. The prices are all above Rs 10 lakh,with the VMAX costing a whopping Rs 20 lakh.
HONDA has two models on offer CBR 1000 RR Fireblade and CB 1000R 8211; both priced above Rs 10 lakh.
SUZUKI entered the Indian market with its famed GSX 1300R,better known as the Hayabusa which,together with the Kawasaki Ninja ZZR 1400,is regarded among the fastest production bike in the world 8212; followed by the cruiser,Intruder,a 1700 cc behemoth. Both are priced at Rs 12.5 lakh each.
KAWASAKI ,the Japanese bike maker,recently launched the Ninja 250 R.
HARLEY DAVIDSON has 12 models in India,while German auto major BMW has been silent since the launch of its 650 cc bike in the country in 1996. The bike was withdrawn soon after.