Ducati Monster 937 arrives Down Under

Missing the iconic trellis frame and L-shaped cam covers, the controversially styled Ducati Monster 937 has arrived in Australia with very competitive pricing.

Slotting in between the 821 and 1200 Monsters, the 937 actually costs less than the previous 821 at just $18,200 ride away ($NZ18860).

It comes in Ducati Red (black wheels), Aviator Grey (red wheels) and Dark Stealth (black wheels). There will also be an exclusive ‘Plus’ version, which adds an aerodynamic windscreen and passenger seat cover to the standard fittings.

The new Monster is powered by a 937cc Testastretta 11° twin engine in a lightweight monocoque aluminium frame, featuring fully adjustable ABS Cornering, Traction Control and Wheelie Control. 

Power-to-weight ratio has been improved over the 821 thanks to a 188kg wet weight which is a whopping 18kg lighter.

The new hybrid monocoque frame with a fibreglass-reinforced polymer subframe saves most of that weight.

However, the loss of the iconic trellis frame and L-shaped cam covers has many Ducatisti asking whether it is a true Monster.

While the original round headlight was ditched ages ago, this model has a slightly rounder looking headlight with an LED ring to pay homage to the originals.

When the new Monster was revealed in December last year, it attracted a lot of criticism and concern that the style trend would expand to the learner-sized 659 and flagship 1200 models.

The Queensland Italian Bike Addicts facebook page even ran a poll asking fans whether they prefer the design of the new Monster or a garbage truck. Guess which won!

A quarter of a century ago, the Monster took the motorcycle and design world by storm with its muscular naked looks, making a highlight of the frame and L-twin. 

It even featured in the landmark 1998 Guggenheim Museum exhibition in New York, ‘The Art of the Motorcycle’ and is included in the current one-off, world exclusive” Motorcycle: Design: Art, Desire exhibit at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) running until 26 April 2021.

In recent years the full trellis frame has been whittled down to a shorter frame attached to the cylinder head with a separate subframe.

While photographs can be deceiving, I’ve now seen the 937 in the flesh/metal and it unfortunately looks like most Japanese naked bikes, particularly the popular Yamaha MT models.

However, that power-to-weight ratio should make for an engaging ride!