Ducati Monster 1200 S: Oppo Full Review

"TheOnelectronic" (theoneelectronic) 05/09/2015 at 01:58 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, Oppo Review

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You may have seen my... reaction review of this bike when I first test-rode it.

Well apparently I liked that ride so much, I ended up buying it. I just recently did a lengthy ride through the Jemez mountains west of Santa Fe that included highway, winding and switchbacked mountain roads, meandering river roads, and interstate. I figure at this point I’ve ridden enough to give my impressions. This might end up being a bit long.

I’ll preface this by saying that I am not a hardcore, leather-clad, track-day-every-week, buck-twenty-in-a-35 motorcycle rider. I like riding twisty backroads, but I’m not a fan of putting myself or others at risk while doing it.

Short Version: This is an amazingly fast bike while still being comfortable enough for long rides.

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Performance: 9/10

There’s no two ways about it; this is a 145hp superbike engine with wheels. Ducati took the Testastretta engine from their outgoing 1098 superbike, increased the displacement, and tuned it for more torque and a smoother powerband. The result is something that is monstrously (get it?) fast in almost any condition, while at the same time being incredibly smooth and responsive while puttering around town. While the engine has tons of tactile feedback when pushed, at cruising RPM’s the handlebars were almost perfectly still.

While there are other bikes that have more power, the torquey nature of the engine (91 ft-lbs) means that the acceleration has a brutish, insistent immediacy that is intoxicating. The bike pulls hard from about 3.5k rpm, and although it does lose a bit of steam once you get above 8500 rpm, it still has more than enough grunt to keep you grinning like a madman all the way up to the 10,000 rpm redline, which is impressive when you consider how large each of the pistons must be to sweep through 600cc’s of displacement.

The engine’s broad torque curve and pliant nature mean that shifting is more about finding a comfortable RPM than it is the necessities of power delivery. The transmission is smooth and positive, with an easy-to-modulate hydraulic clutch, and nicely tall gears. Even cruising at 80-85mph, sixth gear keeps the engine calm and quiet.

Throughout all of this, keep in mind that I live at about 7000 feet above sea level, and I am not a lightweight person. So when I say this bike is fast, that means something. I’m somewhat scared of what it would be like at sea level with half as much weight sitting on top.

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Handling: 8/10

My bike is the “S” model, which, along with 10 extra horses and a few torques, gets high-end Öhlins suspension front and rear along with some more serious Brembo brakes.

I am probably the least-qualified person to discuss handling. I am a very cautious rider, which means that I really do not push the limits of anything I’m riding. That said, I can speak to a few things.

The 1200 has a slightly longer wheelbase than its smaller 821cc sibling, and probably longer than most of the other bikes in its segment. The result is although it does not have the sort of snappy nimbleness that some might expect, it does stay very stable while cornering. An added advantage is that it never feels squirmy at high speeds, as the smaller Monster sometimes could.

While it doesn’t have the sort of scalpel-like agility of something small and snappy like a Street Triple, it does turn in easily, and will hold its line easily even over rough pavement. It does still feel like an extension of your own will, however, and does not require much conscious input to go where you want. The bike feels incredibly solid; no squishiness or vagary at all.

The suspension is truly high-grade; although hitting bumps and potholes feels rough to me, I am coming from an adventure bike with a soft, long-travel, off-road suspension. The Monster rides smoother than any of the other bikes I test rode over the same conditions, and the suspension kept it from becoming unsettled when I hit a rough patch coming around an on-ramp at a fairly steep lean angle. This does not compromise road feel, however, as the suspension transmits every crease and crevice in the pavement without making you feel like you’re being punished for daring to venture onto actual roads.

Braking is excellent. Smooth and progressive, without being either squishy or abrupt. The rear brake is more of a suggestion, however, which seems to be an issue on many Ducatis.

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Comfort: 9/10

In most regards, the Monster is an extraordinarily comfortable bike. Yesterday I went on a long ride through the mountains, and even after four hours of riding, I had no complaints other than needing to stretch my legs. Due to my proportions (I am ~60% torso) I rarely feel comfortable on a motorcycle for any extended period of time, so this is saying quite a lot.

The lack of vibration means that my hands and feet don’t end up going numb after an hour (I’m looking at you, BMW F800R.) and the seat is marvelously supportive considering how thin it is and that I’ve gotten maddeningly saddle-sore after a few hours even on thick, touring-intended gel seats.

It does, however, lose out on a few points. Riders with longer legs have reported that their knees bang into the frame mounts, as you can see from the above picture. Also, unless you have rather petite feet, the passenger foot pegs push your heels out awkwardly if you’re riding on the balls of your feet, and the exhaust gets in the way of your right heel as well. I’ve gotten used to it within a few days and it really doesn’t bother me much, but it’s still a bit perplexing since this is hardly a new issue for Ducati.

The pegs also feel very high, and my legs feel like they’re folded in half, but again, my last bike had fairly forward pegs that allowed you to stretch your legs more, and my riding pants have both knee/shin and thigh armor which makes them not the best for this sort of bike. They did not feel any worse than similar bikes in this segment.

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Tech: 6/10

The tech on this bike is hardly industry leading, given that some of its competitors have electronic suspension systems adjusting themselves thousands of times per second, but it does have a few nice points.

The dash, seen above, is very high-quality. Although it doesn’t have a fuel gauge, it does provide you with the standard suite of trip info with easy-to-us and readily-at-hand controls. No awkwardly reaching up to the gauge cluster as it was with my Tiger.

The Tach and speedo are both easy to read, and update very rapidly. That may not sound like much, but it’s hard to control your speed when the speedo only changes every second or so. The red lights at the top work as shift lights, although they only come on when you’re risking jail time, as it happens.

Like many modern bikes, the Monster has traction control and ABS, which, along with the ride-by-wire throttle, are coupled to the bike’s “Sport,” “Touring,” and “Urban” riding modes.

Sport provides the most aggressive throttle map, minimally intrusive TC and ABS settings, and provides you with a simplified dash that has the Tach curve along the left and top sides, Panigale style. Touring has a more relaxed throttle mapping, more cautious TC and ABS, and the full suite of info as seen above. Urban gives 50% less engine power, along with TC and ABS settings that will step in well before there’s a problem. It also features a simplified dash with speed most prominent and no tach. Additionally, each mode can be customized to feature any mix of settings.

The most glaring (hah!) problem with the dash should be easy to see in this photo. Or, as the problem turns out to be, not.

You see, while the dash is excellent in the shade, it is extremely prone to glare. While riding in sunlight, it can be fairly hard to make out. Setting it to night mode, which provides a black background with white numbers, helps, but it’s still not quite perfect. I’ve also applied some anti-glare film, which has helped.

Additionally, it only seems to have one brightness setting. That means that while it’s too dim for use on a blue-sky day, it’s obnoxiously bright at night. If it were an option, I’d much rather have taken the dash from the Monster 821, seen below.

While it may not have all the usability of the full-color unit, it does have the advantage of being readable, which is somewhat important in a gauge cluster.

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Look and Feel: 8/10

Looks are always subjective, but in my opinion, it’s a gorgeous bike. It’s not quite as pleasing to me as the outgoing generation, but it’s still strikingly nice to look at.

The quality is the sort of high standard that Ducati has come to be known for in recent years. Everything feels solid, and purposeful, rather than the found-hardware feel that some other bikes I’ve owned have had. The only exception are the brackets that mount the fluid reservoirs, which look like they were banged out of sheet metal by a high school shop class. Every other part, though, feels engineered and purposeful. Even the bearing holding the forks onto the frame is nice to look at.

The big L-twin sounds impressive at start-up and idle, although it sounds somewhat bland at speed. I am likely going to get the Termignoni exhaust for it, which should liven things up a bit.

In terms of reliability, it’s probably too early to say with my bike, but Ducati of late has had a good record of reliability, and the dreaded valve clearance checks have been pushed out to 18,000 miles, and then every 9,000 after that. This thing feel

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Do look at this bike if:

You want a motorcycle that’s fast, comfortable, and easy to ride

You want a bike that’s beautiful down to the individual clamps and pivots.

You like running through the twisties for a few hours.

Look at other bikes if:

You want something on the bleeding edge of naked bike performance (S1000 R, KTM Superduke R)

You want a high-tech track weapon (Panigale 1299, S1000 RR, any of the cookie-cutter superbikes out there)

You want something especially light and nimble (Street Triple R, Ducati Scrambler)

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So that’s about it. I’ve never done one of these before, but I was frustrated at how many magazine and website reviews of the bike talked about it in terms of track performance, or compared it to bikes it had no business being compared to.

Hopefully this provides some real-world perspective on the bike.

Birddog > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 02:25

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Wish I could “star” this more.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up.

SJGeorge94 > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 02:34

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Bikes like this are what make me really consider learning to ride even though I have as much balance as a fat kid doing the high wire

desertdog5051 > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 02:44

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So you were the maniac I saw on Hwy 4 north of Jemez Springs, near Battleship Rock, with the shit-eatin’ grin on his face as you passed that old Harley rider. (Just joking, I forgot you were from around here)

TheOnelectronic > desertdog5051 05/09/2015 at 03:38

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All of those things did happen, so I’d believe it.

TheOnelectronic > SJGeorge94 05/09/2015 at 03:40

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Eh, I don’t know how much balance really comes into it. A motorcycle (or bicycle) is held upright by the gyroscopic effect of the wheels. Leaning a motorcycle is about turning the front wheel, not shifting your weight.

If you can ride a bicycle, you can probably ride a motorcycle.

SJGeorge94 > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 06:14

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Haven’t ridden a bicycle in 10 years in fact I remember my dad throwing out my rusty bike when we moved. I guess I should get bicycle first and see if I can still ride it and go from there.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 07:31

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So, I currently ride a '97 BMW F650 (which is currently having its carbs rebuilt), and I have thought about upgrading to a Tiger 800, but not a BMW F800 - for the very reason you mention - I've ridden my buddy's F800st and it frankly did not impress me much beyond the usual BMW traits of exceptional build and materials quality. I have yet to ride a Tiger ... What made you go Monster after the Tiger? Was it all about the speed? How was the street comfort of the Tiger in comparison? How's it feel to be able to flat-foot at the stoplights (or are you tall enough that you could do that with the Tiger?) my same buddy who used to have the F800st now has a 2013 Ducati Hypermotard... He has promised to let me ride it, but I fear I'd love it and need to get one... The Tiger is a bit more affordable...

TheOnelectronic > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 05/09/2015 at 07:55

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Frankly I loved my Tiger. (I had the XC)

I put about 9000 miles on it in a single trip a few years ago, so I’ve got a good bit of experience.

Really, my main reason for changing was to get a more traditional “motorcycle,” and that since I recently moved to 7000 feet ASL, the Tiger was not quite as peppy as it was at sea level. Back home in the midwest, though, it was a plenty quick bike. That triple motor sings a very sweet song up at 8-10k rpm.

The Tiger is a supremely versatile bike. It felt just as at home doing long interstate legs, carving through the twisties, going down a forest road, or riding around town. Even fully loaded with panniers, a top box, and a gas can, I still managed to scrape the kickstand on mountain roads.

Comfort was outstanding. The riding position doesn’t put stress on anything, but it also still feels very dynamic and proactive. I had a chance to ride an R1200 RT, and that bike sort of feels like you’re following it, not leading it, if that makes any sense.

I have really, really short legs. Even so, with the low seat in the low position, I was usually able to put one foot down flat at a stop by shifting my hips. It never really bothered me unless I had to back up for some reason.

And of course the new ones have Cruise control, which is lovely if you do any sort of prolonged riding at a single speed.

I haven’t ridden the Hyper, but by reputation it’s barrels of fun, and a few teaspoons of practicality. If you do end up riding it, but want something a bit less frothing, the Monster 821 uses the same motor and comes in below the Tiger in price.

And depending on the level of off-road capability you’re looking for, check out the Scrambler. I didn’t get it because, again, low-power bikes and my elevation don’t mix, but it’s a very charming little motorcycle.

If you’ve got a ducati and/or triumph dealer near you (They seem to be bundled a lot), go see about taking some bikes for test rides. In my experience the Euro bike dealerships have well-stocked demo fleets that they’re happy to let you take out. There’s a lot of things you can’t really figure out until you’ve actually ridden the bike. I thought I wanted an 848 streetfighter until I rode it, and then ended up on the Tiger.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 08:18

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Well, i live in Vermont, on a dirt road, and we have pretty poorly maintained pavement too... so a bike with a little more suspension travel is definitely on my list. The F650 is a lot like the Tiger, i think, in that it does everything well, but i think (provided I finish rebuilding the carbs soon) i’m gonna break 50k miles on it this year, she’s not a young ride. I’m beginning to feel like I should restore and preserve it... it has torque for miles, but as smooth as it is, that 650 single only has 50 hp. the twin in the F800 is a vibratey mess compared to old rotax 650, so the Tiger 800 is definitely on my radar. I have a throttlemeister on my F650, so ive gotten used to cruise control, i will also never own a bike without heated grips again, the ones on the F650 have made me a believer!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 11:20

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No fuel gauge? Is that a common thing for bikes to exclude? Seems like a bit of an issue to me

PardonMyFlemish16 > TheOnelectronic 05/09/2015 at 12:09

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Nice. This is a beautiful and fast bike. My heart is with the Tuono but I know the gas mileage on that is brutal. I’m hoping to get the poor man’s version of this next year (SV1000).

TheOnelectronic > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 05/09/2015 at 14:46

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It is. More distance-oriented bikes will have a gauge, but most of the ones I was looking at just had a reserve light. Fuel management is down to using your trip meter and knowing about how many miles you can go before it comes on.

paoj > TheOnelectronic 10/04/2015 at 20:35

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How is the bike after a few more months of ownership?

TheOnelectronic > paoj 10/06/2015 at 20:51

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Still great. I’ve since moved to sea level and the level of power is absolutely mind-blowing.