In 1993, Ducati designed a Monster. A simple, rebellious L-Twin that represented a departure from the brand’s traditional focus on high-power sports bikes, the Ducati Monster 900’s A naked trellis-style frame with a muscular, athletic edge and industrial aesthetic made this style icon an instant success. The new 2023 Monster SP model is an upgrade of the 2022 standard model that delivers the same signature design with improved performance.
Glance over the SP’s specs, and at first view, there’s not a lot of difference from the standard model. The standard model is not much different from the SP. 937cc Testastretta gives out the same power (111 horsepower at 9250rpm) and torque (69 ft-lbs at 6,500rpm), but that doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s the tweaks to the SP’s chassis that lift this bike above its predecessor: quite literally, in the case of the fully adjustable Öhlins suspension at the front and rear, which increases ground clearance and gives the rider a more generous lean angle heading into corners. The seat is a bit higher, and the footpegs are slightly higher and farther back. This gives the bike a more sporty, forward-leaning riding position. The more aggressive stance is fun, especially when snapping the bike around corners, but there are accessory seats available in the catalog that drop the seat height if you’re looking for a more low-slung bike.
The Monster SP now weighs just 410 pounds, which makes it lighter and more agile than ever. It’s a sports bike with some serious punch, but it is also stable around corners thanks to the new steering and brake dampers. Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tiresIt is designed to be used for sports road riding. Brembo Stylema fully adjustable brakes provide excellent stopping power.
The SP is equipped with the usual high-tech features: ABS cornering control, wheelie and traction controls, as well the standard riding modes of Rain, Road, or Sports. But it also includes some top-spec options to enhance its sporty credentials. The Ducati Power launch provides a Mario-Kart-style boost in acceleration from a standing start (beware of wheelies). The Ducati The Quick Shifter allows riders to shift up or down without having to use the clutch. This is particularly useful for slow-moving traffic.
Technical riders will love the SP’s sporty enhancements, especially on a track day or in the twisties, where the reduced weight makes the bike light and agile enough to flick around corners with confidence. For the casual motorcyclist who won’t be pushing this bike to its limits, it’s still a smooth and entertaining ride, but the improvements in performance from the standard Monster will be barely perceptive.
What’s more, the SP finds itself trickily positioned at the more expensive end of a popular category of middleweight naked bikes. Possibly the closest bike to the SP in terms of performance is the KTM 890 Duke R, which costs over $2,500 less than the Monster’s monster $15,600 price tag. There’s no denying that the SP is the sexier of the two, but it’s a hefty price to pay for flair.
The Ducati Monster was always about style. In the early 1990s it emerged as a motorcycle that was unapologetically visceral and raw. It appealed to riders of a new age who were more concerned with style than performance. The Ducati Monster SP continues and builds upon this tradition with a sportier, faster bike that’s guaranteed to appeal to its loyal supporters—and will likely win over many more.