#Monster1200

Ducati revealed a new Monster with a 937cc engine, modern electronics and, in a departure from the line’s history, replaced the traditional steel trellis frame with an aluminum alloy frame.

The principality of Monaco is an imbecilic location for a motorcycle ride. After all, the independent microstate on the French Riviera isn’t even twice as big as the Dodger Stadium grounds, and its teeny little streets are crammed almost solid with a cornucopia of vehicles from two-stroke scooters to the apparently riotously amusing Renault Twizys to exotic McLarens to horrifyingly huge Rollers.

Motorcycle.com is on the scene in fabulous Monaco for the media launch of the upgraded Ducati Monster 1200. Key updates include more power, a redesigned fuel tank that looks more like the original Monster, a new headlight, shorter wheelbase, Bosch Cornering ABS, a slimmer tailsection and updated TFT instrumentation. Oh, and new footpegs that don’t force feet into uncomfortable positions like the previous generation.

Ducati, being a historic Italian brand, always saves up the reveals of its new bikes for the EICMA show in Milan, and this year is no different. We saw no less than six new models from the Borgo Panigale firm, including two new bikes from the Scrambler series; the Cafe Racer and Desert Sled, a smaller-sized Multistrada called the Multistrada 950, two new Monsters; the Monster 797 and Monster 1200S and the most exotic Ducati streetbike ever, the 1299 Superleggera with carbon fiber frame, subframe, swingarm and wheels.

A newish Monster 1200 was launched at EICMA today, boasting a sleeker fuel tank, a redesigned tail section, and an all-new headlight. Oh, and also revised footpegs that will allow feet to better fit active riding positions. The new 1200 Monster and Monster S feature the latest Testastretta 11° DS engine, and, due to new throttle bodies and exhaust, the base model Monster enjoys 15 ponies more than the previous Monster 1200 (150 hp at 9,250 rpm), while the already more powerful S model enjoys a more modest 5-horsepower bump.

For 2015, the Ducati Monster family – which includes the Monster 1200 and Monster 821 – doubles in size with the addition of the Monster 821 Stripe and Monster 1200 Stripe, both introduced today at EICMA 2014.