Ducati

ducati

NEW FOR '09

Monster 1100: Bologna's bigger, better all-rounder

DUCATI'S ALL-NEW MONSTER, INTRODUCED AT LAST YEAR'S Milan Show in entry-level 696cc form, has now grown to a full 1100cc. We expected this would happen. After all, the previous Monster was an icon, with hundreds of thousands of examples in a range of displacements sold worldwide.

No other Ducati was conceived with such painstaking attention to detail; goals for the new-generation naked allrounder were not just function and performance but also a rational assembly process with appropriate production costs. It worked: According to Ducati, not even the 1098 comes close in terms of the “production-costs-to-perceived-quality ratio.”

The Monster project was so well-conceived that stepping up from the 696 to the higher-performing 1100 necessitated only shoehorning the larger engine into the place vacated by the smaller one, which, in reality, is only smaller in terms of displacement. Basically, the chassis was so capable, in both its structural rigidity and quality of components, that only fatter tires were required.

In large part, a motorcycle’s chassis determines the quality of the model. The new Monster frame is stiff; it also looks

sharp, strong and massive. And its modular construction is flexible: If needed, the two aluminum castings that create the rear subframe can be replaced to comply with the styling needs of, say, a new Supersport model. At 57.2 inches, the Monster has nearly the longest wheelbase of any modern Ducati. This is good, because with its short gas tank and the pilot aboard, weight distribution is properly biased toward the front of the bike. This is fur-

ther ensured by the low-profile aluminum handlebar and repositioned Sachs shock. A 180/55-17 rear radial, which replaces the 160/60-17 of the 696, adds cornering clearance and produces 3.4 inches of trail, nearly .3-inch less than on the 696, even with a larger 120/70-17 front tire. Otherwise, the actual front-end geometry has not been modified. It features the same 24-degree rake of the 696, while a 43mm Showa fork is clamped by the same 30mm-offset yokes. Seat height is 31.8 inches, 1.5 inches taller than the beginner-friendly saddle of the 696.

The 1 lOOcc version of the sohc Ducati VTwin has been renewed in two departments that do not influence its ultimate performance but do improve the quality of the engine in terms of construction, emissions and rideability. First innovation is in the adoption of new crankcases, cast in Italy by Alcoa using its patented Vacural vacuum-pressure die-casting process. As a result, the cases now are 5.5 pounds lighter.

The second innovation is adoption of a Siemens integrated injection/ignition management system. This replaces the previous Marelli unit and uses 45mm throttle bodies.

The Siemens system has a more accurate airflow-metering sensor and two oxygen sensors, one per cylinder. The result is cleaner, smoother response from lower rpm than the largest version of the two-valve Ducati has ever enjoyed. Otherwise, the 1078cc (98.0 x 71.5mm) Twin is unchanged and produces 95 horsepower at 7500 rpm and 76 foot-pounds of torque at 6000 rpm. The hydraulically actuated APTC slipper clutch is supplied by Adler and equipped with a mechanism that reduces effort at the lever. The six-speed gearbox is carried over, too.

I was perfectly at home on the new Monster 1100 heading up the twisty Frejus Pass, a few miles inland of Cannes, on France’s Cote d’Azur. Acceleration was impressive, and a handful of throttle in second gear was all it took to point the front wheel skyward. With the new Siemens injection system, the 1100 responded shudder-free from as low as 3000 rpm-even 2500 with a light touch on the throttle.

As good as the engine is, it is the chassis that made this Ducati shine beyond my expectations. The taller seat proved to be a toll I was happy to pay, since I could make more liberal use of the greater lean angles granted by the corresponding additional cornering clearance. The rational riding posture amplified my confidence, as the rearset footpegs and semi-flat handlebar induce a leaned-forward attitude-maybe too forward for some. In all, however, the bike felt perfectly balanced and should hold its own over the long haul, though most buyers will continue to look at it as the ultimate, sporty urban commuter.

The new Monster 1100 shows a quality in its conceptual approach and execution like we have never before seen from a Ducati. Yet it never compromises the company’s heritage of sporty excellence. It is a jewel by all standards, and the greatest example to date of the competence of product director Claudio Domenicali.

-Bruno dePrato