2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle Review Specs Price

One of the most famous bikes ever created has undergone yet another development with the 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle. Due to a sales decline in the middle of the 1990s, the Monster is often cited as the vehicle that kept Ducati afloat. It’s straightforward, has classic aesthetics, a snappy delivery, and a lighthearted attitude. These characteristics immediately cemented its popularity; by 2005, Monster models accounted for half of Ducati’s worldwide sales.

2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle – Features and Specs

Specs and Pricing

The basic Monster, Monster Plus, and the newest 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle are the three flavors of the contemporary Monster. The SP receives a more extensive assortment of components while the plus gets a quick shifter, flyscreen, and seat cowl. First up are the strong Brembo Stylema calipers paired with radially placed master cylinders and the Ohlins fully adjustable front and rear suspension.

Also Read: 2023 Ducati Scrambler Nightshift Review

Additionally, the SP adds a steering damper and a gorgeous Termignoni end can. The SP’s color is modeled by Ducati’s MotoGP motorcycle, and a seat cowl and flyscreen are included as standard. The price of the ‘Plus’ is £11,595, while the ‘Stock’ bike costs £11,295 in total. The top-spec SP, undoubtedly the one to own, costs £13,995.

Even if there is a significant price difference between the top and bottom of the spectrum, you still receive a lot of high-end equipment to embellish your garage. Additionally, considering the Ducati Streetfighter V2 is just £2,000 more expensive than the top-spec SP, it can provide a little problem for prospective buyers. Additionally, the SP is almost £2,500 more costly than the most recent Triumph Street Triple RS, placing it at the top of the middleweight naked tree.

Engine

The Multistrada V2, Hypermotard, and DesertX have the same outstanding 937cc Testastretta V-twin engine as the new SP. It is said to generate 111 horsepower and 69 lb-ft of torque in this motorcycle. When you poke the starting button, the machine belligerently turns over before spluttering into life, accompanied by that distinctive Ducati symphony. The engine is typical of the brand and has all the usual Italian naked machine noise and pop.

We decide to go as the daylight starts to poke through the fog, and with a heave of the industrial-feeling clutch lever, we drive off into the Northamptonshire fog. The bold power delivery easily causes the rear end to shake and the traction control lights to flash like a pervert in a park on cold tires and even harder roads.

It’d be simple to write off a machine with just 111 horsepower as subpar in this era of 200+ bhp super naked developed from sports motorcycles, yet there’s something wonderfully wicked about how the Monster goes down the road. It will dig in, drive strongly from low revs, and screech enthusiastically toward the 10,000rpm redline if you press the throttle to the stop. Rolling off the accelerator and pushing the quick shifter down a few gears at the opposite end of the straight will reward you with a pleasing burble from the stacked Termi pipe as large dollops of gasoline successfully escape.

The Ducati Monster SP is more than glad to comply with your requests, whether you want to dance about the gearbox or ride the low and mid-range torque and be slack with your gear changes.

The bike has a superbly configured electronic throttle, much like the DesertX we rode a few weeks ago; it is delightful to operate. There are no hiccups, errors, or problems; you just get the exact quantity of electricity that you want. (This cannot be claimed for many other Euro5 motorcycles using ride-by-wire technology.) The quick-shifter on the bike performs well, matching the rpm up and down the box.

When downshifting forcefully, the gearbox’s assisted slipper clutch makes every effort to help. The bike—or, depending on your perspective, “the Monster SP”—performed well in the slick conditions, except for a few downhill sweepers that sent the Pirelli Rosso Corsa IVs writhing about.

Suspension Brakes and Handling

The chassis hardware utilized distinguishes this bike from the others in the line, as was indicated at the top. A pair of hlins NIX 30 43mm forks hold the front end, and a fully adjustable hlins shock with a progressive linkage is installed at the back.

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle receives a double-sided swingarm, which will irritate some traditionalists, unlike some prior generation Monsters. Moving to Brembo Stylema calipers and radially-mounted master cylinders for the braking and clutch is another improvement for the SP. The bike’s front brakes are 320mm floating discs, and the whole braking system is controlled by an IMU system, which includes wheelie control, ABS, and lean-sensitive traction control.

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle seemed nimble as it danced from bump to bump on the sometimes uneven roads near Ducati’s Silverstone headquarters as if looking for the patch of tarmac it prefers. It has jumpy, anxious energy and doesn’t want to stay motionless for too long. The bike’s suspension isn’t the most comfortable, and I had to brace myself for impact when I came across a few inevitable potholes. The Monster SP handles well, and I would gladly forego comfort for this degree of agility. Obviously, with a fully adjustable system, you could tune in a somewhat softer, more compliant setting for the bike.

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle weighs 166 kg dry, 2 kg less than the other motorcycles in the line because of lighter suspension and a lithium battery. Despite being much more nimble-feeling than I recall any previous machines, 2kg in a bike is difficult to pin down, particularly on the road.

The feeling when you pull on the Brembo stoppers, which are forceful, is amplified by their low weight. When necessary, you may dial in exact levels of braking power thanks to the pleasant, progressive lever feel. The rear end twitches easily when I approach rapid, sweeping corners thanks to the rear brake, which feels just as forceful.

Even though I liked the 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle press ride, I can’t help but believe that this bike would truly shine on the track. It’s almost a pity that the press ride was held on a public road. And despite the relatively harsh suspension, this bike is a perfect B-road weapon, not a compromised road bike. I’d want to see what it might do without factors like potholes, road signs, and adverse camber.

Electronics

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle and its brothers include top-tier electronics and complete IMU control, much like every other bike made by Borgo Panigale. You also receive Ducati Power Launch (launch control), riding modes, power modes, traction control, cornering ABS, and wheelie control in addition to the quick-shifter.

The three different riding modes are Rain, Road, and Sport, and the 4.3″ TFT dash controls the whole system. The indicator stalk is also the system’s enter/exit button, making it, not the most user-friendly interface. I discovered that changing modes and modifying settings were much simpler on some of the larger Ducatis, such as the Multistrada, Panigale, and Streetfighter. Nevertheless, you can still enter and make the necessary modifications, and all settings can be customized, much like the DesertX that we just rode.

When you turn the bike back on again, the system also remembers your most recent setting and goes back to it. The SP was in Sport mode the whole time I rode it, but I manually reduced part (but not all) of the wheelie control. Small slips and slides from the rear are indicators that the bike is getting close to its limit when the throttle is adjusted to be direct but not harsh.

It’s captivating and exhilarating, and pretty much every long straightaway served as a launch pad for a wheelie that had me laughing inside my AGV Pista GP. At the same time, we’re talking about wheelies. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the Monster line has been renowned for it, and I’m delighted to say that Il Monstro still enjoys hoisting a mono. For those hesitant to loop the bike, the wheelie control will be helpful since it precisely maintains the front wheel at a regulated height no matter what you do with your right hand.

Comfort

My first thoughts about the 2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle’s rather hard seat were that it would be uncomfortable, but that wasn’t the case. Yes, the seat is pretty flat and has minimal curvature, but toward the trip’s conclusion, I wasn’t particularly uncomfortable.

The riding posture is comfortable, and individuals taller than me should have no trouble riding for extended periods due to the seat-to-peg distance. Heated grips are one item that would have been useful on the press ride; even though they weren’t installed on the motorcycles we rode, they are an option in the official Ducati accessories catalog.

We didn’t stop for gas, so I can’t give you an exact MPG calculation or range, but based on the 14-liter fuel tank and the TFT dash’s estimated efficiency, you should seek a gas station every 100 miles or so.

2023 Ducati Monster SP Naked Motorcycle – Technical Specifications

Engine

Chassis

Dimension

Equipment

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