How I Popped My Ducati Cherry: Ducati Monster 821, Monster 1200 S, Hyperstrada, and Diavel 2015 Review

The first time I threw a leg over a Ducati was in 2010. A week earlier, I passed my motorcycle license and @Alex took me to the dealership to buy a bike. While Alex test rode a Ducati Multistrada for over an hour on real roads, I cautiously performed parking lot there-and-backs on a Monster 696.

I had not been on a Ducati since. This year, on a glorious and warm day in March, I found myself in Southern California getting ready to pop my Ducati cherry on not one, but five Ducatis! It's a couple of days I'll never forget.

Here’s the thing about a media ride. You’re riding in somewhat exotic locations that are new to you. The twisty roads of California, the gorgeous and terrifying roads of Tenerife, somewhere in Barcelona, Monaco and even Australia. Thrilling right? Yes but... you’re on new highways and weaving challenging and often technical new roads. You’re riding within contemporary road laws that can, at once, elate and terrify, like lane splitting. You’re riding new and pristine motorcycles you’ve never ridden before that costs more than the bike in your garage.

It gets better.

In my case, I was the only woman in the group and the shortest person. Let’s just say, I’m lucky Italians aren’t known for being giants. My only wish was not to humiliate myself by dropping a bike or crashing. One out of two's ain't bad. More about dropping the Diavel later.

I’ll never forget taking my first Ducatis out on the road. In the process, I came away with the understanding that Ducatisti are a collection of good people who love to ride. The people I met at Ducati actually ride, including CEO Dominique Cheraki who rode up on a Scrambler for a chat and a bite at Alice’s. These people are warm, welcoming and seriously skilled riders. They maneuvered the roads with grace and moxie. Not only that, but they waited for me, helped me and even gave me some incredible instruction.

Ducati made me a better rider.

Monster 821

Kickstands up at 8:30AM and my fist bike was the Monster 821. She was beautiful, naked, her gleaming white tank and red wheels instantly entranced me. At 5”4, I almost had my feet planted on the ground and I found the seating position to be very comfortable. The handlebars felt perfect and hugging the tank with my knees made me feel safe and in control. She was my girl but don’t tell Peaches.

What makes a Monster a Monster? The Monster is one of the original naked muscle bikes, a trend-leader and now icon in motorcycling. At Ducati, the Monster has been the holy grail since it’s launch in 1992. This bike put Ducati on the map as a motorcycle manufacturer and that means Ducati is cautious to mess with what works. The Monster is seen as the personification of Ducati DNA: accessible, sophisticated with a minimalist design, premium engine power and ready for ultimate customization by the rider.

Many versions of the Monster have been produced over the last two decades but in 2015, Ducati narrows it down to two models: the Monster 821 and 1200 S both with Stripe design options (super cool). The 821 arrived in dealerships in July 2014 to great excitement. Streamlined, improved comfort, lighter and quieter with a more efficient exhaust system providing a small boost in horsepower. In the new Monsters, Ducati incorporates the motor as a secondary element to the trellis frame to create strength through torsional stability. I assume this design is critical to managing production costs while maintaining high quality and delivering on low maintenance intervals and reduced weight.

I had absolutely no problems shifting and finding gears on the Monster. Apart from some trouble finding neutral - which I attribute to the bike being brand spanking new - I understand a pleasant surprise is the 6-speed gearbox, which in conjunction with wet slipper clutch, shifts better than any Ducati in recent memory.

Ducati is really excited about the seat on the Monster. It’s probably the most comfortable seat that’s ever been produced for a Ducati. It’s got great space, you can move around and it feels like you can do unlimited miles in the seat. Smart move. You can’t get seat-time if you can’t ride in the seat! A few years ago when I was choosing between the Street Triple and the Monster 696, I found the Monster's seating position super uncomfortable in the nether regions. The old Monsters had a bit of an angular tank in front like the 899s. From a performance stand point it was easier to get your body in there and really torque with the bike but complaints came in and Ducati responded. These days you can see the lines of the tank have been decreased so as to offer a much more comfortable seating position respecting to both the male and female family jewels.

I rode with the seat in a neutral position but as an owner, you can adjust the seat for ultimate comfort. The Monster seat has inserts underneath it so you can actually change the angle of the seat now. Four different adjustments are possible to favour your riding style. Basically just pop the seat at the bottom and adjust the rubber plugs at the base to move the seat up or down depending on your body and riding style. Comfy indeed.

Traditionally popular with smaller riders, both men and woman, the Monster looks bad-ass no matter who you are. It’s hard not to love the better, lighter new naked Monster 821. The red wheels are just icing on the cake. This bike is nimble, powerful and would easily make a great first Ducati for anyone.

2015 Ducati Monster 821 - MSRP $11,495 USD ($13,295 CAN), weights 453 lbs. (205.5 kg) wet, seat height is adjustable to 30.9 - 31.9 in. (785 - 810 mm) , fuel capacity is 4.6 gal. (17.5 l), 6-speed, 821 cc engine.

Monster 1200 S

The Monster 1200 S is being called the best Monster yet. For decades the Monster has been Ducati’s most accessible and flagship motorcycle (until the Scrambler that is). The Monster 1200 S is the top of the line of Monsters, best categorized as a practical alternative to Ducati’s hard core sportbikes. When I rode the Monster I could feel how the power and agility would be awesome for someone riding to their full potential while taking it easy on city streets. Track days would be magnificent. At the same time, as you can see in the pictures, the Monster 1200 S can be ridden slowly. I had a great time gently touring in all modes.

The 1200 S is a third generation bike and the 'S model' delivers an upgraded suspension, brakes, and electronic mapping that unleashes 10 additional peak horsepower that I wasn’t able to test for myself. As a relative novice, I was not intimidated by the power of the 1200 S over the Monster 821.

You get what you pay for when you take a step up to the Monster 1200 S. If I had to compare the two, I’d say it felt like I was skating on ice with the 1200 rather than rollerblading on the 821. Does that make sense? It was very easy to ride, it felt smoother in the gear changes and for some reason, I felt it the machine was taking care of me a bit more.

2015 Ducati Monster S - MSRP $15,995 USD ($18,295 CAN), weights 461 lbs. (209 kg) wet, seat height is adjustable to 30.9 - 31.9 in. (785 - 810 mm), fuel capacity is 4.6 gal. (17.5 l), 6-speed, 1200 cc engine.

Panigale 899

While the Panigle looked truly spectacular and like an absolute blast in the hands of the other journalists, I was intimidated to ride it. Now, I wish I hadn't been.

2015 Ducati Panigale 899 - MSRP $14,995 USD ($16,800 CAN), weights 425.5 lbs. (193 kg) wet, seat height is 32.5 in. (830 mm), fuel capacity is 4.5 gal. (17 l), 6-speed gearbox with DQS (Ducati Quick Shift), and an 898 cc engine.

Hyperstrada

My favourite bike to ride was the Hyperstrada.

The Hyperstrada is a kind of ‘crossover’ between the Motocross world and that of Touring but in a street bike. Maybe it’s targeted at motocross racers who want to hit the street, but I’ve never ridden motocross and this was hands down, my favourite bike to ride.

I’ve heard journalists call the Hyperstrada a ‘weird bike’. There’s nothing really like it save the unexpected 2015 MV Agusta Stradale 800cc which was inspired by the Ducati Hyperstrada. On the morning of Day 2, I was given the Hyperstrada to ride. Apprehensive because I could barely touch a foot to the floor, I did a few tours in the parking lot and I am so glad I did. I was hooked.

On the Hyperstrada, it’s just you, the handlebars and the road. You're right up on top of it, rather differently than on a street bike. The tank extends downward so it's slim and low. It's like being on a mountain bike except you're going just slightly faster. The tall-saddled Hyperstrada is great for urban commuting and is known for it’s agility and quick steering. I couldn’t believe how easy the Hyperstrada was to corner thanks to it's wide bars. I felt very comfortable leaning the bike over in the corners. I mentioned this revelation to Alex. “Why didn’t you mentioned how much better it is to corner with wide bars?” I asked. Alex sighed and pointed out “... don’t you think Marquez and Rossi would be riding with huge handlebars if it would get them through the corners faster?” Ahem, OK, point taken. Both on spirited mountain twisties and freeway combined, I felt hyper-confident on my mini-strada. Bring on the tight, twisty coastal roads of California baby!

As soon as I put my cheeks in the seat, I felt comfort envelop my rear-end. The big supportive seat is brilliant, it was the most comfortable seat of the Ducati fleet. In traffic, I felt like Kareem Abdul Jabbar sitting high up where I could see well and be well seen splitting a few lanes on California highways.

A fairly tall fly screen sits atop the headlight assembly and instrument panel which helped keep the windblast from being obtrusive at highway speeds, the two 50-liter-capacity, semi-hard saddlebags had two 12-volt outlets for accessories. I have to say, the saddlebags were perfect. As the journalists switched from bike to bike, everyone kept storing whatever they needed in the bags.

The Hyperstrada is narrow and feels lighter than it’s weight implies plus it put out a lot of horsepower. Both the throttle and clutch action are very light and easy. And the powerful twin-cylinder engine rumbled quietly with it’s single exhaust. No matter what riding mode I was in, the engine felt like it was set to stealth. This bike handles really quick and it never felt twitchy. Excellent for a relative novice, this bike is agile with lots of power and exemplary braking.

2015 Ducati Hyperstrada - MSRP $ 13,795 USD ($15,000 CAN), weighs 450 lbs. (204 kg) wet, seat height is 33.5 in. (850mm), fuel capacity is 4.2 gal. (16L), engine is a 6-speed, with 821 cc of joy and power.

Diavel Carbon

The Diavel is a bike I never thought I could ride. The 1200cc of Italian muscle was more than I was used to. Although, technically, a similar engine to the Ducati Monster 1200, the Diavel it's heavier and is designed to intimidate. It looks more like the WWF wrestler brother of the Ducati family where the Panigale is the Olympic gymnast and the Monster is the diver. It’s bigger, thicker, more imposing. It is said that in Bolognese dialect, upon seeing the machine someone important exclaimed : “Ignurànt comm’ al diavel!” which means: “Evil, just like the devil!” and it stuck.

Actually, the Diavel was the only bike I was shown how to use. Arrick from Ducati, kindly demonstrated how to work the keyless fob and informed me that even in ‘Urban Mode’, the most gentle of modes, I was to watch the throttle and go easy on the brake. Later when I failed to remember, I opened the throttle and went from sheer terror to uncontrollable laughter from zero to sixty in three seconds! In performance terms, that’s impressive.

Looking at the Diavel, it definitely gets noticed. The streetfigher meets ready to drag-race style, the muscular silhouette with Trellis frame showing off the large diameter, light gauge tubing attracts attention. The Diavel is the lowest and longest in the fleet but the LED headlight gives it immediate Ducati identity. The trumpet exhaust styling announces the new category, and the big hunky gas tank and angular mirrors give it a futuristic look to me. For braking, you can rely on seriously powerful Brembo Monobloc callipers and a sensitive Bosch-Brembo ABS system.

The riding position is upright with a huge comfortable seat and foot pegs slightly forward. The engine makes a deep grumble sound reminding you trouble is only a twist of the wrist away. Surprisingly, the Diavel doesn’t feel as heavy as it looks and is remarkably easy in the corners.

The only time I ran into trouble is when I spooked myself trying to U-turn from the shoulder. To get these great pictures, the journalists U-turn back and forth on a stretch of road making multiple passes for the photographers. Of course that means a lot of U-turns. At one point, I brought the bike to a near stop, caught some gravel and over I went, breaking off the tip of the clutch lever. I tried to hold it up with my small frame but I gave up too quickly. Completely bemused, I waved my hands and stomped my feet in one of those shows of MotoGP frustration. Maybe I overdid it. I kept the end of the clutch lever as a souvenir. Following my humiliation, I asked one of the guys to U-turn the Diavel for me for rest of the photos. Yes, I was ashamed but I’d rather get help than lay her down only to have a car run over me. The guys at Ducati didn’t even blink at my asking. Thank you Arrick for the U-turns.

Over lunch at Alice’s Restaurant, I had the opportunity to speak with Ducati North America CEO Dominique Cheraki, who by the way, is incredibly approachable and charming. Rumour has it that before the Diavel was available in dealerships, Cheraki could be spotted cruising the twisty SoCal backroads on the Diavel with one of his kids on the back, inconspicuously overtaking sportbike riders.

What does it mean for the US motorcycle market when an Italian bike is recognized as the ‘Best Cruiser’ two years in a row? I asked. "It was an unexpected achievement" Cheraki confided.

“I was wrong in the beginning about the Diavel” says Dominique. Actually, the machine sparked a significant amount of controversy within Ducati. The lead time to develop a bike like the Diavel is three to four years and during that product development, Cheraki told me the company was divided. Right from the first sketches in 2007 and even at the mockup stage, Cheraki said “no way; we can’t sell that… maybe in the US we’ll sell a few but no where else”. At the last stage of the development, when insiders could see the frame and engine performance coming together did nay-sayers start to come around.

“Only after the first time we had the chance to ride the bike, we understood that yes! okay, they got it right." He explained, "they got it right because it’s a different Ducati but it retains the Ducati DNA with the engine, the power, the electronics and the safety features.” At the time of the Diavel launch, Cheraki was in charge of France. “I planned to sell 100 bikes in the first year, that’s it. Then when I tested the bike for the first time 18 months before the launch, I raised my forecast to 300 bikes. In the first year, in France alone, Ducati sold 1,000 Diavels.

Read more about the Diavel in Alex’s extensive review here:

2015 Ducati Diavel Carbon - MSRP $21,500 USD ($23,495.00 CAN), weighs 516 lbs. (234 kg) wet, seat height is 30.3in (770mm), fuel capacity is 4.5 gal. (17L), with a 6-speed, 1198 cc engine.

Gear

Speed and Strength women's Speed Society leather jacket is a light and well armoured, spring/summer jacket that kept me warm in the morning and cool in the afternoon. Leather does make a difference. (Highly recommend > this is my first leather armoured jacket that actually looks stylish walking around off-bike)

Boots are Ladies Falco Ayda and may still be available at @TownMoto Or get them from Amazon UK here: 652 - Falco Ayda Ladies Motorcycle Boots 40 (UK 6) (Somewhat recommend> great for around town but the heal does get in the way when riding)