Besides the new 890cc V-twin engine, Ducati has also changed a bunch of things under the skin that make the new Monster a significantly different motorcycle to the one it replaces. For the sake of simplicity, for the remainder of this article, Monster old refers to the previous MY2024 937cc Monster and Monster new is the current MY2026 890cc Monster V2. Let’s go through the changes and also see what remains unchanged on the Monster V2.
Ducati Monster old vs new: Engine and chassis
Biggest changes from the older Monster
This is the headlining change and for a good reason. Ducati went from the previous 937cc V-twin engine to a new 890cc V-twin engine that’s also available on the Multistrada V2, Panigale V2, and Streetfighter V2. Despite being a smaller unit, the engine delivers the same power as the 937cc unit and it does so 250rpm earlier in the rev range. Torque, however, sees a 2Nm reduction and it’s now delivered 750rpm later in the rev range than before. The other big change is the new monocoque chassis replacing the previous one’s aluminium unit. Ducati only reports wet weight without fuel, so the power-to-weight ratio mentioned in the table below uses wet weight numbers with 90 percent fuel.
Ducati Monster old vs new: Design and weight
Monster V2 is lighter and more accessible than before
The obvious difference between the Monster V2 and the previous model is the ‘bison-back tank’ as Ducati calls it, but we’ll just call it a return to the big-tank design legacy of the Monsters of yesteryear. Tank capacity, however, remains the same at 14 litres. The seat height on the Monster V2 has also been dropped to 815mm (compared to 820mm earlier) and it’s narrower than before. Other exterior changes include a different alloy design and a slightly different headlight. The wet weight (without fuel) has also dropped from 179kg to 175kg. Other than this, the Monster V2 continues with the same tyre and rim sizes as the previous one at 120/70R17 for the front and 180/55R17 for the rear. The Monster V2 gets the new Pirelli Rosso IV tyres, whereas the earlier model came with Rosso III.
Ducati Monster old vs new: Rider aids
Sports a bigger TFT instrument cluster
The new Monster retains all the electronic aids present in the previous one such as ride modes (Sport, Road and Wet), power modes (Low, Medium, and High), traction control, and wheelie control. However, the bi-directional quickshifter has been updated for the V2 and the TFT instrument cluster has also grown in size from 4.3-inch to 5-inch.
Ducati Monster old vs new: Colour schemes
One new colour on the V2
There aren’t too many differences between the old and the new Monster in terms of the colours, but Ducati has now discontinued the ‘Aviator Grey’ colour and has switched the Racing Red wheels to the ‘Iceberg White’ colour. The Monster V2 gets a new third colour option called ‘Sport Livery’.
Ducati Monster old vs new: Price
Rs 15,000 more expensive than before
With all the new changes, the Monster V2 now starts at Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom) which is a Rs 15,000 increase over the previous model. This price is applicable to the base ‘Ducati Red’ colour variant, with the ‘Iceberg White’ and ‘Sport Livery’ options each costing Rs 14.23 lakh. We also have the Monster+ V2, which adds a headlight cowl and a passenger seat cover, and starts at Rs 14.34 lakh (Ducati Red) and goes up to Rs 14.45 lakh (Iceberg White, Sport Livery).
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
