Ducati India has sent out a teaser image on its social media channels confirming the launch of the 2018 Monster 821 in India. The new Ducati will be launched on May 1 in our two-wheeler market.
Powering the new motorcycle is the same 821cc, 90 degree V-twin motor seen on its predecessor. However, it has been worked upon to make it BS-IV/Euro 4 compliant. The trade-off for lower emissions is that peak power has reduced to 110hp (down by 2hp), while torque drops from 89.4Nm to 86Nm. The engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox and a bi-directional quickshifter is an optional extra.
The updates haven’t been restricted to just the powertrain front, though. The new Monster 821 also features a redesigned fuel tank and the tail section is sharper and more compact. It gets a new headlight with LED DRLs and the twin exhaust mufflers have been given a makeover, as well.
The all-digital LCD instrument console from the older bike has been replaced with a TFT display, which not only looks better and more premium, but also offers more functionality. Electronic aids consist of eight levels of traction control and three ride modes – Urban, Touring and Sport – along with switchable ABS. Braking hardware consists of twin 320mm semi-floating discs anchored by radially mounted Monobloc Brembo M4-32 callipers at the front and a 245mm single-disc unit doing duty at the rear.
We are given to believe that the Italian manufacturer is planning to price the new Monster 821 more aggressively, now. The older Monster 821, which was discontinued after BS-IV emission norms came into effect, was priced at Rs 10.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). This time around, we suspect a sub-Rs 10 lakh price tag for the 2018 Monster 821 is possible, thus bringing it closer to rivals like the Triumph Street Triple S (Rs 9.19 lakh) and the Yamaha MT-09 (Rs 9.55 lakh). The new Monster 821 will also face competition from the likes of the Suzuki GSX-S750 and the Kawasaki Z900, which are currently priced at Rs 7.45 lakh and Rs 7.68 lakh respectively (all prices are ex-showroom, Delhi).
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
Azaman Chothia
