First Look: 2016 Ducati Monster 1200 R

Ducati released full details on its new 2016 Monster 1200 R, and it looks to be a real barn-burner on paper. For those of you Ducatisti who miss the old Streetfighter lineup, the Monster 1200 R will likely satisfy your cravings, with the new roadster boasting a 160-hp Testastretta 11° Dual-Spark 1198cc V-twin engine featuring much of the same electronic rider aid wizardry as the flagship Panigale series. Numerous upgrades from the standard Monsters include fully adjustable Öhlins suspension at both ends and top-shelf Brembo front brake setup from the Panigale to keep all that power under control, with the styling also receiving a bit of a makeover to make the 1200 R's looks match its sportier intentions.

Compared to the Monster 1200 S engine, the R version delivers a claimed 10% more power and 5.5% more torque, with its 160 horsepower being delivered at 9,250 rpm, and the 97 ft/lb of torque arriving at 7,750 rpm. Up top, the previous 53mm round-section throttle bodies have been replaced by oval-section units with an equivalent diameter of 56mm, and a thinner head gasket bumps compression from 12.5:1 to 13.0:1. A new 2-into-1-into-2 exhaust system sports 8mm larger diameter piping (now 58mm) and feeds into twin hexagonal exhaust canisters. Clutch has a slipper function. Despite the additional power, the new engine is said to meet the ultra-strict Euro 4 emissions standards, and retains 9000-mile/12-month major service and 19,000-mile valve adjustment intervals of the previous Testastretta 11° DS engines.

The signature Ducati steel-tube two-piece trellis frame (the steering head assembly attaches to the cylinder heads, while the rear subframe attaches to the rear of the engine, as does the single-sided swingarm) returns on the Monster 1200 R, with the chassis ride height raised by 15mm at both ends to ensure "lean angles suitable for track use." The rider and passenger footpeg brackets are now separate, and the footpegs/brackets are both made from forged aluminum billet; footpegs have a machined pattern for enhanced boot grip during aggressive riding.

Suspension consists of a 48mm black-anodized Öhlins fork up front and a single Öhlins shock out back working through a progressive linkage, both fully adjustable, plus an adjustable Öhlins steering damper. Three-spoke forged aluminum Marchesini wheels similar in design to the Panigale hold Pirelli's excellent Diablo Supercorsa SP tires, with the rear tire a 200-size unit for maximum accelerative grip. Brembo's latest M50 monobloc calipers grip on huge 330mm discs up front just like the Panigale for serious stopping power (a single 245mm disc out back), with everything under the influence of Bosch's 9MP ABS system that can also be turned off if desired.

The combination of the new tailpiece, forged aluminum wheels, new footpegs/brackets, and other carbon bits has helped achieve a claimed 4.4-pound weight reduction over the 1200 S. Ducati is claiming a curb weight of 456 pounds with the new Monster 1200 R.

The Monster 1200 R makes use of the latest software in its DTC (Ducati Traction Control) system with eight levels of sensitivity, while the Bosch ABS has three levels of intervention. Three Riding Modes (Sport, Touring, and Urban) all have preset parameters for the ride-by-wire throttle response, DTC, and ABS, but each can be customized by the rider for their own preference. And the 1200 R uses the same TFT instrument panel technology as the Panigale and Multistrada series.

No pricing had been listed in the press kit.