First Ride Review: 2016 Ducati Monster 1200 R

I'll admit to being a bit confused when Ducati unveiled its 2016 Monster 1200 R this past September. The Monster, in all but a few of its previous configurations, has invariably been the forgiving, city-street-loving naked bike that Ducati's big bore Streetfighter never could be. Then, along with the 1200 R's unveil, came photos of the bike at the track and with the Ducati test rider's elbow dropped to just an inch or two off the ground. Cool? Hell yeah. How I ever pictured a Monster being marketed? Not exactly.

Any and all skepticism surrounding the Ducati Marketing Team’s approach to the R changed this month, however, when I had the chance to ride the new 1200 R at the Ascari Race Resort in Malaga, Spain. The 1200 R is nimbler, more composed, and so planted that it seems almost natural to be throwing the bike around as if its fairings read, “Panigale.” No, I didn’t drag any elbows of my own, but I can definitely see where Ducati is trying to take the R. And hell if that new position isn’t exciting.

Assuming you’re one of those people who likes the best of everything, then you'll probably be excited over the bike as well. Here’s why:

For starters, the 1200 R is the most powerful naked bike that the boys from Bologna have ever built, and yes, that takes the 155-claimed-hp Streetfighter 1098 into account. Ducati started with one of its Testastretta 11-degree engines, but used a thinner head gasket to bump compression ratio up to 13:1 (from 12.5:1 on the 1200). This, along with a move to larger elliptical throttle bodies with an equivalent diameter of 56mm (versus 53mm on the 1200) and larger, 58mm-diameter exhaust pipes, has bumped power output to a claimed 160 hp at 9,250 rpm. Torque, meanwhile, climbs from 91.8 foot-pounds at 7,250 rpm to 97 foot-pounds at 7,750 rpm.

There are other changes to the engine, though most of those were done in order for the R to meet strict Euro 4 standards for noise reduction. As an example, the pistons have a new material on the side to reduce leak, while the clutch cover has added material near the oil pump to reduce mechanical noise. Also, the R’s redesigned exhaust muffler now has more volume.

It’s worth mentioning that despite these weighty updates, Ducati has managed to actually reduce the claimed curb weight of the R by a claimed 4.7 pounds, to 456.3 pounds (Ducati curb-weight figures account for all operating consumable liquids and a fuel tank filled to 90% of capacity). This compared to the Öhlins-equipped 1200 S, which has a curb weight of 461 pounds.

Speaking of suspension, the R continues to roll on fully adjustable Öhlins bits, only the suspension on the R has been lengthened in an attempt to both increase cornering clearance and raise the bike’s center of gravity. Suspension damping has been updated, though spring rates remain the same. The effect on geometry is minimal, with the R having just a 2mm shorter wheelbase (1509mm versus 1511mm on the S) and 4.2mm less trail (89mm versus 93.2 on the S).

Electronics are the same as they are on the Monster 1200, which is to say the bike has the same three riding modes (Sport, Touring, and Urban) that can be customized via three varying power modes, three-level ABS, and eight-level DTC. All of these settings continue to be adjusted via a switch on the left side of the handlebar and through the Monster's dash, which on the R now has a gear position indicator. In all situations except for when the sun is directly behind you, each of the bike's electronic settings are clearly visible. Damn, sun...

Additional updates for the R include an Öhlins steering damper, larger 200/55-17 Pirelli Supercorsa SP rear tire (instead of Pirelli Diablo Rosso II rubber), and separate rider/passenger footpeg brackets, the former holding pegs that are machined for better grip and live on an extremely short list of Ducati footpegs that we like (and actually work to keep your feet in place). To accentuate its sportier personality, the R also gets a more stylish rear seat cover, plus an updated seat.

Throw a leg over the bike and you’ll notice right away the effects of the new seat and taller suspension, which together bring the seat height from 31.9 inches max on the Monster 1200 S to a non-adjustable 32.7 inches on the 1200 R. While that number doesn’t seem skyscraper high, it’s definitely worth keeping in mind if your parents didn’t grace you with long legs; at 6-feet-3-inches, I could flat foot no problem, but my legs were definitely straighter than they would be on similar bikes. Other riders on hand for the Monster 1200 R launch didn’t find the seat height as friendly, with one Japanese test rider having to come up with some, umm, unique methods for ascending the bike.

The tradeoff here is that the R handles so much better than any Monster that came before it. The bike steers into a corner lighter and through a transition quicker thanks to the higher center of gravity (and forged wheels, we’re sure). On top of that, when it’s on its side, the re-damped R feels more planted and composed than ever before. I am generally not a huge fan of naked bikes on the track as the wider handlebar paired to street-soft suspension typically causes those bikes to move around quite a bit through all parts of the corner, yet with the R there’s relatively none of that unwanted movement, even as the pace picks up.

Compare dyno charts between the Monster 1200 R and the 1200 S and you’ll notice that the bikes make about the same power most everywhere below 7,000 rpm. So, similar to the S, the newest Monster makes good power off the bottom and is plenty capable of running a gear higher than you’d expect in tighter sections of road. The benefit here is less shifting over the course of a ride or session at the track. Things change past 7,000 rpm though, with the R’s engine starting to pull a bit harder and not feeling like it goes flat as you close in on the rev limiter. For some, that added liveliness will be the punch to the adrenal glands that the S simply couldn’t give. That extra power will probably help the bike come closer to the class-leading Tuono V4 1100 RR, S 1000 R, and 1290 Super Duke R as well, even if those bikes will still have a bit of a power advantage.

Of course, there’s more to the R’s new engine than more steam up top, as when Ducati engineers mounted up the larger throttle bodies they also went through and fine-tuned the parameters for the new Synerject-Continental fuel injection system. The result is near seamless fueling almost right off the bottom. Whether you’re riding stoplight-to-stoplight or going to crack the throttle open in the middle of a corner, this has obvious advantages in that it makes the bike less work to ride or stay on top of.

And overall, that’s what the Monster 1200 R feels like to me, an easier bike to ride. Sure, it’s a bit faster, but more importantly it’s lighter on its toes and more composed when ridden aggressively. Add in electronic rider aids like traction control and ABS that can be easily tailored to provide as much support as you need, and without an overly aggressive cut, and you have a bike that’s surprisingly well suited for track riding.

Does that mean that if you are looking for a track bike you should be looking at the Monster 1200 R? No, not necessarily. But, if you are looking for the best performing naked bike with Ducati logos on it, and aren’t scared away by the R’s $18,695 price tag ($18,895 for "Thrilling Black") that makes it the most expensive bike in the naked bike category, then you definitely should.

Hell, maybe one day you’ll even take it to the track and get a photo of you dragging elbow. Seriously, it’s possible, just check out the Ducati’s photos of the R below the spec chart: