Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Ducati Monster 1100S Roadtest
1 commentsIntroducing Dr Jekyll
I picked the Monster up from the same Coventry dealer that supplied the Streetfighter S reviewed in the previous ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ article, and my first impressions about the bike were good. The design of the Monster 1100S makes it a head turner and crowd pleaser; just about everyone who saw this bike passed comment on its good looks. Onlookers salivate as they imagine themselves pulling up outside the local pub garden or street restaurant on a motorcycle (especially the very attractive pearl white) which speaks of a continental life, of timeless style and irrefutable class. Such is the legend of the Monster.
The ride I took from Coventry to London was the same route I used for the Streetfighter article; and by the end of this 240 mile journey, I still felt comfortable, relaxed and fresh, in fact fresh enough to do some more mileage should life’s responsibilities have allowed it.
Heading through Coventry it proved a very easy bike to ride around town with a nice lazy feel, needing minimal use of the gearbox as the big easy twin pushes you effortlessly through traffic on a 75.9lb-ft wave in a very smooth and gentlemanly fashion. The handling on this bike is exceptionally good due largely to (for those who don’t know) the tried and tested trellis frame that Ducati continue to use while the geometry of the steering (rake 24°) is fast and accurate without feeling too aggressive. Add to this the traditionally narrow V twin engine and the quality suspension (the standard model has none too shabby Showa units) you have all the foundations of a sweet handling motorcycle. The riding position feels neutral and for a reasonably large unit such as myself, it is comfortable even on long journeys.
Sweeping A-roads saw it flow through bends as if on rails whilst maximising the drivability of from the 95hp 1078cc motor; and motorways provided little drama at reasonable cruising speeds (85mph+) since the nose cone, small though it is, does a good job of deflecting the wind, removing the need to lie flat on the tank.
The daily commute into the centre of London reinforced the initial impressions from the trip out of Coventry, that the Monster is very manoeuvrable through the rush ‘hour’ traffic, a trait shared by its more expensive brother, the Streetfighter. Both bikes’ combination of engine, chassis geometry and riding position prove the ideal one, and made me a little wary of returning to my 748. As with the last naked bike I tested, the Monster turned my commuting into an enjoyable experience rather than a chore. I would arrive at work feeling relaxed and refreshed, the ride was always somehow very polite and certainly put me in a good mood for the day ahead. As an interesting aside, this engine needed a lot of warming-up, more so than with the Streetfighter. Failure to do so results in a very lumpy and impolite motor, perhaps it’s the revised fuelling? Ducati have given each cylinder its own oxygen sensor and replaced the Marelli throttle bodies with Siemens items to help modernise the classic air-cooled motor.
On a practical level, a trip to the supermarket made me wish I’d borrowed some official tank-bags or rear packs - essential given that throw-over panniers are a complete no-no as the large silencers on either side of the tailpiece would most likely cook whatever food I bought; but maybe some of you enjoy boil-in-the-bag food. I suppose you could opt for the full Termignoni system to at least put a smile on your face while dinner cooked!
The fuel consumption for town riding meant 115 - 120 miles for approximately 11.5 litres of fuel. The reserve gives you an extra 3.5 litres and as with the Streetfighter, a second trip on the digital dash gives you an indication of how many miles you have done on reserve. Perhaps a countdown would be more useful, but you’d still have to be brave to trust it entirely.
The brakes are superb, as they are with all ‘S’ model machines. Two 320mm discs with two four pot Brembo radial calipers on the front, a 245mm disc and a two pot caliper bringing up the rear. Regardless of weather or road conditions, the brakes - in conjunction with the tyres and well-sorted suspension - would feedback exactly how much adhesion was available. As an illustration, one night I had to ride home in a torrential downpour, and although I was soaked to the skin, it did not stop me enjoying the drivability of this bike. We had to contend with deep puddles of standing water and, at times, what felt like running rivers instead of roads - all made possible by the combination of tyres, suspension, brakes, handling and the fantastically torquey motor.
My only concern was that it was so wet, and I was riding such an exposed bike, that I began to think that Ducati’s reputation for poor electrics would strike at any minute…well guess what, it didn't. In fact, apart from one time I had an indicator glitch on my 748, I have never had any problems with wet weather and electrics on any Ducati I have ever ridden or owned. It has become something of a myth, born from some problems in the late 70s and very early 90s - all now seemingly consigned to ancient history.
For some of you this bike may, so far, seem tame or even boring; but make no mistake, this is not a gutless motorcycle; it still has a big V twin motor punching out 95bhp, and it can dish out the good times, the big grin, when you point it at a bend.
If we are opening the throttle in anger, perhaps it’s time for me to introduce Mr Hyde
At night, after work, I would ride home from central London on quiet roads and enjoy the transformation from the gentlemanly characteristics of Doctor Jekyll’s smooth power delivery to the absolute animal of a motorcycle very aptly named ‘Monster’. A lot of fun is to be had with this bike; it has some real grunt leading to arm-wrenching acceleration, its smooth power curve leading me to bounce off the rev limiter a few times - I was getting there slightly earlier than expected and I’m very familiar with Ducati’s engines – but then again, the limiter separates the good stuff from the bad so no harm done.
The front wheel will start to paw the air with a heavy-handed throttle in first, second and third, popping power wheelies at any given opportunity. Rolling burn-outs? The biggest problem there will be replacing the back tyres fast enough, and we’ve already established how stunning the brakes are so perhaps this would make a great stunt-bike for those of a performing nature.
Back on the fast stuff I knew if ever there was a motorcycle to get my knee down on, this was it. Braking hard on approach, feeling the front wheel’s grip through the titanium nitride Öhlins forks, I push the wide and high bars towards the apex on a neutral throttle. Once over the apex I can send power (and it never felt like there could be too much sent) to the rear tyre as the gold shock pushes it into the ground, and finally let the power straighten the bike up and thunder out of the corner. The devil on my shoulder suggests perhaps even popping a power wheelie as you head for the next bend, whispering “it would be rude not to”. Oh boy this is addictive, I feel like a kid in a sweet shop.
Riding hard is when you can sense all the elements waking up and merging together: the grunty motor; the Öhlins suspension connecting you to the beautifully crafted five spoke lightweight alloy wheels; all of which add up to a sensation greater than the sum of the parts. It may not have the control and precision bestowed by the pure racing blood my 748 has, it may not have the ultimate level of aggression of the Streetfighter (with its extra 60bhp) but for a bike with a very broad remit, the Monster is a really enjoyable hooligan through the bends. Obviously it would be safer and clearly more fun to do this on a track day, rather than around town or on the open public highway, but it is nice to have a guilty secret - knowing that just under the controlled and gentile surface you have Mr Hyde, ready to play.
This classic motorcycle has always managed to incorporate a little something for everyone and now, with this latest version, it’s just about perfect. Either of the cheaper two versions will make great bikes to own for a first large capacity motorcycle, all versions retain the model’s perfect suitability for the city lifestyle where practicality, fun and style (rather than being hunched over the tank wrestling with a poor turning circle) are paramount. Choosing the Monster over the £11,500 Streetfighter makes a lot of sense for someone who doesn’t want to pay for the arm tearing and shoulder dislocating power of Ducati’s ultimate naked model, especially considering most of us would be no faster on the more expensive machine.
According to my pet devil, it would make a great weekday companion to a weekend only 748, and I think the 748 would agree as it really isn’t suited to commuting.
So before I head off to the bank, I’ll say a big thank you to Alan Jones of Ducati UK for the loan of the Monster.
C’mon devil, get your coat.
More information and specs on ducati.com
