P70
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 DUCATI MONSTER +
check, while an oil change is scheduled every
two years/9000 miles.
With the V2 comes Ducati's ubiquitous and
minimalist aluminum monocoque chassis
along with a without-fuel weight of just 385.8
pounds, some nine pounds lighter than the
outgoing Testastretta-powered bike.
The new Monster is as naked as the day
it was born, too. Its big single headlight may
be LED, but it remains true to its 1992 origins
of Miguel Galluzzi's Monster design, and its
distinctively muscular tank of old also lives on
in a more modern form (albeit with a modest
3.7-gallon capacity). As you approach it, the
bike looks light on its wheels. Up for a good
time, too. Just as a Monster should.
Unfortunately, Cycle News' test in Southern
Spain was hit by torrential rain that flooded
roads and threatened to shut everything down.
So, fun riding was in short supply. But we still
managed to venture out, at least to get a flavor
of the 2026 Monster +.
Riding the Monster +
Priced at $13,995 in the USA, the new Monster
+ carries a premium price tag for the class and
is 10-20 percent more expensive than nakeds
such as Yamaha's MT-09 and Triumph's new
Trident 800. This is despite the Showa suspen-
sion being nonadjustable except for spring
preload on the rear, and the brakes running
lower-spec M4.32 calipers than the sharper
M50 items found on the Streetfighter V2.
On board, you're greeted by a new 5.5-inch
color dash and the same neat and navigable
switchgear shared with Ducati's other V2s.
Traditional one-piece bars shape you into a
relaxed and neutral stance. There are now four
power modes and four riding modes to choose
from: Sport, Road, Urban and Wet, with the lat-
ter two limiting peak power to 95 hp.
These are easy to change on the move via
a momentarily closed throttle, and each can
be customized to suit your riding preferences.
You could, for example, have the full stable of
111 horses in Wet mode rather than the pre-
scribed 95, or remove the traction control and
