Ducati 848

The Ducati 848 is white as mint and awakens the senses just like chocolate. Sweet as it may be, the Ducati 848 is as sharp as they get. Slicing through the technical corners on the Almeria circuit in Spain with the confidence inspiring chassis the 749 was known for; -But now 20 kilos lighter and with a hell of a lot more horsepower!

A bright November morning greets us in Almeria when the world press enters the bus just after eight. It’s going to be a great day onboard Ducati’s new downscaled superbike. Since I last tested a Ducati the Bologna firm have won MotoGP, added Marco Melandri to the 2008 MotoGP dream team and launched next years world superbike contender, the 1098R.

But still, it’s the Ducati 848 I have been most interested in. Every detail about it has promised a new superbike for the people. The 848 truly fills a big gap in the Ducati line-up now that the 749 is gone. There has been nothing but Monsters for customers interested in a mid-sized motorcycle.

Ducati Monster 696

Whether you’re new to motorcycling or to the Ducati brand, there is no better way to get into either than with its Monster 696. From the look, feel, and sound of its air-cooled 696cc L-Twin engine cradled in the company’s legendary steel-trellis frame to its bold, curvaceous shape bathed in Ferrari Red paint, there’s no mistaking this bike for anything else other than a Ducati.

Although the Ducati Monster lacks some of the top-shelf technology as used on the Shiver, the basics are all here. A fixed 43mm Showa inverted fork along with Sachs hydraulic shock absorber cushioning the load out back. Equivalent-sized radial-mount front brakes, a friendly hydraulically-actuated clutch and a sharp looking Digitek digital display.

Climbing aboard the Monster 696 isn’t much of a climb at all, as it features a short 30.3-inch seat height. Its low seating position combined with its narrow width make it feel like you’re riding a minibike—that is if you’re six-foot-plus inches tall. Yet even for a tall rider the cockpit isn’t as crowed as you’d expect. The reach to the steel handlebars is equally as diminutive, which in turn creates a sportier riding position than the Shiver’s.

Reach out and grab both the brake and clutch lever and you’ll notice just how ridiculously light clutch lever pull is. Conversely the reach to the brake lever is slightly stretched and it cannot be adjusted like the Shiver’s. Thumb the starter button and the Monster’s air-cooled engine fires right up settling into a lumpy idle. However, sometimes when cold, the engine would stall and require a bit of warm-up before it could idle on its own. Pump the throttle a couple times and the engine roars with that unmistakable Ducati “vroom”. Press down on the gear shift lever, and slip the clutch and you’re off and running.

Whereas the Aprilia’s liquid-cooled engine makes power literally everywhere, the Ducati’s air-cooled mill puts out a subdued spread of power. For a novice rider this translates into absolute confidence, but for an experienced rider it feels downright slow. As rpms slowly increase a decently snappy mid-range is exposed, but it’s cut-short almost as soon as it starts, necessitating an upshift.

Ducati Monster Black Gold

Ducati Monster Black Gold – I’ve actually been scared to write this article, and every time I think about what I want to say about the Ducati Monster, I end up giving up, afraid that I can’t match my emotions with the words…….the Ducati Monster is a love affair I’ve had since my friend introduced me to one in Florence Italy in 2008. I must admit, it wasn’t love at first site, I was intrigued, confused by what I saw.

Needless to say, my fascination became obsession and it gives me great happiness to know that in the end I have found something perfect. To me, the Ducati Monster is more than just another QN bike, it’s the physical representation of my view on life and what I want to get out of it, the Ducati Monster is not a bike for everybody, but to me, it’s THE dream, THE ideal, THE penultimate bike which I swear was carved especially for me by the Ducati team. I could not make it any more perfect if I wanted to and somehow, that scares the sh*t out of me.

To be so sure about what I want, somehow, gives me great confidence in my actions and THAT is what is so attractive about Ducati, they have never followed the herd, they just did what they wanted to do, and somehow, without trying to appease anybody they became insanely successful.

Let’s face it, Ducati is a brand, which goes above and beyond design in terms of “performance”. In fact, although they are so passionate about their technology and their racing, I think most of us would agree that the true beauty of Ducati is the way their bikes become alive with emotion and character, Ducati motorcycles aren’t machines, they are great big Fire-Breathing-Dragons that you want to tame and control…even though you know you never will.

Ducati Monster Black

Riding a motorcycle is a pleasure that I really miss since I sold my Kawasaki Z750 two years ago for economic reasons. Now, I really dream to buy a new bike but I take my time to choose the right one. With a a budget limited to 8000 euros max, the choice is restricted but you can find nice machines like the Triumph Street triple or the Ducati Monster 696. I just took a look at the last one today and it really got my attention. The choice will be hard between this two bikes… No matter.

Ducati Streetfighter 2013

Ducati Motorcycles are well known for their amazing looks and high performance. For years Ducati have produced some of the world's most outstanding motorcycles from the Superbike, Hypermotard, Monster & Streetfighter Series to the more recent Diavel. With so many different models there are a large number of aftermarket parts that you can buy to improve the looks and performance of your Ducati. Some of the more stylish & innovative on the market are Rizoma Ducati Parts.

Rizoma & Ducati are both Italian companies and combined together they seem to make a perfect fit. Rizoma have been producing parts & accessories for various motorcycles since the early 1990's with one of their main focuses being on Ducati models. Rizoma offer a range of Universal Parts that will fit on the majority of motorcycles such as the Sportline & Lux Grips as well as the vast range of Fluid Tanks & Mirrors. They also produce a line of parts that are bike specific.

Rizoma Ducati Parts are made with passion and high quality materials. There is no way that you could be disappointed by the quality of product after buying and fitting them. Some of the most impressive are the Rearsets. Made with billet aluminium some enable you to alter your riding position in terms of height and longitudinal position, so that you can find the perfect feel between yourself and your bike. The new for 2012 RRC Rearsets that have been inspired by the rearsets Rizoma produce for Moto 2 and Moto GP teams are available for the Ducati Superbike models and sell for a very fair price.

Every small detail can be improved on with Rizoma Ducati Parts. Accessories such as timing belt covers, engine guards, sprocket covers, license plate supports, foot pegs and much more are available to add. Many parts are available in alternate colours such as Natural, Black, Gold, Red & Blue so you have a decent choice and you can create a unique custom look as well as improving protection and performance.

Ducati Monster 2014

the bike which saved Ducati in troubled times the Ducati Monster was first launched in 1993 to critical acclaim. Sharing parts from several model ranges it took the frame from the 916 family, married to a carburetted aircooled engine ranging from the M400 through to the M900 (M400, M600, M750, M900). With bodywork designed by Miguel Angel Galluzzi it was an instant hit with its back to basics design remit, light weight, sportsbike handling and awesome exhaust note.

Early in 2000 Ducati added fuel injection to the M900 and in 2001 shoehorned the watercooled 916 engine from the 916 superbike into the Monster creating the S4, a brutally fast and fun naked bike. Adding premium components from the likes of Brembo, Marchesini, Showa and other manufacturers they created a bike which would become legendary for it's versatility and ability.

In 2005 it was all change again with the retirement of the famous 916 powerplant, only for the engine to be replaced with the Testastretta engine from the 999 Superbike creating the top of the range S4R. Adorned with Ohlins suspension, Marchesini alloy wheels and radial brakes it took the performance and handling of the Monster to the next level. At the same time coinciding with an all new engine range for the Super Sport range the Monster inherited the all new 2 valve 800 and 1000 engines becoming the S2R 800 and S2R 1000 respectively, although, it could be argued that the term "all-new" is incorrect as the engines were modified 750cc and 900cc powerplants from the Supersport ranges.

Moving to the current Monster Range, there are three models: the 696, 1100, and 1100S. The Monster 696 was announced in November 2007 and officially launched early April 2008 in Barcelona. The Monster 1100 was announced in September 2008. Based on the Monster 696, it comes with a larger 1078 cc engine, a single sided swingarm, radial brake calipers, larger diameter forks and taller suspension. The 1100 "S" model features fully adjustable Öhlins suspension components, a different colour scheme and aluminium brake disc carriers reducing weight. All models have been praised by the press and public alike, and in what is quite a rare achievement actually take the best of the older models and improve upon them both technically and aesthetically.

Ducati Monster 2013

Ducati Motorcycles are well known for their amazing looks and high performance. For years Ducati have produced some of the world's most outstanding motorcycles from the Superbike, Hypermotard, Monster & Streetfighter Series to the more recent Diavel. With so many different models there are a large number of aftermarket parts that you can buy to improve the looks and performance of your Ducati. Some of the more stylish & innovative on the market are Rizoma Ducati Parts.

Rizoma & Ducati are both Italian companies and combined together they seem to make a perfect fit. Rizoma have been producing parts & accessories for various motorcycles since the early 1990's with one of their main focuses being on Ducati models. Rizoma offer a range of Universal Parts that will fit on the majority of motorcycles such as the Sportline & Lux Grips as well as the vast range of Fluid Tanks & Mirrors. They also produce a line of parts that are bike specific.

Rizoma Ducati Parts are made with passion and high quality materials. There is no way that you could be disappointed by the quality of product after buying and fitting them. Some of the most impressive are the Rearsets. Made with billet aluminium some enable you to alter your riding position in terms of height and longitudinal position, so that you can find the perfect feel between yourself and your bike. The new for 2012 RRC Rearsets that have been inspired by the rearsets Rizoma produce for Moto 2 and Moto GP teams are available for the Ducati Superbike models and sell for a very fair price.

Every small detail can be improved on with Rizoma Ducati Parts. Accessories such as timing belt covers, engine guards, sprocket covers, license plate supports, foot pegs and much more are available to add. Many parts are available in alternate colours such as Natural, Black, Gold, Red & Blue so you have a decent choice and you can create a unique custom look as well as improving protection and performance.

Looking to the future Rizoma's catalogue of parts continues to grow with new and interesting ideas coming out on a yearly basis. With new models being born into the world from Ducati such as the new 1199 Panigale there will always be a market for Rizoma Ducati Parts and things are only going to get better. Motorcycle enthusiasts will be keeping an eye out to see what arrives next year in 2013!