Entry-level Ducati Monster Spotted Testing

The new and basic Ducati Monster will get the air-cooled engine from the Scrambler, along with some other parts like swingarm and rear monoshock.

It seems that Ducati is now focusing on the low-cost middleweight segment, probably because of its increasing worldwide popularity and the scope of these machines. Now, a spy picture of the upcoming Ducati Monster has surfaced, leading to speculations that it is a part of the company's 2017 lineup. The test bike is said to be the Monster 800 and it will be the most affordable streetfighter offering from the company.

The 2017 Ducati Monster 800 in the above spy picture carries the design inspiration from the Monster 821. However, lots of mechanical alterations have been made to make it much more affordable. The most noticeable change in the bike will be the air-cooled motor. According to reports, it will borrow the 803cc, 2-valve, L-twin from the Scrambler which makes 75PS of power and 68Nm of torque. 

The bike retains the signature Monster headlamp, fuel tank and seat design, while the under-tank trellis frame is new. Alloy wheels and braking units have also been retained from the Monster 821 while the swing-arm and the offset rear monoshock are taken from the Scrambler. 

These changes will help the company to keep the pricing of the new entry-level Ducati Monster below that of its rivals like the Kawasaki Z800 and Triumph Street Triple. The purpose of making this new bike is to cut costs and provide a more affordable offering from the popular streetfighter brand. However, the company will still keep ABS as standard because of the mandatory rules in some countries.

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