By the early 90s Ducati were struggling, they were under new ownership, and they had an aging, underperforming model lineup. In the hope of appealing to a broader market, they set to work on designing a more basic motorcycle, but with a twist.
In order to keep costs down, they used an existing engine and chassis, spliced them together and added a basic tank and seat. It was a simple concept made on what was effectively a shoestring budget, but they managed to pull it off, and the end result has inspired generations of enthusiasts.
10 Almost A Cagiva
Cagiva were also on the ropes and were more than willing to let go of Ducati and just launch this new bike as a Cagiva, a Cagiva 900 may well have saved them instead of Ducati.
They would be the ones to fade into history, pretty much dissolving after they offloaded Ducati years later. After changing hands a few more times, Ducati soldiered on and have gone from strength to strength in recent times, mostly, thanks to the Monster.
9 A Naked Sportbike
In the early part of the 90s, regular bikes, with no fairing, were widely regarded as simple transportation and for the most part pretty underpowered.
Ducati single-handedly changed the game in this respect, inventing an all new class of motorcycle; the naked sportbike.
8 Inspired By Brando
The design was heavily influenced by budgetary constraints, nevertheless, Miguel Galluzzi was instructed to create something that had a saddle, two wheels, a tank and somehow looked like the bike Marlon Brando rode in The Wild One.
The end result was a bike that looked simple, yet elegant, and highlighted its key attribute; that gorgeous L-Twin engine.
7 Sportbike Handling
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The original Monster used the chassis from the 851/888 sportbike which was competitive on track, so it made the Monster a pretty capable bike in the corners.
Unlike those sportbikes, it was actually comfortable and had an attainable, if not necessarily affordable, price tag considering the performance potential.
6 The Entry Level Ducati
The M900, which quickly became known as the Monster, set the standard, but what came after changed the game.
Ducati launched the more affordable 600, which was the most accessible Ducati yet, it had a low seat height and less power. It was the bike that brought Ducati into the mass market, making them profitable for the first time in decades.
5 Ducati Savior
Such was the success of the Monster that the model essentially paid for the other sportbike projects that would attract even more global attention as those sportbikes kept winning races.
Most would never be able to afford their top level sportbikes, but almost anyone could afford the entry level Monster. It created a buzz about the brand, and effectively brought it into the 21st century as one of the premier motorcycle brands.
4 Desmoquattro Engine
As far as legendary sportbikes go, few are able to touch the 916. In the early 2000s as that model was due to be replaced, Ducati decided to extend the life of its water cooled sportbike engine, with 100 horsepower, and make the most sporty Monster yet.
The S4 did well, but was phased out quickly in favor of the S4R and later S4RS (pictured) models with newer, more reliable engines.
3 Mass Appeal
Most Ducati owners will profess their love of performance, character, and soul of the bike, but in reality the thing that actually saved the company was its image.
The entire Monster range will attest to this being of paramount importance, from the beginner-friendly 600s and underpowered 400s, image is exactly what they were selling us, and it worked a treat.
2 Keeping Up With The Times
Today we have a new twist to the Monster theme, the new 937 cc engine delivers sumptuous power, but a myriad of electronics keep all its power in check.
It is, to some degree, still accessible, but is in no way a beginner-friendly bike like the original Monster 600s were. It is also admittedly a lot better than they were, but between the large displacement engine and the price tag, it is no longer the entry level Ducati it once was, but it is an authentic Monster with a sportbike chassis and a sportbike engine.
1 Incredible Aftermarket
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Few bikes in this world enjoy the aftermarket support the Monster enjoys, no matter the era, no matter the displacement, there are indeed mods for it.
It gives the bike an edge in personalization, finding an original old bike is tricky, but that actually is not the essence of the bike, this is something you take as a blank canvas and make it your own.