Original monster origins

[va122]

What was the original monster an naked version of?

[ducpainter]

What was the original monster an naked version of?

It wasn't a version of anything.

It was a new bike.

[Holden]

You got it backwards... naked bikes come before faired bikes.

[ducpainter]

You got it backwards... naked bikes come before faired bikes.

not in his experience.

[duc996]

The Monster is the origin :-)

[m1moto]

From the Ducati HEritage website

On display is the Monster 900, a model destined to take its rightful place in the history of international motorcycling.
Monstrously beautiful, it is a cocktail of exquisite Ducati components, including the trellis frame from the 851/888 series and the 904 cc air/oil cooled Pompone engine from the Supersport range.

[va122]

This is what i was wondering. Thank you all.

From the Ducati HEritage website

On display is the Monster 900, a model destined to take its rightful place in the history of international motorcycling.
Monstrously beautiful, it is a cocktail of exquisite Ducati components, including the trellis frame from the 851/888 series and the 904 cc air/oil cooled Pompone engine from the Supersport range.

[teddy037.2]

it is a cocktail of exquisite Ducati components

passionate italian translation of "parts bin special"

[ScottRNelson]

Note that only the 1992 851 had the same frame, so when it is said that it was an 851/888 frame, that doesn't apply to the earlier 851's.  The earlier 851's had a frame that was welded at the front where it was bent on the 888.  The aluminum 888 swingarm was also used for the Monster.  If you park a mid-90's Monster next to an 888 it's interesting to see the similarities in frame and swingarm.  Everything behind the rear engine bolt is different, though.  The Monster has a different sub-frame welded on as part of the frame while the 888 has a bolt-on rear sub-frame.

Wheels and brakes were pretty much the same, but the Monster had cheaper forks.  The 888 has adjustable Showa forks and an Ohlins shock while the Monster had non-adjustable Showa forks and a Sachs shock.

If somebody in the Bay Area wants to ride their 93-95 Monster to Pleasanton, I would be happy to take the fairings off of my 888 and photograph the various parts of the two bikes together to document the similarities.

[Spidey]

If somebody in the Bay Area wants to ride their 93-95 Monster to Pleasanton, I would be happy to take the fairings off of my 888 and photograph the various parts of the two bikes together to document the similarities.

That's a cool idea, Scott.  mostrobelle n' Enzo are on your side of the bay and both have '94 monsters.   

[Goat_Herder]

I have a Minichamps Ducati Monster and a Tamiya Ducati 888 at my desk.  I can do a quick comparison right before my eyes.   

[va122]

Oh, forgive the ignorance. I thought the original monster was just a de faringed version of some bike.

[Travman]

I wonder why they combined the 851/888 frame with the air cooled engine?  It definitely looks cool and allowed for the Monster tank to be shaped the way it is.  Why didn't they just take off all the fairings from the Supersport and put a round head light on front and call that the Monster?  Was it cheaper?  Or was it for aesthetics?

[ScottRNelson]

I wonder why they combined the 851/888 frame with the air cooled engine?  It definitely looks cool and allowed for the Monster tank to be shaped the way it is.  Why didn't they just take off all the fairings from the Supersport and put a round head light on front and call that the Monster?  Was it cheaper?  Or was it for aesthetics?

Take a good look at a SuperSport frame.  Not nearly as nice looking as the SuperBike frame.

And since all Ducati engines fit the same way in the frame, minus the occasional cross brace, the SuperBike frame was the obvious choice.

[CairnsDuc]

If I recall correctly, the engine chosen was not meant to be the original engine, he was going to use the engine from the superbike, but due to the high demand for that engine, he had to take the smaller engine.

but, I also remember reading, when he first built the bike, it was not for production, it was for his own personal use, it was only after seeing the bike (A manager/A CEO, someone like that) that he was asked to develop the concept and make it into a production bike, it almost became a Cagiva Monster, but Ducati's board wanted it more, so they got it.