monster 1200, nyc moto-show thugs

[twolanefun]

After some time sitting on the bike at the dealer and then the Diavel, I ended up getting the Diavel, the significant discount on the Diavel helped. I put 180 miles on it last Saturday - Awesome. I still have my M900 so for me the Diavel make sense. I'm Headed to Daytona end of the week hope to have some fun with it down there, might pick on a few V-rods. - Gene

[Estoma]

This new 1200/1200S (Water Buffalo) is a Ducaudi Monster, not a Ducati Monster.  The original Monster success story followed on Ducati (unwittingly?) crafting a naked bike with lean and clean lines which looked, sounded and felt faster (and meaner) than it actually was – like a bike idyllically should be (and like they were when James Dean, Steve McQueen and Robert Redford rode them).  These sales-generating Monsters would put a grin on your face whether you rode it, just turned it over or even just looked at it.  The different Motor Sizes facilitated a motorcycle that almost anyone who bought one could ride flat out (or nearly flat out) without scaring the living sh!t out of them.  Very few things make you feel better.  It represented what most people attributed to a ‘great’ bike and it rewarded Ducati by selling them straight back into the black.

Ducati has proven that they can do two things well; 1) build great (unfinished) bikes and 2) make poor business decisions (albeit generally not twice in short succession).  They burnt their fingers with the S4R.  It was a really fine motorcycle, but it strayed from the already established well-selling Monster recipe.  Its reincarnation (the 1200/1200S) can therefore conceivably only be attributed to the heavy hand of Audi Bean Counters; particularly in terms of ignorantly aiming to boost dipped Monster Sales by also appealing to Streetfighter and Diavel competition (and in-house converts) – while abandoning the circa 100,000 original Monster Faithful.  The latter will simply flock across to the R NineT, Grizzo and a slew of new/face-lifted Retro Bikes silently entering the Market.  Bikes that Joe Soap can ride flat out (or almost flat out), that look the business and that privately make him feel like Dean, Steve or Robert.

The 1200S looks to be another really fine bike, just like the S4R was (except that it promises to handle better).  But Ducati should not have hijacked the Monster Brand to bring it to Market.  And, unlike the S4R, it looks like my @ss.

Hopefully we will see some common sense creeping back into the 2015 Models.

[twolanefun]

This new 1200/1200S (Water Buffalo)

Ouch that was cruel, it is no where near as ugly as the Water Buffalo was IMHO, http://www.suzukicycles.org/GT-series/GT750.shtml. It was not that fast either, my buddy bought one and he could not keep up with my moded CB500 Four. But I do agree that the M900/M1000 are the best of the breed and even the smaller versions had the same look. As for performance out in the twisty stuff on VA/WV/TN/NC and SE Ohio that I like to ride a 2V air cooled monster is all you need for many smiles with miles. - Gene

[Scooter Montgomery]

The monster frame reminds me men's hair. In its young it was full and wonderful. Now its completely resceded and should just be shaved clean.

[Scoober1103]

This new 1200/1200S (Water Buffalo)

And, unlike the S4R, it looks like my @ss.

You sir must have a seriously nice @ss or an extremely strong opinion!

Either way I'm glad it is just your opinion as I'm sure there are plenty of people out there (including me) that love the look of the new 1200/s and the previous gen monster and the s*r and the...........the list goes on!

With this type of opinion you must really dislike the new camaro, challenger, mustang, corvette, mini and beetle!

There is such hype about the loss or reduction of the trellis frame but as someone here mentioned previously Ducati didn't always have a trellis frame! And sure it will disappear in favor of something else for better or worse but that is progression.

Emissions, build costs and sales will be the driving force for at least the immediate future. But there will always be people who prefer the original and people who like the new tech that's what makes us all unique........a difference of opinion!

[hbliam]

There is such hype about the loss or reduction of the trellis frame but as someone here mentioned previously Ducati didn't always have a trellis frame!

The Monster did. Isn't that what we are talking about? Monsters?

[TACstrat]

I'm not a big fan of the 1200 looks either and wish Ducati kept the "less is more" philosophy which made Monsters unique. I'm sure it is a great bike, but they've over complicated their original simple design concept. I was going to trade up to a bigger Monster, but after seeing the 1200, I'm seriously considering the new Diavel instead.

[memper]

I used to have a 1972 Water Buffalo. It rode like a hyperactive fat kid. Still fun and classy with big ol blue flake paint.

I wonder what would happen if Ducati brought back the original trellis style frame but maintained current technology otherwise. Keep a similar look and intent from the early models, only adapted for modern times. I bet sales would shoot up.

[muskrat]

I wonder what would happen if Ducati brought back the original trellis style frame but maintained current technology otherwise. Keep a similar look and intent from the early models, only adapted for modern times. I bet sales would shoot up.

THIS

[Curmudgeon]

I wonder what would happen if Ducati brought back the original trellis style frame but maintained current technology otherwise. Keep a similar look and intent from the early models, only adapted for modern times. I bet sales would shoot up.

Somehow this doesn't quite compute, and even if possible, would only add weight. The newer 2-valve Monsters put more weight on the front end and definitely handle differently and are quite nimble and neutral.

Maybe it "could" be done, but not sure how many want to PAY for titanium just to get tubes which some here would just chop! 

Agreed with comments above about the 1200 being far too potent and complex for a sport "cruiser". I'm not their target market though, whatever that is...

[thought]

I think with Domenicalli at the top seat now, we're going to see a lot more engineer/efficiency driven decisions being made for future models. With him being the former head of R&D it's part of who he is and how he thinks.

Pretty sure that's why we're seeing a lot more design choices that are driven by efficiency vs style... e.g. the DSS on the 899 and the half trellis/comfort mods for the m1200.

[Estoma]

Ouch that was cruel, it is no where near as ugly as the Water Buffalo was IMHO, http://www.suzukicycles.org/GT-series/GT750.shtml.

Granted, but it nevertheless sounded better than Monstrosity.

You sir must have a seriously nice @ss or an extremely strong opinion!

Point taken and no disrespect intended towards future 1200S owners, but I still reckon that my butt looks better even though it is not a pretty sight  .

That hose-smitten left end resembles the underbelly of an Industrial Floor Cleaner – not many pictures taken from that side, small wonder.  The Testastretta Motor, as impressive as it is, never had installation in a Naked Bike factored into its conception.  Too many plastic covers otherwise, humungous Radiator, Coolant Tank, Fan.  The Oil Cooler (Stone Magnet more appropriately) hangs off the bottom of the Horizontal Cylinder like an afterthought.  And that Mud Catcher on the Rear Wheel? – aka MTS1200 / R1200GS.  I know that the Diavel also sports one, but there is no reason to copy Diavel errors onto the Monster.

Saw a post in another forum suggesting that the 1200/1200S should rather have been called a Miavel.  Spot on.  Naked Bikes need to be naked – covers or fairing-ends are not on, cannot be on.  You need to be able to see through them, looking from the side.  Naked equals Air-cooled.  The 1200S is cool, even though the 1200 is pointless, and they have a place on the Lineup.  But they should have had a new name, not Monster.

Anyway, we are where we are.  Another unfinished Ducati (yes!), albeit a ‘friendly’ high-tech one.  More will follow, I am sure, and after a while the disgruntled, like myself, might (or might not) be pacified as it rubs off onto them. Rizoma, Evo-tech, et al are conceivably hard at work coming up with aftermarket improvements.  Keeps them in work and keeps us indebted – everybody’s smiling, some grimacing perhaps.  I’ll hold thumbs for 2015 irrespectively.

No wonder ppl I ride with think Ducati riders are pricks :-(.

Ignore them (or feel sorry for them), they are living in denial.  There are only two kinds of Bike Owners; those who own Ducatis (Monsters in particular) and those who wish they did.

[twolanefun]

Loving my Diavel and still love my award winning M900. That ugly mud catcher does work in the rain on pavement, not so good in wet grass/mud, don't ask me how I know. - Gene

[Armor]

Ducati will probably come out with some retro bikes, for you who want an old retro bike.

[twolanefun]

You mean like a M1000S, that only lasted 2 years so it would be a good candidate, metal tank too. - Gene