I’ll admit to being a bit confused when Ducati unveiled its 2016 Monster 1200 R this past September. The Monster, in all but a few of its previous configurations, has invariably been the forgiving, city-street-loving naked bike that Ducati’s big bore Streetfighter never could be.
Then, along with the 1200 R’s unveil, came photos of the bike at the track and with the Ducati test rider’s elbow dropped to just an inch or two off the ground. Cool? Hell yeah. How I ever pictured a Monster being marketed? Not exactly.
Any and all skepticism surrounding the Ducati Marketing Team’s approach to the R changed this month, however, when I had the chance to ride the new 1200 R at the Ascari Race Resort in Malaga, Spain. The 1200 R is nimbler, more composed, and so planted that it seems almost natural to be throwing the bike around as if its fairings read, “Panigale.” No, I didn’t drag any elbows of my own, but I can definitely see where Ducati is trying to take the R. And hell if that new position isn’t exciting.