Ducati Monster 821 Review (2014)
What Is It?
The Ducati Monster 821 is a mid-range naked bike and is powered by a Euro 3 compliant liquid cooled 821 cc V-Twin Testastretta engine, producing 112 bhp at 9,250 rpm and maximum torque at 7,750 rpm (80% at 5,500 rpm).
Specs
- Seat Height: Low (785 mm / 30.9 inches)
- Weight: Heavy (206 kg / 454 lbs)
- Economy: Average (45 mpg / 6.3 l/100km / 15.9 km/l)
- Range: High (170 miles / 274 km)
- Power to Weight: High (0.544 bhp/kg / 0.405 kW/kg)
- Top Speed: High (145 mph / 233 km/h)
Pros
- Good looking all-rounder
- Plenty of power
- Brakes
Cons
- Pillion pegs can get in the way
- Non-adjustable fork
- Snatchy in the city
What Is It Like?
Choosing The 821
I've owned the Ducati Monster 821 since 2016, I've had a lot of fun with this bike and I would like to share my review with you. I will skip the specs, but riding a Monster has nothing to do with specs.
This is a different animal and every rider should try any Ducati Monster at least once in their life, mostly because thanks to the first Monster from 1992 we now all have naked bikes to play with.
The bike was an ex-demonstrator, which I bought very spontaneously, after getting a chance to test a Monster 1200R for a weekend. In 3 days I did around 1,000 miles and I fell in love with that bike. Unfortunately I couldn’t afford it, so I chose the little brother.
Power
The great thing about Ducati is the power delivery and the Monster 821's 112 bhp is more than enough for the bike. The gears finish quite quickly over 9,000 rpm but the amount of torque you get from 4,000 rpm is great and you will probably keep your bike in the sweet spot between 5,000-7,000 rpm.
Brakes
They are absolutely outstanding! Way more powerful than the bike and you have 3 levels of ABS to choose from. The bike has 3 riding modes and 8 levels of traction control. For every day riding I always choose Touring mode where ABS is at level 2 and traction control is at level 4.
Even though I don’t really use the safety features it is good to have them in the back of your mind, knowing that they are there and they are switched on.
Handling
In my opinion the Monster 821 is a great bike if you ride mostly on twisty country roads, but it is a bit too powerful / snatchy in the city and has no wind protection for highway speeds.
Against the competition power is slightly down and it is also the most expensive, but once you are Ducati fan then there is no other choice.
Running Costs
In the time I've owned the bike it's been looked after well and serviced as required, with the basic yearly service costing £180. The Desmo service, which I did at 9000 miles, cost me around £900 but it includes belts, break pads, gold DID chain and sprockets. I also had to change the battery for £200.
Any Issues?
During the rainy Winter this year I had a problem with the electronics, especially the power delivery. Luckily my mechanic, Ray Petty Meccanica who in my opinion is the best Ducati mechanic in UK, quickly found the reason. It was a leak in the HT cable and was quickly fixed.
Suspension
The only disadvantage of the Monster 821 is the non-adjustable front suspension and for the performance of the bike this is way behind.
Luckily there is a brand called Andreani that makes front fork cartridges. They are easy to fit it and they make the bike completely different animal.
Exhaust
The last thing to touch on is the exhaust system. It is loud enough, sounds great and in my opinion it is the best stock exhaust system on the market. When Ducati updated the Monster 821 for 2018 they put on the same exhaust as the 1200 but in my opinion is not as good.
- Tomasz K, 2019
Price Guide
Related Bikes
Ducati Monster 821 (2018 On) - New updated version.
Add Your Review
Do you own this bike? We would love to hear anything good, bad, unexpected or that you have changed plus anything that a prospective new owner might find interesting or useful.
More Info
Check out this one year in video review from Nathan Jones.