2023 Ducati Monster SP: Ducati’s Top Seller Gets Track Ready

Ducati’s Monster hits the big 3-0 this year. When it was launched in 1993 it was engineered to deliver Ducati’s trademark two-wheeled passion in an accessible package, both in terms of price and riding characteristics. Being Ducati’s best-selling model, ever, confirms the brilliance of this approach, as does the sincerest form of flattery the Monster has inspired across today’s motorcycling industry.

The Ducati Monster was completely redesigned back in 2021, and when we experienced the all-new bike we predicted ongoing success. Combining a 10-percent reduction in weight with a bump in horsepower and torque is never a bad thing, but Ducati went a step further with mechanical and ergonomic improvements. These included a lower center of gravity, steeping steering head angle, narrower tank and frame, reduced clutch pull force, and more upright riding position.

These improvements elevated the Monster’s acceleration and handling, pushing it further into the superbike genre without compromising its original mission as a user-friendly street bike. Customer feedback must have been positive, because the new 2023 Ducati Monster SP continues down this evolutionary path, imbuing the bike with still more performance while retaining its playful spirit.

The same 937cc 90-degree V-twin powers the new Monster SP, offering the same 111 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque. But a 4 pound drop in wet weight (from 414 to 410 pounds) makes the engine’s job a bit easier, while changes to steering head reduce rake, making the Monster SP more responsive to steering input. A steering damper, unique to the SP trim, maintains the Monster’s trademark stability, while a fully adjustable Ohlins suspension is both lighter and offers a sportier calibration than the base Monster or mid-level Monster+.

An upgraded brake system, featuring Brembo Stylma calipers and aluminum flanges, is also lighter than the standard Monster system, as is the SP-specific lithium ion battery. The Monster SP also features a standard Flyscreen ahead of its 4.3-inch TFT color display. This display uses an intuitive interface to access the bike’s advanced electronics, which include traction control, wheeling control, and launch control, plus the choice of three driving modes: Wet, Touring, and Sport.

These SP enhancements have the expected impact on performance, improving the Monster’s dynamic response in every way without sacrificing its trademark comfort or confidence. Riding the bike along a Ortega Highway, between San Jan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore, included not only the expected twists and turns but also a consistent level of broken and pockmarked pavement within multiple construction zones.

The Monster SP proved unflappable. Its precise braking, robust acceleration, and willing lean angles making quick work of the demanding route. This is a motorcycle that requires a track environment to responsibly get close to its limits. But having the SP’s level of capability on the street bolsters confidence whenever opportunity — in the form of entertaining, low-traffic secondary roads — knocks. At the same time, long-distance travel at highway speeds and around town commuting are well within the Monster SP’s repertoire. Wind buffeting is perhaps the only aspect of long-distance touring that may wear on some riders.

The standard 2023 Ducati Monster SP costs $15,595, which is $3,600 more than the Monster+. The additional money gets you not only the aforementioned equipment upgrades, but an enhanced look made possible by the gold anodized Ohlins suspension pieces, the SP’s red-and-black race livery derived from Ducati’s MotoGP bikes, the red seat, and the larger “Ducati” lettering on the tank. Last, but certainly not least, the Termignoni twin-muffler exhaust system, giving the SP a distinctive as the V-twin revs through its wide torque band.

Ducati hit a new global sales record in 2022 in the face of supply chain and market challenges impacting every manufacturing company. Bikes like the 2023 Ducati Monster SP illustrate how the company continues to find success, despite those challenges.