The wait for Ducati Monster 797 is over

Ducati has expanded its India line-up with the launch of 2 entry-level motorcycles in their respective families, the Monster 797 and Multistrada 950. While the Monster 797 is priced at Rs. 7.77 lakhs, the adventure-tourer Multistrada 950 is priced at Rs. 12.60 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

So, let us take you through the motorcycles, shall we?
First up, is the Monster 797. The entry-level motorcycle from the Monster family carries the same design language as its elder sibling, the Monster 821. Basically a naked street-fighter, the Monster 797 will serve as a good starting point for those looking to enter the higher capacity motorcycles segment.

The exposed trellis frame that is a part of the Monster’s design language is a one piece design, unlike the chassis on the bigger Monsters that have a separate front trellis piece that mounts to the cylinder head and a sub-frame that mounts to the rear of the engine.

The engine from the Ducati Scrambler does its duty in the Monster 797 as well. The engine is a 803cc, air-cooled, L-twin that produces 75 HP of power and 69 Nm of torque. The Monster 797 gets a non-adjustable 43 mm Kayaba fork upfront and a Sachs unit with adjustable spring preload and rebound damping at the rear.

The bike gets a double-sided swingarm unlike the 821 which has a single-sided piece. Braking duties are via 320 mm twin rotors with Brembo calipers upfront and 245 mm single disc at the rear. Ducati has said a NO to electronics on the Monster 797, so no different riding modes, no traction control, etc.

The Monster 797 only gets ABS from the safety perspective. Ducati has also added slipper-clutch and the LCD display in the Monster 797’s equipment list. The Monster 797 is available in 3 colours – Star White with red frame and wheels, Ducati Red with black frame and wheels and Dark Stealth with black frame and wheels.

Moving on to the Multistrada 950, this litre-class motorcycle sits below the Multistrada 1200. Most of the bodywork of the Multistrada 950 is being shared with the Multistrada 1200, but the swingarm, seats and the exhaust are being shared with the Multistrada Enduro. Powering the Multistrada 950 is a 937cc L-twin engine that produces 113 HP and 96 Nm of torque.

This engine comes mated to 6-speed gearbox. The engine features a different intake, airbox and exhaust. The engine is taken from the Hypermotard range but in a different state of tune and hence produces more torque.

Being an adventure-tourer the Multistrada 950 gets a 19-inch front wheel with Pirelli Scorpion rubber. The tubular steel trellis frame from the Multistrada 1200 and the sub-frame from the Multistrada Enduro comprises the chassis of the Multistrada 950.

The swingarm is a double-sided swingarm unlike the 1200 which has a single-sided piece. The Multistrada 950 gets a fully-adjustable 43 mm Kayaba fork upfront and a Sachs unit at the rear that is adjustable manually.

Braking duties are via twin 320 mm rotors featuring Brembo calipers and a 265 mm single disc at the rear. ABS is offered as standard. The Multistrada 950 gets a host of electronic aids like the 8-level traction control system, ride-by-wire, 4 riding modes (Urban, Enduro, Touring and Sports) and a Bosch 9.1 MP anti-lock braking system with 3-level intervention. The adventure bike also gets a new design for the wheels. The Multistrada 950 priced at Rs. 12.60 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) rivals the Triumph Tiger 800.