2014 Ducati Monster 1198 Spied

The Ducati Monster celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, but it looks like year 21 will be just as important, with the introduction of a new model powered by Ducati‘s liquid-cooled Testastretta 1198cc engine.

No less than three different publications have released spy photos of the new 2014 Ducati Monster today, though the simultaneous timing of article from MCN, Moto.it and Motociclismo.it would indicate some coordination from Ducati’s PR machine.

Official details are, of course, unavailable, but the photos do provide quite a bit of information.

Clearly visible despite the swirly camo is the radiator, suggesting this will be the first liquid-cooled Monster since the S4R and S4R S. Shots of the right side of the new Monster reveal a single-sided swingarm and Diavel-esque exhaust manifold and a similar stacked dual exhaust setup.

The engine is likely the 1198cc Testastretta 11° V-Twin engine used in the Diavel, so we should expect about 150hp, depending on how Ducati decides to tune the engine.

But where does this leave the Streetfighter? Well the Streetfighter’s days may be numbered. The 1098cc version isn’t even available in Ducati’s 2013 U.S. lineup despite America being Ducati’s biggest market by sales. According to Ducati’s 2012 sales figures, Monster sales outnumbered Streetfighter sales by nearly a 3.5 to 1 margin.

More information should come over the next few months leading up to the 2013 EICMA show in Milan where we expect Ducati will reveal its new Monster.

[Source: MCN, Moto.it and Motociclismo.it]

By Dennis Chung