How Different Is The 2021 Ducati Monster From the Monster 821?

The 2021 Ducati Monster took centre stage at the 5th instalment of the Ducati World Premiere. The street fighter's been completely revamped for 2021 which means it gets new styling, better features and more importantly a brand new heart that complies with Euro 5/ BS6 emission norms. But just how different is the 2021 model from the outgoing Ducati 821? Read on to find out...

Does It Look Any Better?

Well, that’s open to debate. We think the 2021 Monster looks a lot like the MV Agusta Brutale 800, and that’s not particularly a good thing. You see the Monster range was known for its muscular form, and the new bike, with its shredded look sort of strays away from this notion. The Monster’s iconic circular headlight has been replaced by a diamond-shaped unit. Even the tail section is now made out of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer, not steel.

A Brand New Heart

The 2021 Monster uses a larger 937cc L-twin motor -- same as the SuperSport 950 and Multistrada 950. it's been tuned to make 111PS at 9,250rpm and 93Nm at 6,500rpm, which is 2.8PS and a whole 7Nm more than the Monster 821.

On A Diet

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The added performance becomes even more relevant when you dial in the Monster’s weight. The 2021 model weighs in at just 188kg wet, which is a whole 18kg lighter than the 821. A major chunk of this weight saving (5kg) is due to the new frame which is a hybrid between a monocoque and a full perimeter frame. The new glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) subframe also helps save more weight. Add lighter wheels and a swingarm to the equation and you end up saving an additional 4kg. The 937cc engine itself is 2.5kg lighter than the 821cc version!

Improved Electronics 

More power calls for better electronics, and the new Monster isn’t short of it. You have cornering ABS and traction control (in eight levels), wheelie control, launch control, a bi-directional quickshifter, and three riding modes, all controlled via a new colour TFT dash. While that’s similar to that of the 821, the electronics aids have been tweaked to work better with the new engine.  

What Hasn't Changed?

The updated Monster gets the same non-adjustable 43mm USD forks and a preload-adjustable monoshock. Braking hasn’t changed either: it uses the same twin 320mm discs paired with Brembo M4.32 calipers rather than premium M50s.

When’s It Coming To India?

The Monster 821 was launched in India back in 2018 at Rs 9.51 lakh. As for the 2021 model, it’s priced at GBP 10,295 which is equivalent to Rs 10.2 lakh in India. However, we believe the new Monster may cost much more when it gets here -- somewhere around Rs 13 lakh (ex-showroom- India). The Plus variant may cost you an additional Rs 80,000-90,000.