NEWS / EVENTS / SPECIALS / TOM'S TIDBITS

We were having our monthly staff meeting, in the Ducati Dealership, a month ago and I noticed this beautiful Ducati that I had’t seen before. I sat there staring at it for a half hour and decided to take our demo Monster+ home for the weekend to try out. Having just gotten rid of my Harley Davidson Superglide Custom, for comfort reasons, I had room in our garage for possibly my next bike. Well, I loved the bike and decided to get the upgraded SP as my own.

This SP weighs in a 366 pounds dry and 390 pounds wet. It has a 937cc “L twin” 111 horsepower, liquid cooled engine with 69 foot pounds of torque. All I can say is WOW, the power to weight ratio of this bike makes it a little rocket. It has a slipper clutch and quick shifter. The quick shifter takes some getting used to but works very well with some practice. This bike fits me like a glove and after putting the Ducati accessory lower seat on it the seat height is only 31.9”. The handlebar, seat, peg relationship works very well for me as it is a comfortable seating position and there is no weight, push or pull on my hands at 70 MPH. I did replace the stock mirrors with the Ducati bar end mirrors because they work and look better.

The Ohlins 43mm front forks have 5.1” of travel and the Ohlins rear shock has 5.9”. Believe it when I say it is a comfortable sport bike especially compared to a Panagale. I haven’t had it on the track but I can tell from the twisties I have ridden that the Ohlins suspension gives exceptional feedback and great confidence. Ohlins is the ultimate in suspension and you couldn’t ask for better. It comes with a Steering Damper and Brembo brakes also. This bike stock would win any super bike race in the eighties! The SP has the dual Termignoni exhaust system that has carbon fiber, looks fantastic and sounds throaty but not too loud.

The TFT Screen shows all of the information you want and is easy to read. The electronics on the bike are off the scale! It has ABS Brakes, ABS cornering, Traction control, Launch control and wheelie control. And the wheelie control is definitely needed! It has Road, Sport and Wet riding modes which all work very well. It comes stock with a Lithium battery. I installed the flush LED turn signals and a tail tidy to enhance the lines and looks of the bike.

With out taking it to the track I couldn’t tell you how well all of these functions work but what I can tell you is they are fun to play with and provide much more safety than bikes that came before it.

Ups and downs: It still is a stiffer ride than my Bonneville T120 but comfortable for a sport bike. The handling and performance are next to perfection and I've noticed no vibrations that bother me. It does run warm, which is a trait of high performance Ducati’s, but not something that wearing some thicker pants, in the summer, doesn’t cure. It is so light and nimble it is a joy to ride slowly and extremely easy to push around when parking. Fuel tank capacity is 3.7gal so it is less than I would wish for but hey, it's a sport bike.

It comes with a two year factory warranty, valve adjustment intervals are 18,000 miles and those Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires are the bomb! I also put a tank bag on it for convenience.

Your motorcycle has to get your heart beating faster whether you are simply just staring at it in your garage, talking to your friends about it and showing them pictures or when you are riding it. This Ducati Monster SP pushes all of these buttons for me. It is eye candy and I love my stare time with it. It handles and performs beyond anything I will ask it to do and I am thoroughly impressed and pleased with my choice to get this motorcycle.

RESCUE OF THE WEEK

MOTORCYCLE NEWS

Introducing the New Triumph Icon Editions: Modern Classics, Reimagined

Triumph Motorcycles proudly presents the new Icon Editions—a stunning collection that takes the Modern Classics to the next level. Each motorcycle in this exclusive range features a unique blend of heritage-inspired design and striking new details.

The new Icon Editions include seven models, each showcasing exclusive paint schemes, hand-painted detailing, and bespoke graphics that elevate their presence on the road. From the refined elegance of the Bonneville to the adventurous spirit of the Scrambler, every bike is designed to make a statement.

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Ducati Panigale V2 & V2S (2025) – Technical Review

Ducati has loved to throw curveballs in its recent history. First there were the V4 models that flew into the face of critics who swore the Ducati brand needed to be built around V-twins – only to become stone-cold classics in their own lifetimes. Then came the Granturismo V4 engine that threw out the signature desmodromic valve system in favour of conventional springs. Again the wailing and gnashing of teeth from experts proved inconsequential as customers came regardless. More recently still we’ve seen the Hypermotard Mono – a single, of all things – and even Ducati’s Desmo450 MX motocross bike.

The new Panigale V2 might be an even bolder move because it breaks an unwritten rule that says every new bike must be more powerful than its predecessor. This isn’t an apologetic power decline blamed on emissions laws but a conscious, wholehearted decision to slice a full 35hp from the maximum compared to the last model to wear the same name.

And you know what? There’s something quite exciting about that...