The Ducati Monster 1200 25° Anniversario Celebrates 25 Years of Monster

Just 500 examples of this special edition are available worldwide.

© Courtesy of Ducati

By Bruno dePrato, Cycle World

Ducati is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Monster, one of the models on which the Bolognese brand rebuilt its image, conquering widespread acclaim in much broader segments of the public—a phenomenon only seen with the original Scrambler model in the early ’70s. The success of the Monster therefore has also contributed in large measure to the long expected return to a satisfactory financial condition.

From 1993 to date, Ducati has sold 325,000 examples of the Monster, big numbers and a reward for the model’s fresh styling and versatility. To celebrate, the Monster 1200 25° Anniversario will be a limited-production version—only 500 units will roll off the assembly line in Borgo Panigale, and that alone already makes it a highly prized collectible.

A special double-stitched seat bears the mark of the 25° Anniversario.

© Courtesy of Ducati

The Ducati designers have done a great job creating special tricolor graphics that alone are worth the extra price. This numbered edition is not special only for its elegant graphics. The Monster 25° Anniversario marks the return of the gold-painted frame, like the Monster sported way back in the ’90s, but here the paint job is much more refined and extracts the best from the finely triangulated steel-tubing trellis structure.

All components are absolutely top quality, machined from solid billet aluminum or formed from carbon fiber to add extra preciousness. All of the fancy parts together with the special double-stitched seat make the 25° Anniversario a beauty to behold.
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The Monster 25° Anniversario is fitted with much of the same chassis components as the Monster 1200 R model.

© Courtesy of Ducati

From the performance potential of the chassis, the 25° Anniversario is in the same league as the top-of-the-range R version. In fact the 25° Anniversario features the same Öhlins 48mm fully adjustable fork, Öhlins fully adjustable rear shock absorber, and twin 330mm front Brembo brake discs teamed to four-piston, radial-mounted M50 Monoblock calipers. Also, the forged aluminum wheels are the same, with three W-shaped spokes, in 3.5 x 17 front and 6.00 x 17 rear measurements. Here the only difference is that the rear wheel is shod with a 190/55-17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, while the Monster R goes all the way to a wider 200/55-17 Diablo Rosso III.

The engine is rated just a notch short of the 160-hp Monster R. The Monster 25° Anniversario shares the same version of the Testastretta 11° twin-spark, eight-valve, desmo 90-degree V-twin that powers the Monster S, rated at 147 hp. This unit has been continuously honed to deliver the smooth yet enormously strong torque curve, a character in line with the spirit of the Ducati Monster. That spirit is a very sporty naked, but very accessible.

Monsters are known for being enjoyable in town just as much as they are on an open, twisty road. The electronic suite is at Ducati’s best, including an Inertial Measurement Unit that manages the Cornering ABS, Wheelie Control, Traction Control, Quickshift up and down, and the three riding modes. All of that is almost commonplace with any Ducati, but this is not “any Ducati,” this is a real collectible for the connoisseur. The Monster 1200 25° Anniversario will be available on the United States in November and we expect deposits are already being placed.