What I learned from spending a summer riding the Ducati Monster SP - and what I'm trading it for...

It’s been a roaring good summer with the Ducati Monster SP, but now it’s time to release it back into the wild to make way for a Bolognese bike with a slightly different beat, but more on that later…

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• Update one: A switch to the SP after the Plus gets nicked
• Update two: An engine that packs a punch
• Update three: Hits and misses after 1137 miles
• Update four: Introducing the next generation

After collecting the naked bike back in May with just 11 miles on the clock, I’ve racked up the best part of 2000 more, mostly down B-roads with a long trip or two thrown in for good measure.

The biggest day was in early September, where I used it to catch up with my family on holiday after I’d spent the weekend at a bike show in Staffordshire. Following an early start, leg one was a 90-mile B-road blast to Uttoxeter, and the SP provided the perfect wakeup call. 

The SP version of Ducati’s, now ali monocoque-framed, naked is extremely sporty. With its Öhlins fork and shock, but moreover its nose-down, tail-up geometry, it’s a taut and somewhat lively ride.

On bumpy B-roads, although the top-quality suspension prevents harsh jarring, the sporty stance and general air of stiffness means that it doesn’t take very much at all to set the bars wobbling – a bit of keen acceleration is often all that’s needed to provoke the shimmy. You can see exactly why Ducati fitted a steering damper to the SP when it’s absent from the base model. 

If that sounds like a criticism, it’s not. For me, the SP’s bristling ride quality makes it feel thrilling – this is a bike that feels alive and oozing with character – and any slight movement from the bars adds to this feeling, plus it never decayed into a full-on loss of stability. 

• What’s that lid? Read Emma’s Shark Aeron GP review here

After a day spent walking and talking at the show, it was time to saddle up and head south for leg two of my journey, this time on a less thrilling motorway schlep to Sidmouth. With 200 miles to cover and a desire to get to my destination ready for fish and chips at the coast, it was time for some focused motorway cruising.

The Monster puts in a decent show at being a milemuncher; the tiny flyscreen helps to deflect a small amount of windblast at cruising speeds, meanwhile the 937cc V-twin is smooth and perfectly geared.

With sixth engaged via its factory-fit quickshifter, the Monster purrs along at the speed limit at 5000rpm in a bubble of vibe-free ease. Fancy a bit of overtaking at this speed, then there’s no need to drop a cog as there’s more than enough shove on tap. Plus, the induction noise when you do this is simply magic. Talk about a roar.  

Stopping briefly to fill up after the warning light flickered on at 115 miles, I was still feeling pretty fresh with 75 miles left to go and could’ve done without the enforced stop. However, seeing as the Monster only carries 14 litres and returns an average of 45mpg, trips to the pumps are fairly frequent. 

Rolling into Sidmouth, the smell of chips hanging in the air, the Monster drew a few admiring looks as it sat cooling on the quayside. Even after a long day spent with it, I still can’t resist a look back.

What’s next?

As one bike leaves the MCN garage, another one enters – this time it’s Ducati’s all-new Hypermotard 698 Mono, the firm’s first single-cylinder motor since the limited-run Super Mono back in 1993.

Housed inside a fairly focused-looking supermoto chassis and featuring some really clever tech, it’s going to be a massive change of pace to the Monster – and it’s certainly going to be fun finding out what it can do.