Here's why a Ducati Monster SP is the perfect option to introduce your kids to biking... probably

We’ve all got that first-ride memory. Whether hazed by time or as clear as yesterday, that moment when we first felt the exhilaration of being on two wheels, the buzz from the engine, the speed, the noise, the freedom, is something you’ll never forget. 

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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

For many of us, myself included, this happened as a young child riding pillion on the back of a family member’s bike, and studies have shown (what we all know as bikers to be absolutely true) that a positive early experience of motorcycles is the catalyst for a person becoming a motorcyclist in the future. 

My son, Angus, hasn’t ever shown much of an interest in mine or his dad’s bikes, and I’ve never pushed the issue. However, all that changed when the Ducati Monster SP arrived. Perhaps it’s the eye-catching red seat or its gold Öhlins forks (he is his mother’s son after all…) but I’ve a sneaky suspicion that it’s the name ‘Monster’ that’s swung the deal. 

The Monster SP comes with both a rear seat cowl and colour-matched pillion seat. Being primarily a solo rider I’d stuck with the solo seat and cowl combo, leaving the pillion seat in its factory bubblewrap. Fitting it was simply a case of popping off the rider’s seat to expose the cowl retaining screw, undoing it, then replacing the cowl with the pillion seat and bolting it secure. 

After kitting up my precious cargo in a one-piece suit and helmet, MX boots, gloves and airbag vest, the pair of us mounted the Monster and headed out on quiet backroads. 

The enormity of the responsibility – primarily of safety but also of ensuring that it was a pleasurable experience for him – consumed my every interaction with the bike. Fortunately, the Monster’s fuelling is nigh-on perfect so I was able to maximise the smoothness on the throttle. However I found myself defaulting to using the clutch for gearchanges – simply because it’s something I’ve always done when taking a pillion.

As the miles ticked away, we both relaxed and I decided to start using the factory-fit quickshifter – which, I was amazed to discover, was even smoother than my clutch shifts – seriously impressive, and not at all clunky when used at this relaxed pace and low engine speed.

The short ride was a success, with the only issue being that Angus often ended up joining me on the rider’s seat rather than sticking to the pillion. But he’s now a convert, badgering me for his next ride.