Ducati’s Monster 1100 EVO earns its name through killer good looks and enough power to rip holes in the pavement. But the real advances here are not so monstrous, as Ducati has focused on safety features that confront motorcycling’s dangerous reputation head on.
True to its bad boy good looks, the Monster’s guts are a 100HP L-twin engine, the first two-valve Ducati to pack that many horses. That’s an awesome power level at high revs, and the maker promises super smooth delivery thanks to a more linear torque curve. What that boils down is that the thing moves like a monster but weighs just 373 pountds.
Most impressive, though, are the bike’s electronic safety features, including traction control and anti-lock brakes, common in cars but relatively rare in bikes, and designed to help prevent skidding while applying the brakes. And anything that keeps you in the seat instead of on the pavement is good, right?
