2004 Ducati Monster

MS4R | M620 | M800 | M1000

The Ducati Monster family of motorcycles, the "naked" bikes par excellence, now available in seven different versions with one of four different engines. The Monster's success is distinguished by continuous technological and design evolution. For 2004, Ducati introduces the radical Monster S4R - the Monster Superbike, and a new advanced clutch system, a Ducati exclusive, for improved comfort and control.

Since its inception, the Monster has defined a new way of motorcycling. With their fully exposed and purposeful engines and body work, combined with Ducati sports bike "know how," they deliver a unique blend of style and performance. The Monster family contains seven versions with one of four different fuel injected engines, each with their own special features to satisfy the needs of riders with varying levels of experience and style. The entire family uses a Ducati trellis frame derived from the Ducati Sport Touring family, all electronic instrument panels with integrated anti-theft immobiliser system and newly designed rear view mirrors for improved visibility. Furthermore, all models are environmentally responsible, exceeding the stringent Euro2 clean air standards, and are approved for access to city centres that are closed to vehicles without catalytic converters. Apart from these shared features, many technical and style details of all the Monsters have been updated and improved.

The 620 is the perfect entry in the Monster family, and is available in three different versions. The most essential version is the 620IE Dark Monodisco, with its five-speed transmission and single front disc brake, it's easy to ride in style, and at a tempting price too. The Monster 620IE and Monster 620IE Dark showcase the innovative new APTC clutch for dramatically reduced clutch lever "pull" effort, and a "slipper clutch" design that reduces abrupt engagement during down shifting. In addition, they feature six-speed transmissions and double disc front brakes, quality elements that appear on the top-of-the-range Monsters.

The benefits of the APTC clutch system cannot be over-stated for the novice and expert rider alike. Clutch "pull" effort has been reduced by an incredible 40%, making operation less of a task. Furthermore, during rides in congested cities where constant engagement and disengagement of the clutch is required, the light clutch lever pull is a pleasure.

This, the "mid-size" model in the Monster family is a perfect combination of torque, horsepower and road going savvy. The 800cc fuel-injected engine combined with a Ducati trellis frame means a perfect balance between power and handling. It is probably the most versatile Monster, capable of a touring holiday with the same ease as your daily commute to work.

This, the most powerful air-cooled Monster is available in two versions: "1000" and "1000S". Although both models share the same advanced 1000 DS Dual Spark Desmodue engine, introduced this year on the Multistrada, they have very different personalities. The "1000" is the essential muscle-bound Monster, like a street dragster, while the 1000S adds a bit more style and performance with the addition of a fairing and racy carbon-fibre parts.

It's the most radical member of the Monster family - the S4R - the most powerful, best-handling Monster ever. It starts with the 996cc Superbike engine. The liquid-cooled, Desmoquattro, fuel-injected, L-twin is derived directly from our World Superbike champion race bikes. With muscle to spare, the S4R's 996 engine delivers 113 horsepower and when combined with the S4R's lightweight of 193 kg/423 lbs., this is a bike for experts, and every twist of the throttle is exciting. The style of the S4R is unmistakable with a pair of alloy double stacked "up pipes" silencers on the right side and the world's only aluminium tubular single sided swingarm. Furthermore, the Monster S4R has an all-new instrument panel, lots of styling details in carbon fibre, newly designed rider and passengers foot rests, and the latest Showa front fork and rear shock absorber.

The Monster Dark Monodisco is available in two up-to-date colours -a tough matte black or a subtler matte silver grey. The 620 Dark Monodisco is the model that remains closest in style to the original Monster produced in 1993. It is an essential bike, deliberately lacking embellishments like fairings and seat covers. For 2004, the Monodisco is presented with a pair of new rear view mirrors with an innovative design and improved visibility.

Like all the latest generation Monsters, the 620 Dark Monodisco makes use of the classic tubular steel trellis frame, now derived from the Ducati Sport Touring family. The Dark Monodisco is the only Monster fitted with a single front disc, light in weight and selected to be in concert with its essential approach to riding. The brake system is nevertheless designed to ensure generous stopping power. The suspension is also straight-forward featuring 43 mm diameter upside down forks and a pre-load adjustable Sachs rear shock absorber, set-up to offer a balance of comfort and sport riding performance.

The 620cc engine in the classic 90º L-Twin configuration and five-speed transmission adds more power and fun to the Monster experience. It is ultra-dependable, Euro2 emission compliant and the smooth and seamless power delivery make the 620 easy to ride, plus the simplicity of the Ducati air-cooled, Desmodue, and L-twin engine makes it easy to live with. The advanced fuel-injection system of the 620 is derived directly from our racing machines and is unique in this class of motorcycle.

Aimed at more demanding new bikers, the Monster 620 and 620 Dark offer a wider range of colours than those available in the Monodisco version. For the Monster Dark, the base colours are still silver grey or matte black, but you can also select optional colours for the chassis and wheels -available in black or dark metallic grey. The Monster 620 on the other hand is offered in Ducati black, Ducati yellow, or the original Ducati red. The colour painted parts includes: fuel tank, mudguards and the rear seat cover, which are standard equipment on the 620, and optional on the Dark models. The seat cover easily installed or detached, quickly transforming the Monster 620 from single seat to a dual seat and visa versa. Like the Monodisco, both bikes have the new generation mirrors, and the Monster 620 includes a stylish sport fairing.

Like all the latest generation Monsters, the 620 Dark and 620 makes use of the classic tubular steel trellis frame, now derived from the Ducati Sport Touring family, complimenting the torquey 620cc engine with confident, inspiring road-manners and stability. The chassis set-up of these two Monsters has been updated with the goal of adding confidence to riders of all experience levels. As with the 620 Dark Monodisco, the suspension is also straightforward featuring 43 mm diameter upside down forks and a pre-load adjustable Sachs rear shock absorber, set-up to offer a balance of comfort and sport riding performance. The 620 and 620 Dark feature upgraded stopping power thanks to the use of dual 320 mm diameter discs up front with premium Brembo Serie Oro four-piston callipers.

The Monster 620 and 620 Dark are fitted with one of the most advanced engines in this class of motorcycles, adding more power and fun to the Monster experience. It is ultra-dependable, and the smooth and seamless power delivery make the 620 easy to ride, plus the simplicity of the Ducati air-cooled, Desmodue, L-twin engine makes it easy to live with. The advanced fuel-injection system of the 620 is derived directly from our racing machines and combined with a six speed transmission, the Monster 620 will satisfy the novice and experienced rider alike. Furthermore, both models feature the technologically advanced APTC clutch, dramatically improving ease of operation and road performance.

The newly developed clutch -named the APTC (Adler Power Torque Plate Clutch) -used on the 2004 Monster 620 and 620 Dark is patented and designed by Adler, and developed according to precise specifications by the Ducati R&D Department. It is a clutch with follow-up torque: this means that the torque transmitted is always a function of the torque applied to the device. This feature has made it possible to dramatically reduce effort required to disengage the clutch via the clutch lever, while still ensuring excellent operation and high dependability. Thanks to the APTC device, the torque transmitted is increased significantly compared to that of a conventional clutch, without having to increase the size of the clutch itself. Another important characteristic is that the system automatically limits back torque that is generated during heavy braking and down shifting, avoiding rear wheel skidding. In addition to these obvious advantages, the APTC clutch does not require did not require any adjustment or changes to the original clutch case or the primary drive system.

The R&D Department at Ducati has worked alongside Adler R&D to develop an innovative clutch, in line with the new technological and performance-related goals of the modern Desmodromic Ducati engines. The objective was to obtain high torque, without increasing the size of the clutch, and simultaneously achieving more control and lower handlebar clutch lever effort. A unique technical solution has allowed the creation of a clutch in which the transmittable torque is, in part, independent from the pressure of the clutch springs. In a conventional clutch, with the same size discs and made from the same material, the transmittable torque can only be increased if the pressure of the helical springs that act on the pressure plate is increased. However, increased spring pressure creates a negative effect, as the effort required at the handlebar lever is also increased.

Eliminating the risk of "back torque" and rear wheel skidding

If you approach a turn at steady speed and you downshift a number of gears in rapid succession, the moment you release the clutch lever, rather than the engine driving the rear wheel, the opposite occurs and the rear wheel is driving the engine. In this case, the torque is not transmitted from the crankshaft to the rear wheel, but the exact opposite occurs. In this situation, the torque is technically defined as back torque and it is a characteristic of twin engines in particular, which possess strong engine braking.

The effect of this phenomenon is twofold:

• The rear wheel of the motorcycle tends to skid and consequently loses traction.
• The engine is driven faster and risks potential over-revving.

With the APTC device, Ducati has eliminated these two risks.

• Less pressure
• The same torque

The APTC clutch used on Ducati engines of 620cc and greater has allowed a reduction of the diameter of the clutch discs from 150 mm to 140 mm, and considerable volume reduction. At the same time the effort that must be applied to compress the helical spring of the pressure plate has been reduced from 860 N to 560 N, while the maximum torque that can be transmitted (9.98 Nm) remains the same as in a conventional clutch. The lighter pressure helical springs, which act on the clutch pressure plate, produce notably lower effort required at the handlebar clutch lever, and consequently improved clutch control. In addition, the effects of the back torque, rear wheel skidding and the tendency of the engine to over-rev while going down the gears have been brilliantly eliminated.

With its 803cc engine producing 73 Hp, the Monster 800 is never short on performance and it shares the unique styling of the classic Monster family. For 2004 the 800 is available in the traditional Ducati colours -red, yellow or black, plus you'll find the newly styled rear view mirrors with improved visibility.

The agile and fun-to-ride Monster 800 utilizes the classic Ducati tubular steel Trellis frame. Derived from the Ducati Sport Touring family, it compliments the torquey 803cc engine with confident, inspiring road-manners and stability. As standard equipment, the 800 uses an advanced braking system. A pair of 320mm discs are gripped by four piston Brembo Serie Oro callipers at the front, and one 245mm diameter disc in the rear.

The 803cc engine is perfect for those who seek high-torque performance, but still like an engine that will "rev-out". The 90º L-Twin air-cooled Desmo belongs to the latest generation Desmodue series, and includes all the latest developments improvements applied to the Ducati two valve engines. Like all Monsters, it features electronic fuel injection and a catalytic converter; features that help make the 800 exciting to ride, but also Euro2 emission approved.

The two 1000 models, the Monster 1000 and Monster 1000S (S for sport model) are fitted with the same 1000 DS engine. The 1000 is available in the classic Ducati colours of red, yellow or black, and comes standard with a colour matched rear seat cover. While both models feature the highest quality equipment, the 1000S adds advanced styling and performance details. The aggressive front fairing of the 1000S is the same as the S4R, designed to offer stylish yet effective protection during medium to long distance trips. Carbon fibre parts are another feature of the 1000S yielding a more custom look plus the additional benefit of reducing weight. The colour scheme of the 1000S is the same as developed for the S4R, with fuel tank, fairing and mudguards in dark metallic grey and wheel rims painted in striking bright red. Furthermore, an all aluminium swingarm adds to the custom look of the 1000S while reducing weight and increasing rigidity for improved handling.

The 1000 and 1000 S share the majority of important chassis details. Both models allow ride height adjustment of the rear of the bike, so riders can adapt the 1000 to their riding style or road conditions. Another common feature is increased ground clearance to allow extreme lean angles to fully exploit the Monster's sporting capabilities. The aluminium swingarm of the Monster 1000S is an impressive detail, whose first objective is to lower the bike's overall weight, and additionally to reduce "unsprung" weight, enabling the bike's suspension to more efficiently respond to bumpy and changing road surfaces, improving stability and handling. Both models share premium suspension components with 43mm upside down forks and single shock rising rate rear suspension. The 1000S goes a step further by adding full adjustability of both front and rear suspension for compression and rebound damping, yielding racetrack like performance.

The Desmodue 1000 DS engine is the newest and most sophisticated air-cooled engine in the Ducati line. The DS stands for Dual Spark, the performance feature of two sparkplugs per cylinder. With a capacity of 992cc, it makes 84 Hp and 8.5 kgm of torque at 6,000 RPM, every twist of the throttle is exciting from idle to redline. Featuring Dual spark, electronic fuel injection with 45 mm throttle bodies, and catalytic exhaust, the two Monster 1000's are dependably powerful, yet have responsibly low emissions, well below the Euro2 standard.

The S4R's uncompromising style perfectly matches its sport riding characteristics. Its essential yet striking looks seem even more aggressive thanks to some unmistakeable racing details. The unique Ducati trellis frame and centrally placed fuel tank show off the details often hidden under the fairings of typical sports bikes. The Superbike engine and curving radiator are exposed for all to see. Another distinctive feature is the radical exhaust system, with a pair of alloy double stacked up pipe silencers on the right side. Additional styling details include carbon fibre covers and a front fairing that provides plenty of protection, without detracting from the pure lines of the Monster S4R, plus the world's only aluminium tubular single sided swingarm. The front fairing also houses an instrument panel with new graphics and improved lighting. The four colour schemes of red, yellow, black or metallic grey joined by a fifth and new scheme: blue with white racing stripe and wheels.

The Monster S4R is much more than a high performance naked bike, more accurately it is a naked Superbike. Having been only partly tamed for use on the road, it is at ease on the racetrack and road alike. The chassis set up choices are similar to those found on the best Ducati sport bikes. The tubular trellis frame, derived from the Ducati Sport Touring family, combined with suspension solutions from the lessons learned in the World Superbike championships ensures accurate and confidence inspiring road manners and handling. The rear suspension begins with an all-new tubular alloy single-sided swingarm that is light and rigid complimenting the Ducati trellis frame. The swingarm is graced by a new Showa shock absorber, fully adjustable for compression and rebound damping plus spring preload to satisfy the needs of the most demanding and experienced riders. The same goes for the 43mm Showa titanium nitride coated upside down forks - fully adjustable and racetrack ready. The S4R also allows ride height adjustment separate from spring preload, allowing riders to set-up their Monster to any road condition or riding style. The riding position and controls have been developed to ensure maximum control and improved ergonomics. New variable section aluminium handlebars carry brake and clutch levers that are four-way adjustable. The rider and passenger footrests are new too, and the new two-piece forging allows the rear pegs to be easily removed for track days and competition. Another feature that favours track riding is the increased ground clearance, allowing extreme lean angles without touching down.

The S4R is the most powerful, best-handling Monster ever. It starts with the 996cc Superbike engine. The liquid-cooled, Desmoquattro, fuel-injected, L-twin is derived directly from our World Superbike champion race bikes. With muscle to spare, the S4R's 996 engine delivers 113 horsepower, a full 12HP more than its predecessor, the S4. At the same time, engine torque has risen by 0.38 kgm to 9.68 kgm at 7,000 RPM. When power like this is combined with the S4R's lightweight of 193 kg/423 lbs., this is a bike for experts, and every twist of the throttle is exciting.