Ducati Monster 797+ superbike launched in India

Ducati India has just launched the Monster 797+ superbike in India. The naked high performance machine comes with two additional features compared to the Ducati Monster 797, and that explains the + sign beside its name. The two changes are a bikini fairing for the headlamp and a colour-matched pillion seat cowl.

Apart from these changes, the Ducati Monster 797+ is very similar to the regular 797. It’s a good thing that Ducati hasn’t priced the Monster 797+ higher than the Monster 797. Both motorcycles are priced at Rs. 8.03 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, which also means that the 797+ gets accessories worth Rs. 30,000 for free.

This offer on the Ducati 797+ is to commemorate the Monster’s 25th anniversary. The Monster line-up of naked sportsbikes are among Ducati’s best-sellers globally. The entry level Monster 797+ and 797 features an 803-cc, L-Twin air-cooled engine with 72 Bhp of peak power at 8,250 rpm and 67 Nm of peak torque at 5,750 rpm.

A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard on the motorcycle. Other key bits on the motorcycle include disc brakes on both wheels, standard ABS, upside down front forks, monoshock rear suspension and Pirelli tyres. Ducati also offers larger engined more powerful versions of the Monster in India, in the form of 821 and 1100 models.

All the Monster motorcycles sold in India by Ducati are imported as Completely Built Units (CBUs). In fact, Ducati fully imports all the motorcycles it sells in India, and this includes the Scrambler entry-level line-up as well. While Ducati has managed to price the Monster and Scrambler line-ups quite competitively, many other motorcycles it sells in India are quite expensive.

After-sales service is also quite expensive due to the fully imported content of the motorcycles. Going forward, local assembly and localization of Ducati motorcycles will help the brand reduce the entry cost of its motorcycles, and will also make after-sales service marginally cheaper. This should translate into higher sales for the Italian sportsbike brand.