Because One of You Requested It: The Side by Side of the 2022 Monster Plus and the 2023 Supersport 950 (non S)

Today I took my very new 2023 950 SS out for about 75 miles and then took the Monster out. Man, this was a fun side-by-side - almost like comparing two decent bourbons :)

FYI: I’m not mechanically savvy and I’m sure some of my comparisons will be undereducated or inaccurate.

Riding style: I ride about 10-20 over when I can. In traffic, I maintain the 4-second gap and play things safe. If you are looking for a compare/contrast on the track, please give me about four months.

The 950 riding position is very new to me - I know it’s not nearly as aggressive as it could be (I’m looking at you, Panigale riders) but my other bikes are the Monster+, the SFV2, and a BWM r1250r - this is my first sport bike style with the rear sets just a smidge farther back and up and the helibars/leaning forward. That said, I feel so comfortable on it. For reference, I am a 5’6” woman with not as much upper body strength as lower, I weigh more than I should and probably more than most of you, and I have short arms. I rode for about an hour and 20 minutes without stopping until needing gas and could easily have kept riding another 2-3 hours. I’m 43 with carpal tunnel but I do have a powerlifting background and I think my lower back and core muscles are pretty strong. My carpal tunnel did NOT bother me at all.

I rode the 950 on ‘Touring’ mode with the DTC turned up pretty far because I am getting used to the bike.

950 Pros: * Suspension - holy crap, this thing is like a magic carpet ride. I’m in Michigan so our roads are crap. Is this a BarcaLounger? * Braking - strong, steady, and heavier feeling -honestly, like a solid sedan’s style. * Quickshifter - there’s not much bad you can say about any of the Ducati quickshifters, but I prefer the 950’s shifter to the Monster. It feels more positive. * Turning/leaning - this is probably obvious to most of you, but it is truly eye-opening to understand how the position and the handlebars are contributing to a bike that needs very little input as one corners and follows curves. I took curves faster than I normally do on newer bikes. Very confidence inspiring. * Tuning - I have the full Akro exhaust on this bike. The Testrastretta is the same on both bikes, but the tuning, weight of the bike, and lean angle make me feel as though the engine is more aggressive. It isn’t , I don’t think, but the feel of the engine and its response in downshifts particularly is (again) notably positive. * Looks - There’s something so classically gorgeous about the 950. With the supermoto-ish exhaust look and the big fairings with the streamlined nose and the gills on the side, I feel like I’m looking at a very ‘now’ bike that is paying deep respect to the Ducati racing bikes of the mid-90s, when I first started paying attention to motorcycles. It’s just sexy, with a wide enough seat for my keister.

950 ‘Weaknesses’ (honestly, I don’t think there are weaknesses - just have to learn more about the bike!): * Throttle response - In touring mode, I wish the throttle came online a little sooner. My guess is that going to sport mode will give me a bit of the response I felt was missing. * Heavier. Listen, I really love having the trellis frame on this bike underneath all these fairings, but she’s solidly built. Like me. * The mirrors - I can’t really see much with them and they vibrate like crazy. * UGH would Ducati please do away with these massive rear tail sections/license plate holders? The rear indicators are also offensive.

Now, for the Monster+! I have about 1,800 miles on the Monster and enjoyed immediately getting off the 950 and onto my old friend to see her in a new light!

Monster Pros: * Oh, hello, mirrors that work - thank you - now, I don’t have to swivel my head a billion times before changing lanes. * Light, nimble, quick, and delightful! Good gracious, this bike is like a sprite - so light, it feels like a toy. Because it is a toy! And I mean that in the best possible way. You can turn it up to 11 so easily. * Throttle response - again, I had this one in Sport mode, and in addition to the lightness of the bike, it feels quicker off the line and easier to get into the friction zone and moving. Keep in mind, rider error probably accounts for some of this - I know the Monster a little bit better. * Flat-footing this! The seat height is lower, or something, because while I’m on the balls of my feet with the 950, I’m definitely more sure of where the ground is with the Monster.

Cons (Sorry, girl!): * Braking - it’s light and easy to stop. That said, the back brake is more of a theory than a practice and the front brake lever feel is very - hrrrmmm- Honda Fit, if you catch my drift? They work - no worries there - but they are sharp and kinda jerky. * Overall control feel - the Monster is light and nimble, but the levers and throttle feel…cheaper? Is that the right word? One of you will correct me. * Suspension - och, I feel all the bumps and potholes and crevices and lumps.

OVERALL: I’m in a really nice position where I don’t have to decide between these two. If push came to shove, I think my ‘preferred’ bike would depend on the day - but today? The answer would be the 950 because of the tuning, the solidity of the bike, the suspension, and the confidence in the curves that I experienced. That said, if someone is interested in a lightweight, easy to ride, easy to think about, easy to wind out quickly, take the Monster. I Dyno’d a Monster on Friday (not mine), and that thing is really surprising in the lower gears. I had no idea what its capacity was because I run out of road and am a chickenshit on the highway.

Anyway, if you read through all this - cheers! I welcome questions and feedback.