2017 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
Air-Cooled Soul, Zero Frills
The Monster 797 is the Monster formula stripped back to what made it work in the first place. An 803 cc air/oil-cooled L-twin sits in a steel trellis frame, makes 73 hp and 51 lb-ft, and asks nothing of you beyond a throttle hand. The electronics start and end with ABS. No traction control, no ride modes, no screen full of menus to scroll through at a gas stop. What you do get is a slipper clutch, a USB charging port, and 425 lb wet, which places this bike at the approachable end of the naked class rather than the intimidating end.
It rides like a machine built around midrange rather than peak figures, and that makes it genuinely useful on a back road you have never seen before. It suits a rider who wants Italian character and presence without a steep learning curve or a punishing ownership bill. Running costs stay low, 50 mpg is realistic, and the parts catalog for this platform is deep if you want to make it your own. The honest caveat is the hardware. The fork takes no adjustment at all, the rear shock gives you preload adjustment, and a fast rider will find the ceiling before the bike does.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 73 hp (54 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 51 lb-ft (69 Nm) |
| Displacement | 803 cc |
| Engine | L-twin |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Wet weight | 425 lb (193 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.5 L) |
| Fuel economy | 50 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
This part isn't my own ride. It is the sum of what riders have told me over the years: talk in the paddock, owners comparing notes at club nights, and the messages that land in my inbox from people living with the bike day to day. On the Monster 797 that chatter runs unusually consistent. Praise gathers around how the bike moves, and the complaints gather around the equipment it goes without.
Ask an owner what they like and the answer usually starts with the way it changes direction. Light, compact, quick through a series of bends and unbothered in city traffic: that description comes back more than any other. The riding position supports it. A wide bar, pegs set slightly forward and a low seat give a posture owners say works for a short commute and still holds up for a full day on backroads. Riders stepping up from smaller machines call the power manageable without being dull, which is why this one keeps coming up in first-big-bike conversations.
The engine is the other thing owners bring up unprompted. They talk about character: an air-cooled twin with a voice of its own and its muscle sitting in the middle of the rev range. Praise for the hardware runs close behind, with the Brembo calipers and the inverted fork named again and again as parts that feel a step above what these riders had shopped against.
The gripes run just as consistent. Riders coming off newer machinery point at the plain LCD panel and the short list of electronic aids; for them the simplicity reads as a shortfall rather than a draw. Suspension is the other one that keeps surfacing. Owners call the stock setup firm, and on broken pavement a fair number call it harsh. A smaller group talks about the top of the rev range, where the engine signs off around 8,500 rpm. They plan an overtake at highway speed rather than count on a downshift.
Rear brake hose degradation
Ongoing product quality testing identified a potential for the rear brake application to soften over time due to brake hose issues. A safety recall CR212 was issued to replace rear brake hoses (ABS control unit to master cylinder and caliper) on MY2017-2020 models.
Irregular idle / misfire
Some bikes develop an erratic idle or low-speed misfire, sometimes accompanied by carbon-fouled spark plugs. This can be caused by a faulty MAP sensor, contaminated fuel, or improper belt tension, and may worsen after a Desmo service if not carefully addressed.
Stalling when coasting in 6th gear
A single report of the engine shutting off when coasting with the clutch pulled in at highway speeds in 6th gear, with RPMs dropping dangerously low. The cause is unclear but may relate to fueling or throttle body setup.
Gearbox crunchiness
Some owners report a crunchy or notchy gearbox, especially when cold or during downshifts. This appears to be a character trait of the transmission rather than a widespread failure.
Difficulty starting (starter relay/solenoid)
Some owners report that the engine takes several seconds to crank after pressing the starter, accompanied by a single click from the starter relay. The issue may be related to the starter relay, solenoid, or starter motor, and often appears after a few years of use.
Where this Ducati Monster 797 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Monster 797 is actually built for.
For long Saturday loops out of Austin or San Antonio this is easy company: relaxed pace, few fuel stops, real presence when you park it. Just know there is no wind protection on a long slab run.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
You will like the agility and the lean clearance. With 73 hp and a fork you cannot adjust, this is not the tool for chasing outright pace on Angeles Crest. Ride it smooth and it is a lot of fun.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On tight, technical roads the light steering and midrange drive let you work on your lines instead of wrestling the bike. The non-adjustable fork becomes your ceiling once the pace climbs.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2010–2014
Italian V-Twin You Can Actually Use
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Monster 797. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2017–2019
Light, Honest, and Sorted
Roughly $1,000 cheaper used than this bike at 9 yr
Competitor · 2016–2020
Reliable V-Twin, Zero Drama
Roughly $1,300 cheaper used than this bike at 9 yr
Competitor · 2014–2017
Raw Twin, Weightless Handling
Roughly $600 cheaper used than this bike at 9 yr
Same Platform · 2017–2018
Joy With Actual Scrambler Looks
About the same used price as this bike at 9 yr
Similar Character · 2019–2020
Classic Bones, Real Pull