With some liter-sized hyper-sportsbikes pushing out 160 horsepower at the back wheel, some of you might wonder why we had so much giggle-inducing fun tilting horizons on a bike that would be gasping to produce 80 ponies.
An air-cooled, two-valve-per-cylinder V-Twin can't compete with liquid-cooled, multi cylinder and valved supersports machines, but there's a visceral charm to the latest version of the venerable Ducati Twin. Its simplistic design not only looks wonderful set inside Ducati's freshest trellis frame, it produces bags of torque at accessible engine speeds that enables a rider to delve deep into its soulful delivery, exploding out of second-gear corners as well or better than anything else on the road.
And what roads they were! The French Mediterranean is one of the most spectacular seaside areas in the world and, more to the point, has some truly stunning roadways that fall and climb alongside the bluer-than-blue water. With rarely an opportunity to get beyond fourth gear, Ducati's newest Monster was perfectly in its element.
More:
2009 Ducati Monster 1100 Review on Motorcycle.com
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