Free Monster ABS

[Rincewind]

http://www.ducatinewstoday.com/2010/10/free-abs-on-2011-ducati-monster-796-and-1100/

Free ABS on 2011 Ducati Monster 796 and 1100

ABS is now standard on much of the USA’s 2011 Ducati Monster range and for little or even no price premium. Ducati revealed details of the otherwise mostly unchanged Monster range yesterday at the Intermot Show in Cologne, Germany.

The biggest, baddest Monster is now the 1100, as the slow selling Ohlins equipped 1100S has been dropped for 2011. ABS is now included at no additional charge. In a similar way, ABS is also included gratis on the Monster 796, still at the pretty sharp $9,995 price point.

The 796 joins the 696 in dropping the 43mm Showa forks for (presumably) cheaper Marzocchi units harking a return to the days when Ducati routinely specified the Italian forks. Remember the right way up Marzocchi M1R’s on the first 851 when upside down was, well, upside down!

For its part, the 696 now includes 20mm bar risers for a more upright riding position, a blacked out handlebar and starts with the Dark matte black model at $8,495, a $500 reduction whilst the normal Red, White or Black models feature ABS as standard but at $8,995, $1,000 less than 2010. Who said recessions were all bad?

[falconati]

Think they're not doing this on the Hyper to save weight?

[Rincewind]

Think they're not doing this on the Hyper to save weight?

I think they're not doing it on the Hypers because ABS is not an available option.  If your question is why isn't it an option, I think it will be one eventually even though they started with the roadsters.

[atadaskew]

"free" abs in exchange for worse suspension?
I think I'd prefer if they raised the price.

[Mr Sunshine]

"free" abs in exchange for worse suspension?
I think I'd prefer if they raised the price.

For less or about the same amount of money as the Ohlins upgrade one can make the standard suspension better than the oem Ohlins suspension.

[miles]

For less or about the same amount of money as the Ohlins upgrade one can make the standard suspension better than the oem Ohlins suspension.

I think most people don't realize that there is a huge quality difference between the nice Ohlins aftermarket stuff and the mediocre OEM Ohlins stuff.  People see the gold color and think it's all top-drawer.

[atadaskew]

I think most people don't realize that there is a huge quality difference between the nice Ohlins aftermarket stuff and the mediocre OEM Ohlins stuff.  People see the gold color and think it's all top-drawer.

There still is a huge difference between the cheap Ohlins stuff, and other basic suspension.
it will be the same with the Showa stuff being replaced by Marchesini.  There's a reason why it is cheaper.  (or maybe the exchange rate  Euro vs Yen has something to do with this?)

[Aero]

There still is a huge difference between the cheap Ohlins stuff, and other basic suspension.
it will be the same with the Showa stuff being replaced by Marchesini.  There's a reason why it is cheaper.  (or maybe the exchange rate  Euro vs Yen has something to do with this?)

I think the exchange rate has everything to do with this. The yen is something like 30% stronger than it was a couple of years ago, now European companies can offer similar or better items for the same or less money. This is also the reason why Japanese bikes are now so expensive, at least here in the UK.
Don't assume that the Marzocchi units are just cheap and cheerful rubbish. These will not be the same forks as fitted to Italian bikes in the 1970s.

[atadaskew]

We'll need to see whether the Marzocchi items are any good.
On my old 2006 Duc 800ss, they replaced the previously offered Showa stuff with Sachs.  The Sachs were unbelievably crap.