Ducati Monster 937 (2021+, 937cc) Maintenance Schedule and Service Info

This is the maintenance schedule for the 2021+ Ducati Monster and Monster+ with the 937cc Testastretta engine, sometimes unofficially called the Ducati Monster 937.

The 2021+ Ducati Monster is called just the Ducati Monster or Monster+, but on the Internet reviewers/writers call it either the Ducati Monster 937, similar to other Ducati models with the same engine as a base.

The 2021+ Ducati Monster replaces the Ducati Monster 821 (which had that explicit name) as well as the air-cooled Ducati Monster 797 (which, looked at another way, you could say was discontinued).

The new Ducati Monster 937 uses the 937cc L-twin “Testastretta 11-degree” engine that’s also seen in the Ducati Hypermotard 950 and a few other Ducati motorcycles. So a lot of the parts and many aspects of the maintenance schedule overlap.

Here are all our Ducati Monster maintenance schedules:

In the 2021+ Ducati Monster 937, the engine makes 82 kW (111 hp) at 9250 rpm, with torque peaking at 93 Nm (69 ft-lb) at 6500 rpm.

For the 2023 model year, Ducati released the higher-spec Ducati Monster SP, with higher-spec brakes, suspension, and a few other parts.

This post was originally published on July 6, 2021, but we have significantly updated it since.

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Service Intervals for the Ducati Monster 937

The Ducati Monster 937 has service intervals of 9000 miles / 15000 km or annually. At that distance, change the oil and filter, and go through the list of checks below on the chassis and wearable components. If you ahven’t done that distance in two years, Ducati recommends you change the oil anyway.

The major service interval for the Ducati Monster 937 is 18000 miles or 30000 km, when you do a full Ducati “Desmo” service, including changing the timing belts and checking the valve clearances.

Since the Monster 937 uses a 4-valve-per-cylinder engine with Desmodromic timing, there are 8 clearances to check/adjust per cylinder and 16 total. Also, changing an opener clearance usually means you have to change a closer, per Ducati.

Aside from that, the Ducati Monster 937 needs periodic replacement of the timing belts, even if you don’t do the mileage.

Finally, the Ducati Monster 937 has clutch fluid as well as brake fluid, so change them at the same time.

Maintenance schedule for the 2021+ Ducati Monster and Monster+

This maintenance schedule below for the Ducati Monster 937 is in the same format as in the manual, though altered to fit this screen.

Ducati separates out “customer” items and “dealer” items — they think customers should just change oil, check fluid levels, and grease obvious external things.

Note about harsh/dusty conditions: “Using the motorcycle under extreme conditions, such as very damp and muddy roads or dusty and dry environment, could cause above-average wear of components like the drive system, the brakes or the air filter. If the air filter is dirty, the engine could get damaged. Therefore, this might translate into required service or replacement of the wearable parts earlier than specified in the scheduled maintenance chart.”

Ducati Monster and Monster+ Regular / Pre-ride maintenance

This is maintenance that you can do yourself (though the manual says you need a dealer to do it). You should do these checks regularly — e.g. before every big ride or weekly if you use it as a commuter.

The manual suggests you do these items every 1000 km / 600 miles, or 6 months — whichever comes earlier.

Ducati Monster and Monster+ — Full Maintenance Schedule

Follow the following maintenance schedule, observing the distance or time interval — whichever comes earlier.

The major “Desmo service” interval for the 2021+ Ducati Monster is every 30000 km (18000 miles).

Notes:

• We broke this maintenance schedule into the full schedule of major items to check/replace and the annual service checklist for ease of reading.
• Items marked [D] are those that dealers must do unless you have the official gear (“DDS”).

Annual service checklist

This is the list of items to check. It’s separated out for ease of reading.

Notes:

• Items marked [D] are those that dealers must do unless you have the official gear (“DDS”).
• Items marked [NBI] aren’t necessary at break-in

Measuring chain tension / elongation on the Monster SP

It’s important to regularly check the chain tension and wear level. See the below notes.

To check the tension, push down on the chain and release it. Then measure from the centre of a link pin to the end of the sliding shoe on the swingarm. The distance should be 53-55 mm under static no-load conditions.

If it’s not, the manual recommends you get a Ducati service centre to service your bike.

Tightening Torque specs

Below are torque specs that are publicly available. These come from the service manual.

These are from the Ducati Monster workshop/service manual, which someone kindly uploaded to Google Drive. (See this thread on ducatimonster.org).

Here are just the torque specs so you can search for more.

Tyres sizes and pressures for the 2021+ Ducati Monster 937

The manual for the Ducati Monster 937 and Monster+ specifies the following tyre sizes and pressures.

Stock, the 2021 Ducati Monster 937 ships with Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tubeless tyres.

About the 2021+ Ducati Monster and Monster+

The 2021 Ducati Monster 937 is a significant departure from the Ducati Monster models that preceded it, and a huge departure from classic Monsters. Although all the changes have been gradual and snuck up on Ducatisti over the decades.

The 2021+ Ducati Monster is just called that — the “Monster”. But it’s easier to refer to it as the 937, after the displacement of the engine, to differentiate it from predecessors.

The Ducati Monster 937 replaces the Monster 821, but is significantly different. The base engine is the same conceptually — a Testastretta-11 eight-valve L-twin with liquid cooling and belt-driven desmodromic valves.

But Ducati changed a lot, eschewing the trellis frame of the 821 (and all preceding Monsters), replacing it with the “front frame” — and shedding many kilos of weight in the process.

It’s interesting to see just how far the Monster has come by comparing it not just to its predecessor, but to the original Monster 900. The displacement is quite similar to the original Monster. But most other things have changed.

While the first Monster was called a “parts bin special”, the new Monster is not that at all. It’s its own beast, designed from the ground up… though with a motor that’s still borrowed from other motorcycles in the line-up (e.g. the Ducati Supersport 950).

The new Monster also takes the place of the Ducati Monster 797 (in markets where it was sold, e.g. the US), but not in any sense other than the commercial fact that the 797 (a fairly simple, still air/oil-cooled Monster) has been discontinued.

The modern Monster though didn’t just lose the frame — it loses quite a bit of weight. The 937cc engine is 2.4kg lighter than the 821cc version, and the frame is 4.5kg lighter. The subframe is lighter, and so are the wheels, so the total wet weight of the 2021 Monster drops from 206 kg wet for the Monster 821 to 188 kg wet for the 2021 Ducati Monster — a shocking drop.

Ducati released the “front frame” concept first on the Ducati Panigale V4 superbike. It’s similar to a monocoque (single-piece) frame in that it is built mostly in one piece, and designed to optimise rigidity and weight. Like on the Panigale V4, the frame is made of aluminium.

The impact on weight savings is significant — the frame is 4.5 kg or 10 lb lighter than the trellis frame on the 821 model. The new Monster competes quite well with other class-leading sport nakeds like the 2021 Yamaha MT-09 and Triumph Street Triple RS, and picking the one you want is likely to be an exercise of brand loyalty, a compelling salesperson, or how you’re feeling on a certain day.

The “Plus” model of the Ducati Monster, released with the first Monster, is purely cosmetic.

For 2023, Ducati released the up-spec Ducati Monster SP, with a number of updated parts, including Öhlins suspension, Brembo Stylema calipers, and Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires.

And for 2024, Ducati released the limited edition Anniversario in celebration of the 30th anniversary, which comes with Italian flag-based colours (red, green, and white), plus with some extra tasty bits. The headline improvement is the forged wheels, which reduce weight by another 2 kg / 4 lb — and where it counts most, in un-sprung mass.

Below is a table summarising the model variants of the Ducati Monster models (2021+).

Ducati Monster and Monster+ Owner’s Manual

The manual says regarding the intervals:

• The “First Service 1000” must be carried out after the first 1,000 km/600 mi
• The Oil Service (oil pourer) must be carried out every 15,000 km/9,000 mi.
• The Desmo Service (wrench) must be carried out every 30,000 km/18,000 mi.
• The Annual Service (calendar) must be carried out every 12 months.

The above info was sourced from the owner’s manual, which is available below for download in PDF format for archival purposes.

You can download a copy from the Ducati website here.