1994 Ducati Monster 900

•Early example very likely from 1993 build, the first year of production.
•Extraordinarily original UK bike showing 21479 miles
•The origins of Ducati and Italy's best selling motorcycle

The Monster made designer Miguel Angel Galluzzi's name, and Ducati what they are today. When first launched Ducati thought they might sell 1,500 Monsters a year but was so cash strapped that production was delayed because they couldn't pay for petrol tanks or brakes.

When the Castiglioni family took over Ducati, it was initially simply as an engine supplier for their Cagiva models. Next came a range of unashamedly upmarket motorcycles, but the 8-valve twins were too expensive to sell in any number, and the sports-touring Paso 750/906 was an even bigger disappointment.

Cagiva fell back on building versions of the enlarged Pantah motor to sell on the reflected glory of the 8-valve Superbike range. After a shaky start and a restyle in 1991 by Galluzzi these bikes revived the 750 and 900SS names. At last Ducati had a big seller and Galluzzi was offered a full time job.

Galluzzi began his career with Honda, tasked with spotting new trends. One craze he picked up on seemed universal: that if a sportsbike was crashed owners usually just took the fairing off, fitted flat handlebars and painted it in a less garish manner than the original. When Galluzzi joined the Castiglionis this was the idea foremost in his thoughts, and he was soon pestering them with sketches of what would become the Monster. The M900 made it to production without much adulteration; the silencers were bigger than Galluzzi would have liked, and the 8-valve engine was ruled out because was nowhere for a big enough battery to run fuel injection. But the 900SS derived motor meant the Monster was – for a Ducati – good value for money and versatile, offering the top notch 888 chassis in a package that could be ridden every day.

This was a revolution in motorcycling. Ducati sold more than 1,500 M900s in Italy alone during 1993, starving their traditional overseas fan bases. So Ducati brought forward the 1994 production run into late 1993, explaining why there are only tiny differences between the model years: the most obvious is that the rocker arm on the swingarm was originally painted yellow like the donor 888s' on early '93 bikes, and thereafter a bronze colour to match the frame.

The M900 Monster offered here, although UK registered in 1994, has a frame number 900M*001629 (the first would be 000001) suggesting a first year of production (1993) example when 4,424 M900s were built, many to 1994 specification. The rocker arm on the aluminium alloy swingarm is also painted yellow as on early '93 bikes. Unlike many Monsters of the era it retains the original silencers and seat cowl, and is believed to be entirely original. A remarkable example of the motorcycle that set Ducati on the road to its current success. Supplied with keys.