It was big news for Ducati last year when the company unveiled plans for local assembly of its Asia-specific Monster 795 model.
The partly Canadian-owned Italian marque will produce the bike at its new plant in Rayong.
The 795 has a price tag of 399,990 baht with an 803cc engine, and it looks almost identical to the imported 695, which costs a hefty 580,000 baht.
I recently test rode the 795 and also had the opportunity to meet Mirko Bordiga, CEO of Ducati Asia-Pacific, Pierfrancesco Scalzo, Asia-Pacific sales director, and Apichat Leenutaphong, the general manager of Ducati Thailand.
"The Monster range has been the best-selling Ducati around the world," said Mr Bordiga. "The new Monster 795 has been designed and developed specifically for Asian markets with a seating position that enables riders to get both feet on the ground for a confident stance, not to mention the big advantage of an agile and comfortable motorbike to use on the crowded streets of Asia."
The test ride covered a total round-trip distance of 165km, from the Dusit Thani Hotel to Vartika Resovilla Kuiburi, through the breathtaking landscape of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The 795 is a new addition to the Monster range that combines the rider-friendliness of the 696, with which it shares a chassis, with the sporty character of the 796. It delivers 87hp via its Desomodue 796 engine and tips the scales at just 167kg. It's available in red and black, arctic white silk and diamond black, but it can be personalised with an additional 10 colours from Ducati's in-house Monster Art division or vintage graphics from the company's Logomania collection...more