revtothelimit - motorbike forum

I need to find out the last year of production for the model of Monster that I have (to know when I can register it as a classic here) - me and a friend do intend to get it to track before then, but for now, cos it can't be used on the road, it's a bit awkward (TDs will be next years due to my knee and he and his wife have just had a baby!! LOL )

Anyway - I know the year mine was registered - April 1998

BUT, how do I know the exact model to be able to find out the "last year of production" of that model?

I've had a look on this page https://www.autoevolution.com/moto/ducati/monster/ but there is more than one that was produced in 1998 and TBH, I can't tell which is which as the frames look alike to me (I think it's either the 96-97 model or the 97-98 one ??)


Sooo, with the VIN - where do I look to get the actual model so that I can find out the last production year

(It needs to be 30 years after the last year of production to class as a classic - so if the last year of production was 1997 but it wasn't registered until 1998, I can still start registering it here under the classic rules next year.)

I'm guessing it'll be a track bike for a few years before I can use it on the road

Can anyone help with this?

https://www.carvertical.com/ducati-vin-decoder

I dunno if this will help, but see what you can make of it. Allegedly it's free.

Bwana wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2026 9:42 pm https://www.carvertical.com/ducati-vin-decoder

I dunno if this will help, but see what you can make of it. Allegedly it's free.

Cheers, but sadly it just says it's an M600 - could still end production in 97 or 98

I'll find an email for Ducati Italy and see if they will reply - and help !!

I did ask on the Desmo Due Paddock page and figured someone there would definitely know; I think an admin misread the question and didn't allow the post but replied with
"You should be able to check the Monster age with the frame number at any Ducati dealer, regardless of when it was road registered"
- which was not what I asked, I need the exact model to find out the last production date !!!

Hey ho - he didn't allow the post so I guess that avenue is blocked Might see if there is a Ducati dealer close enough to go ask if they will help

MCN has it running 1993 to 2001.

I dunno much about Ducati so I'm not sure if there were significant changes like Honda's CB750 went through, eg. 1978 was the last year for the single overhead cam and the bikes had a significant change in pretty much ever aspect you could think of except displacement and name. Even the actual displacement increased buy a few CCs.

Bwana wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2026 3:56 pm MCN has it running 1993 to 2001.

I dunno much about Ducati so I'm not sure if there were significant changes like Honda's CB750 went through, eg. 1978 was the last year for the single overhead cam and the bikes had a significant change in pretty much ever aspect you could think of except displacement and name. Even the actual displacement increased buy a few CCs.

I think that's my biggest issue - what actually is a new model ??

The link I looked at has various 600 models on short timespans, but are they actually a different model or just an update of the same one !!

Downside is that if mine was lasst produced in 2001, I can't register it here until 2031 But hey - track bike

Doesn't it have the month/year it was built on the frame tag like US bikes have?

And why the hell would they go by when the last one was built instead of the one you actually own?

ZRX61 wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2026 4:47 pm Doesn't it have the month/year it was built on the frame tag like US bikes have?

And why the hell would they go by when the last one was built instead of the one you actually own?

Even if it did, that wouldn't tell me when the model was last in production (I think from the frame number it was probably 1997)

For a bike to be a classic (collection) here apparently the last of it's model has to have been produced a minimum of 30 years ago - I don't make the rooles!

From what I've read, it could be 97, 98 or 2001

What model of bike do you have? And what engine?

As Bwana said, if it's a standard M600 the last one rolled off the production line in 2001 - but they produced a string of versions (fancy colours and 'bolt-on' accessories) to shift the inventory of parts between 1999 to 2001.

It all depends what the French authorities call 'a model' but my money is on 2001. The 1999 onwards were little more than standard + accessories.

(If they're totally bolshie they'll say 'Mon dieu! They are still making les Monsters!' ).

The 600 Monster was produced until 2001 when it was replaced by the 620.