Red Angel: An extra lean Ducati Monster 620 from Prague

Jun 17, 2023

Sacrificing a little comfort for style is not unheard of in the custom scene. But what happens when your goal is to throw comfort out the window altogether? This svelte Ducati Monster 620 from Gas & Oil Bespoke Motorcycles is the answer.

Matěj Sysel and his band of custom bike enthusiasts at Gas & Oil are no strangers to our pages, or the Ducati Monster platform. The Prague-based workshop builds everything from rough and ready scramblers to slick café racers and everything in between. But while their last custom Ducati Monster was a rather restrained affair, this one’s a bit more… focused.

“This is a bespoke build for a customer,” explains Matěj. “The instructions were clear—to create a very minimalistic machine based on a Ducati Monster, with as little comfort as possible. We picked the most interesting parts of multiple Ducatis and combined them to create our idea of the ultimate fun machine.”

With a brief like that, we knew this Monster would look wild before the photos had even finished downloading. And we weren’t disappointed. Gas & Oil started with a stock 2005-model Ducati Monster 620, but by the time they were done, only the frame, engine, and front forks remained from the donor bike.

The biggest change is the new bodywork—most notably the fuel tank, which was taken from a Ducati 999. It’s a surprisingly good fit for the Monster, with the open space beneath it emphasizing the trellis frame and L-twin motor’s rear cylinder.

Gas & Oil tweaked the frame to accommodate the tank out front, and fabricated a new subframe out back. A fiberglass tail section sits up top, trimmed with the scantest of seat pads. Like the 999 tank, the tail unit feels slightly separated from the bike, giving the Monster a lithe, mechanical feel.

There’s a tiny Kellerman LED taillight integrated into the back of the tailpiece, with a numberplate bracket featuring Motogadget LED turn signals to keep things street-legal. The rear hump hides all of the electronics, including a JMT Lithium battery and a Motogadget mo.unit.

Moving lower down, Gas & Oil grafted on the single-sided swingarm from a Ducati Monster S2R. The S2R also donated its Marchesini rims and Showa shock, making the bike even less recognizable as a Monster 620.

At the front of the bike, the Monster’s large round headlight was ditched in favor of a tracker-style number plate. Protruding through the plate is a single LED projector from LSK Electronics—a local Czech supplier of electronic bike parts. The factory handlebars were replaced by M-Style clip-ons, fitted with Motogadget bar-end turn signals and mirrors. The throttle assembly, grips, and controls are also new.

With the handlebar risers no longer in use, Gas & Oil fabricated a housing for a tiny Motogadget speedo that doubles up as a blank-off plate. It’s a clever way to tidy up the cockpit without trimming the top yoke, and leaves the door open for a handlebar swap in the future.

With around 60 hp on tap from its lively L-Twin, the Monster 620 is spritely enough to get your heart racing on twisty backroads. This one gets a little help from a pair of UNI foam filters, custom-made stainless steel exhaust headers, and a Sharon muffler. And since Gas & Oil’s mods have undoubtedly shaved a few pounds off the original 390-pound dry weight, it should be even more fun to ride.

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tires add a sufficient amount of grip, while CNC Racing footpegs and a clear clutch cover (because it’s a Ducati) add an extra dose of style.

The Monster’s livery is quintessentially Ducati. Gas & Oil settled on red for the frame, tank, and front fender, then painted the tail section white. It pops hard against the red base, further accentuating the 999 fuel tank’s sculpted lines.

Low weight, sticky tires, clip-ons, and a total lack of comfort; it sure looks like Gas & Oil’s client got exactly what he wanted.

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