Latest Auto News Blog: Ducati launches customization contest for new Monster 1100 S

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ducati Monster 1100 and 1100 S

Ducati's Monster range has always been fertile ground for owner customization. First introduced in 1993, the Monster kicked off the current naked bike craze, and modifications have managed to remain part of its basic appeal. To promote future Monsterization of its latest unclothed model, the Italian firm has just launched a dealer customization contest to coincide with the arrival of the 1100 S in dealership showrooms. To kick-start the process, Ducati has sent 58 of its dealerships an early set of body panels for paint and the full accessories catalog will be made available.

Monster fans will get their first chance to view the bikes in real life on January 9th, though online voting is slated to begin on January 1, 2009 and will run through the 13th. It'll be interesting to see how successful dealerships are in walking the fine line between making a cool custom and detracting from the air-cooled machine's inherent sense of minimalist design.

Gallery: Ducati Monster 1100 and 1100 S