Ridden: Ducati Monster 696

It has been 15 years since we first saw the Ducati Monster. It paved the way for a new class of naked bikes as well as boosting Ducati's floundering sales.

Around 200,000 Monsters have since been produced by the relatively small Italian manufacturer and the plan is to sell a record 40,000 bikes this year.

GALLERY: Ducati Monster 696

You can see that this has been a very important model for Ducati - possibly even the saviour of the company. Without it, there would have been no world superbike titles and no MotoGP success. But times move on and although the Monster 695 holds its own in an ever changing market, the new 696 has brought us bang up to date.

It's a brand new bike from the rubber up. The revised 90-degree air-cooled V-twin engine boasts changes to the cylinder heads, pistons and combustion chamber, which has increased power from 72bhp to 79bhp and the torque's up too, from 45lb/ft to 51lb/ft.

Other significant changes include the old love-it-or-hate-it riding position. The previous model required an uncomfortable stretch to reach the handlebars; while this spanking new bike has much improved ergonomics. The seat height remains a low 770mm, but thanks to the tapered 15-litre tank, reaching the floor for the vertically challenged should be a little easier.

The riding stance is much improved, the bars have been moved closer to the rider and the footpegs are narrower and lower than before, resulting in a far more natural fit. I can certainly vouch for the six-footers, although the angle of the seat did tend to push my hips towards the tank.

Mini monster

The poor steering lock was also another bone of contention and that too has been altered to provide 32 degrees turn each side as opposed to 25. In real world terms, feet up U-turns may still be tricky, but it's now possible to turn in a normal sized road without having to do the Ducati-feet-down-dance.

The lighter clutch is ideal for these slower-speed manoeuvres, and makes nifty work of tricky stop-start traffic, but the levers are non adjustable so the daintier rider may find the pre-set biting point a bit of a stretch.

Although the mirrors are surprisingly good, I did notice several bikes with the mirrors swinging freely in the wind only a few miles into our test ride. Following with tradition, the 696 has its steel trellis frame on display, but it now also boasts an aluminium rear-sub frame which contributes to the bike's 7kg weight loss.

It's apparently inspired by the MotoGP, Desmosedici GP7 bike but of course this little Monster will only cost you £5,500. However, if you are impressed by race-tech gadgetry, you'll love the new instrument display. Sharing the 1098's technology, the Monster's LCD clocks show everything from air temperature, to a scheduled maintenance warning.

Chocolatey goodness

Bizarrely, there's no fuel gauge (just a fuel reserve light) but at least it's fully prepped for DDA (Ducati Data Analyser), an aftermarket accessory that automatically records every detail of your ride which you can then download onto your PC. Oh yes, this really is a new generation of Monster.

Whether riding through the Spanish mountains at a fair lick, or negotiating the swelling city traffic, the Monster has an easy confidence. The engine pulls smoothly from the depths of the rev range and the power delivery is as sweet as Belgian chocolate.

But just like any ultra special confectionary, there's a little something extra lurking in the centre and the Monster's cherry is a surge from around 6,000rpm which livens the pace and excites in equal measures.

The stopping power is provided by Brembo front and rear, the upside-down forks are now supplied by Showa, while the rear adjustable monoshock remains Sachs. The whole package feels complete and the bike is not only agile, it feels balanced and easy to ride. Ideal for Ducati's target audience - new bikers.

Verdict

The company has really done its homework with the 696. All of these improvements have freshened up the Monster without changing its soul. It still looks and rides like the bike we've grown accustomed to, but it's now much more impressive.

Whether it's a match for rival bikes like Triumph's stunning Street Triple remains to be seen and to a degree, I suspect it's actually irrelevant for the majority of potential owners. It works, it looks good and it's a Ducati Monster - job done.

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