Monster-ously good fun

Ducati’s new Monster 696 is making big waves for a small bike. Jane Omorogbe tries it for size

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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.

About 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.

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 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 79, and the torque’s up, too, from 45lb/ft to 51.

Other significant changes include the old love-it-or-hate-it riding position. The previous model required an uncomfortable stretch to reach the handlebars; 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 in general 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 for most of us. I can certainly vouch for the six-footers at least, although the angle of the thicker seat did tend to push my hips towards the larger tank (and made me more grateful than ever that I’m not a boy).

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. And 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 in addition to that, 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 cost you only £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.

Bizarrely, there’s no fuel gauge (just a fuel reserve light) but at least it’s fully prepped for DDA (Ducati Data Analyser), an after-market accessory that automatically records every detail of your ride, which you can then download on to 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 confection, there’s a little something extra lurking in the centre, and the Monster’s cherry is a surge from about 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.

The company has really done its homework with the 696. It knows what its customers want and has produced a bike that’s not only plusher than before, but is fully prepared for customisation. For example, the tank and air-box sit underneath a plastic skin that takes minutes to remove and replace with either a non-scratched alternative or one with an individual colour scheme.

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 such as 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.