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| | | | Road Test: 2008 Ducati Monster 696 launch – Monstrum Minimus |  Written: 18/04/2008 : 11:38. Read 40941 times (48/day). | The littler Monster has received the biggest upgrade in the 16 year old Ducati Monster history. Everything is new really and Ducati launched the new 696 big in Barcelona.
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Words: Tor Sagen/Photography: Milagro
Ducati launched the new Monster design in Milan in 2007. People all over the world have an opinion on the way a Monster should look and the new design have received split reactions. No doubt that the design is one of the most important things about a Monster, but we are going to leave that bit for you to decide.
One thing is quite sure and that is that the new Monster 696 is different than its predecessors. Several key areas such as handling and brakes have been improved. With a new L-twin engine, new chassis and new styling the Ducati engineers managed to bring the weight down to a claimed 161 kilograms.
The lightness is really impressive and whilst Ducati also have increased the maximum engine output to 80 Desmo horsepower it is self evident that this motorcycle is fun to ride!
Barcelona is a fun town to be in, so to ride a fun bike in a fun city was the theme of the day. We started out by heading out to various photo locations within the city itself. Luckily the lead Ducati rider knew the art of filtering so we got to try the filtering abilities at the same time. Because the Monster 696 keeps such a low profile and due to the share narrowness filtering is child’s play.
The ultra low 770mm seat height could easily have been one of the things that I would not like on the bike. But on the contrary, on the Monster 696 this is perfect. The minimalist exterior matches the feel of riding something small and easy. If you live in the city, ride a scooter or just want a second bike that is almost as easy to use as twist and go scooters the 696 is one of the best options available in 2008. The start up procedure is quick and you’re on your way in seconds. The new air box have a large 10 litre volume that helps torque and the engine mapping also allows for different behaviour depending on the throttle position. At low throttle openings and rpm there is more torque available. At high revs and throttle openings the full 80 horsepower is unleashed. The 15 litre fuel tank is hidden under the tank dummy that can be replaced for customisation.
The 696cc L-twin Desmo has the great and lovable character of much larger engines but never intimidates. If you want to play, it will play all day long. If you just want to chill out on a Sunday morning it will cruise with therapeutic L-twin vibes always ready.
Then we headed into the hills surrounding Barcelona. Whilst still being in Barcelona you have the access to miles and miles of these amazing roads you usually have to spend hours to get to from many other large cities. The pace was upped and the handling was put to its test. First I noticed how quick the 696 steers from left to right. The 160/60-ZR17 Bridgestone BT56 rear tyre contributes a lot to the willingness in this area. I could carry huge lean angles as easy as nothing and the tyres felt planted to the various tarmac.
The highly advanced tubular trellis frame comes with Desmosedici technology and not only is it strong, it is very light too. The front suspension is a 43mm USD Showa fork whilst Ducati have used a Sachs rear monoshock. The great thing about the Monster 696 that I could benefit from instantly is the great feedback given back to the rider. I could push more much earlier than I had anticipated. Then you have the radial Brembo set up. It’s probably pure overkill on this lightweight bike, but very reassuring as the chassis and tyres easily copes with the stopping power.
Grab a bit of clutch in first and up the front wheel comes too. Out on the motorway back into Barcelona city the mirrors worked very un-Ducati-ish in the way that I could actually use them without seeing too much of my elbows and not too much vibrations.
Going up the six-speed gearbox there’s sometimes a hesitance between first and second gear. No doubt these bikes are brand new and other than that the gear box was fine. One of the huge positive surprises was the light clutch action. The clutch is so light that frequent use in the city doesn’t put much strain on my left hand.
The new instruments are very advanced with a host of features such as clock and temperature. Centre of it all is the digital Desmosedici style rev counter.
Conclusion:
At the end of the day I was left with an impression that Ducati have taken care of every possible issue and that the 696 in effect is the new Monster. I am pretty sure that parts of this design will make its way to the other Monster models too. If Ducati are clever they’ll keep the S2R and add it to the Sports Classic range though. The M696 is very light, very easy to ride and more powerful than the predecessors. Guess all that is left for me then is to say well done Ducati. Mission accomplished.
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Light
Handling and brakes
Good and easy to use clutch
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I hit neutral a couple of times during the test
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