Ducati Monster 696 test

The new Ducati Monster 695 looks a lot like the previous model, but will the tweaks to the 2008 bike make a noticeable difference? ...

The secret of the Monster's success over the years was clear even before our 696-mounted group of riders left the launch base car-park, just from a glance at our riding gear. Between us we were wearing every type of clobber, from hand-painted helmets and one-piece race suits, to open-face lids with combat kecks and trainers.

The Monster's suitability for every type of rider and trip explains why more than 200,000 have been sold since the original M900 was launched 15 years ago. That popularity has kept Ducati afloat at times and it's why the firm has waited so long before introducing a second-generation Monster. They're desperate not to drop a 999-sized bollock by changing too much.

Ducati product chief Claudio Domenicali insisted that the new model had to be instantly recognisable at 100 metres — and it is. It's pretty cool from up close, too. The headlight's horizontal band is a distinctive touch. The tank cover's intake cut-outs at each side add interesting shapes, and improve steering lock. High-level silencers jut out below the slim tailpiece and above a chunky twin-sided aluminium swing-arm.

The view from the pilot's seat is Monster-like but subtly different, looking across a tank that is actually a two-part plastic cover, designed to be easily changed to allow customisation from the standard red, white or matt-black. The digital instrument panel is closely related to the Ducati 1098's, complete with switch on the left handlebar to toggle between functions.

At 770mm that seat is unchanged in height, but is slimmer at the front so more riders can get both feet on the ground. At 161kg this Monster is 7kg lighter than its predecessor, and felt very manoeuvrable as I headed out of Barcelona. Combined with the upright riding position, wide one-piece handlebar and improved steering lock, that made it well suited to the traffic-dodging that is a daily part of many Monsters' lives.

Fuelling was well up to Ducati's normal high standard, with none of the jerky low-rev response of some bikes. That helped make the Monster great in town, marred slightly by a typical mild juddering as I released the ultra-light APTC clutch (which is retained from the 695). But the single overhead cam V-twin motor, which is tweaked to give a handy 80bhp, is a bit short of midrange torque, meaning that some of the Monster's traditional hooligan tendencies were missing. Although the 696 pulled crisply from 4000rpm or below, it didn't have enough grunt to wheelie straight off the throttle.

At least it generated a raw growl from the airbox when I cranked the handle, and a decent kick of acceleration when the tacho bar reached 6,000rpm. That top-endy performance meant I used the gearbox more than anticipated, but the 696 shifted so sweetly that this wasn't a chore. On the dual-carriageway heading out of Barcelona the Ducati charged up to an indicated 115mph and was still pulling when traffic meant I had to slow with maybe 20mph to come.

Slim but reasonably useful mirrors helped me keep an eye out for the increasingly unfriendly Spanish police, and stayed vibration-free with the help of the rubber-mounted handlebar. My only comfort-related complaint was that the seat, although seemingly well padded, sloped too much, pushing man-tackle against tank. It was an unlikely problem given that the 696's tank cover is slightly shorter than the old tank, giving less of a stretch to the bars.

All that was forgotten when we reached the winding roads in the hills overlooking Barcelona, where the 696 was well at home thanks to handling that combined lightness, agility and stability in best Ducati tradition. There's little adjustability built into the fairly basic chassis: just preload and rebound damping for the Sachs shock. When geometry and suspension rates are as well chosen as these, that's fine by me. Decent though hardly cutting-edge Bridgestone BT56 rubber and plenty of ground clearance added to the entertainment.

The front brake worked as ferociously as you'd expect with Brembo's four-pot radial calipers on such a light bike. Such stopping power might have been over the top on a machine aimed at relatively inexperienced riders, but the Brembos had plenty of feel. The levers aren't span-adjustable, but for £5,500 it's hardly fair to moan. The 696 might only be the entry level model of Ducati's range, but it looks good, it's fun to ride and it looks like keeping the Monster success story going for a while yet.