Ducati: Little beast full of bite

Ducati's 696 uses the Monster's instantly recognisable steel trellis frame. Photo / Supplied

You remember your first love, your first drive, your first hole in one - and I remember my first Ducati Monster. After all, it arrived with my first wheelie as the power hit and the bike stood on its tail to charge down the road. Woo-ha!

But when the 600 Monster followed its bigger 900cc sibling, it was tempting to look on it as Ducati-lite; a bike for those short of cash, leg, or taste.

Well, wash my mouth out, for I've now ridden today's version. And though it's the bantamweight of the range, this compact ball of muscle is packed with attitude and has the goods to back it up.

Those goods revolve around the 696cc air-cooled L-twin motor with its two-valve-per-cylinder Desmodromic set-up and characteristic soundtrack. This generation has about 9 per cent more power than its predecessor, but just as important to Ducati fans, it sounds like nothing else.

Whether you're popping out for milk or carving down some country road, this engine note can only be Ducati, and it's that character as much as anything else which gains the brand its passionate following.

As for this 696, it uses the Monster's instantly recognisable steel trellis frame to showcase the motor within.

Up front, a set of Showa upside-down forks is paired to the rear preload and rebound adjustable monoshock. At this price you might expect full adjustability, but the set-up seemed more than adequate over the rural roads I traversed - as were the excellent brakes.

I soon appreciated how chuckable the little Ducati is, its light weight and compact riding position ideally suited to my 1.6m dimensions, though it could be too compact for taller riders.

I failed to fully explore the digital dash's range of information during an all-too-brief interlude between rain showers, though I did find the speed readout sat a tad low for rapid viewing.

But I loved those mirrors; they look odd but they're very effective, especially around town when the bike's nimble attitude was as useful as it will be over New Zealand's tangled back roads.

At $16,490* the Monster 696 is a tad cheaper than before and by far the most affordable entry to an otherwise pricey brand, hence its position at the top of Ducati's sales charts.

The cash-strapped should consider Kawasaki's ER6n, which won't swell their heart or treat their ears as well as the Ducati, but will certainly leave their bank balance in a better state.

DUCATI 696

We like
Soundtrack; Ducati image, heritage and character; those super-effective mirrors

We don't like
Taller riders miss out

Powertrain
696cc air-cooled fuel-injected L-twin, two-valve-per-cylinder Desmodromic, six-speed transmission, chain drive

Performance
58.8kW at 9000rpm, 69Nm at 7750rpm

Price
$16,490 (pre-October 1)

Vital stats
2058mm long, 770mm seat height, 161kg dry weight, 15-litre fuel tank