Motorcycle specifications Ducati696 MONSTER 2008 A new saga

they dared! Tackling the Monster myth was as simple as trying to redesign the 916. Pierre Terblanche had tried his hand at it... But it had to be done, and Ducati is doing it in style. After 15 years without a wrinkle, after a flurry of versions(600, 620, 695, 750, 800, 900, 1000, S2R, S4, S4R, S4RS and special seafter so much praise and so many rants, the Monster is passing the torch to a new generation.

of course, it was eagerly awaited. For a while, it will be criticized for this or that. It will be hard to forgive some of its pencil strokes... and that's the lot of every motorcycle elevated to iconic status when the day comes for a makeover (the 916, the R1, the CB 500, the VFR, the Stinger, etc.). So, let's salute the audacity before we over-criticize. And whether you're for or against the change, you've got to admit that this new Monster is not lacking in looks.
Still low and stocky, it now looks like it's tucking its head into its shoulders. Its stylized headlamp gives it an MV-Agusta Brutale look, while the side exhausts under the seat remind us of the Triumph Street Triple. The gills in the fuel tank are surprising, jarring and disturbing, but they don't cause as much upheaval as the solutions adopted for the chassis.

previously, the frame was an end-to-end tubular trellis. On the 696 Monster, it's still this type of structure that dominates, with larger-diameter tubes, but, oh surprise, it ends with an aluminum casting to create the rear loop. In fact, a hybrid, like the Desmosedici GP7 frame. Like all modern roadsters, the 696 is equipped with top-sport brakes: 320 mm discs bitten by 4-piston radial calipers. And not to be outdone, the swingarm is also completely new, huge and ready to take on a whole lot of horsepower.

in fact, the 696's twin has more horsepower than ever: 9% more, or 80 hp. And for the same displacement, torque jumps an even more substantial 11% to almost 7 mkg. And yet, the internal dimensions are the same - but we're dealing with the evolution of the 695 cm3: the cylinder heads are now of the same type as those on the 1100 that equips the Multistrada and Hypermotard. Pistons and combustion chambers have evolved. Ducati has also improved heat exchange by redesigning the cooling fins. The APTC clutch is also back, making the bike easier to handle.

even with its modernization, the Monster is still a Monster, instantly recognizable, and now equipped with the latest fashion technology. So much for the dual needle speedometer - the dashboard is a brand-new dual-window digital display unit. Classy, high-tech, stylish, but how about a sneak peek at the engine revs (although purists say a Ducati is driven by ear)?
The rear light swaps the bulb for LEDs, while the front becomes an ovalized multi-combination that's a pleasure to look at.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos