Ducati M696 Review Test

-- Ducati M696 Review
By, Trevor Hedge

Ducati are synonymous with booming v-twin engines and sporting prowess. The latest addition to the Ducati line-up however is aimed more at the casual commuter rather than the weekend scratcher.

Ducati M696 Review Test

The entry level Ducati for a number of years were the 600 SS and Monster models. The clothes were dropped altogether for the later 620 version and the more recent 695 model was also Monster only. The latest in the line is dubbed the 696. It is also a Monster but this time it comes with more bling than ever before.

Showa inverted forks sport radially mounted Brembo calipers and combine with a stiff chassis to realise great cornering potential.

Stroke the brake lever and the stopping power is wonderfully progressive. Tip in is satisfyingly precise and the M696 scythes an accurate cornering line with the best of them. Wind on the throttle coming out the other side and the M696 responds reasonably well as long as you are carrying more than 6000rpm before cracking the throttle.

The original 600 models couldn’t pull the skin off the rice pudding and although the new bike is claimed to boast nine percent more power I still find the engine a bit lame.

Around town it is spritely enough as long as you keep the motor spinning above a vast black hole in the power delivery that occurs around 4000rpm. On the highway that 4000rpm in top gear equates to 100km/h. If you need to overtake from that speed best you drop it down a couple of cogs as winding the throttle on in top results in, well, nothing much at all really.

The 69Nm torque peak doesn’t arrive until 7750rpm and the claimed 60Kw (80hp) peak power is delivered at 9000rpm. Venture the tiniest bit over that 9000rpm peak and you smack into the rev-limiter which makes that sweet spot quite narrow indeed. It also makes the M696 the slowest accelerating of all the budget middleweights, despite at 161Kg having the least mass to shift.

I blame the Euro III emissions regulations. If ever a bike was in desperate need of some ECU reworking and a set of pipes then the M696 is it. The Ducati accessories department can help you out with a set of carbon Termignoni mufflers with matching filter and electronics to help realise more of the desmo L-Twin's potential. If your budget doesn’t stretch that far then I would recommend changing the standard 15/45 gearing to a shorter 14/45 combination. An APTC slipper clutch is standard on the 696 and the slipper function works well. Clutch take-up from a standing start doesn't start until very late in the stroke of the lever but is progressive enough.

There are a couple of things in the M696 engines favour however. 12000km service intervals double the established norm and excellent fuel economy results in a 300km touring range from each 15 litre fill. The oil filter looks to be a little too exposed to road shrapnel for my liking but at least it will make for easy oil changes.

Instrumentation is comprehensive with full data logging capabilities in addition to the regular tripmeter, clock and ambient temperature functions. You have to dip your head a little further than preferable to read the LCD speedometer which seems somewhat out of place on a naked Ducati. The system has data logging capabilities and incorporates an immobiliser security system

Friendly ergonomics and very little vibration make the M696 a pleasant ride around town. A low 770mm seat height, light 161kg mass and an excellent side-stand makes city parking a cinch. The riding position allows you to slide across the bike in the corners but locks you in quite tightly in the fore-aft plane. Luckily the position you are placed in is quite amenable.

The mirrors are quite functional and the Monster’s lines are sleeker and more modern than ever before.

Ducati include a two year roadside assistance plan with the $12,995 sticker price for the M696. There is also an M696+ variant (pictured) that includes a rear seat cowl and a small bikini fairing for a $600 premium over the standard machine. The M696+ model is available now with the base model expected to arrive in October.

Specifications - Ducati M696