Ducati Monster 695
Hidden Hero
One of Ducati's most impressive models is also its least assuming Ducati has an impressive model lineup, but one standout is its entry-level Monster 695. Priced to be competitive with offerings from the Far East, the 695 offers an entre into a rich motorcycling history and sports gobs of character that the others can only lust after.
I've lived with the littlest Monster for some time now, using it mainly as a daily in-town commuter with the occasional weekend blast. It's nearly perfect as an everyday thread-the-needle-through-the-SUV-stack tool. Its light weight and effortless steering get you through and around traffic with ease, and its grunty, 73-horse/45 pound-foot motor whisks you from stoplight to stoplight effortlessly. It feels every bit as punchy off the bottom as some larger Monsters, yet is much lighter and more nimble.
The 695 is a contender for the perfect beginner or female bike, featuring a super-low seat height of just 30.3 inches. Light lever action is accomplished via an Adler Power Torque Clutch, which doubles as a slipper to ease ham-footed downshifts. Brakes are strong, even the rear, which usually isn't the case with Ducatis. Suspension works well for the type of riding most will do with this bike, with the Sachs shock adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping and the Marzocchi fork unfortunately non-adjustable but well-sorted.
Ergos are typically Monster-strange, meaning the reach to the bars is long. There are numerous aftermarket cures for this. Pegs are set relatively high, but not uncomfortably so. The mirrors provide an excellent rearward view, with no blurring at sane speeds. Amazingly, this bike works quite well on the highway, with the windblast not nearly as bad as on some other nakeds. Ducati offers an optional bikini fairing for those who want more protection. While the bike can seem slightly twitchy at low speeds, it's very stable in the fast lane.
The only real niggle with the 695 is its fueling. There are some instances when, at small throttle openings, the motor backfires/coughs/hiccups. Checking the various Ducati message boards, this appears to be a fairly common problem. A tech at our local Ducati dealer told us this is due to the lean running required by today's strict emissions standards, and to be fair it's a problem that affects many fuel-injected bikes. An aftermarket exhaust and adjustable ECU is the way to go here.
Ducati has created a winner in the Monster 695. In these days of "bigger-is-better" mega-superbikes, the littlest Monster is all the bike you really need. It's small enough to squeeze through tight spaces where cruisers and sport-tourers fear to tread, yet big enough to thrill with a surprising amount of power when and where you need it. Plus, for our money, no other bike's exhaust note stirs the soul like a Ducati's. It's a bargain blaster-emphasis on blast.
Price: $7795
Engine type: a-c 90-degree V-twin
Valve train: DOHC, desmo 4v
Displacement: 695cc
Transmission: 6-speed
Claimed horsepower: 73 bhp @ 8500 rpm
Claimed torque: 45 lb.-ft. @ 6750 rpm
Frame: Tubular-steel trellis
Front suspension: 43mm inverted fork
Rear suspension: Single shock with adjustable spring preload and rebound damping
Front brake: Dual two-piston calipers, 300mm discs
Rear brake: Single two-piston caliper, 245mm disc
Front tire: 120/60-ZR17 Bridgestone Battlax
Rear tire: 160/60-ZR17 Bridgestone Battlax
Seat height: 30.3 in.
Wheelbase: 56.7 in.
Fuel capacity: 3.6 gal.
Dry weight: 370 lbs.
Contact: www.ducati.com