Ducati Monster 696 2011 — Specifications

We still remember the shock when Ducati unveiled this new generation of Monster. After nearly fifteen years of undisputed reign for the bare trellis-frame myth, touching this icon bordered on sacrilege. Yet, in 2008, the gamble was bold: modernize the recipe without betraying it. The **Ducati Monster 696** of 2011 that we find today as a **used** motorcycle represents the culmination of this transition, a motorcycle that has digested its initial criticisms to offer a more accomplished proposition.

Beneath its **custom** compact and stocky appearance, the 696 has lost nothing of its DNA. The famous 90° Desmodromic V-twin engine gains civility here, with 80 horsepower at 9000 rpm and increased torque of 50.6 Nm, figures that make it a serious candidate for an **A2** license after restriction. The real revolution is under the tank: the hybrid frame combines a steel trellis at the front and a cast aluminum rear section, an architecture inherited from the Desmosedici GP7 which lightens the whole to 161 kg dry weight. It is far from a simple aesthetic **accessory**, it is a structural overhaul.

On the handlebars, the 2011 evolutions clearly aim for daily comfort. The handlebar is raised by 20 mm, the **Ducati Monster 696 seat** is reworked for a better straddle position, and the **seat height** of 770 mm remains accessible. The 43 mm Marzocchi inverted fork and the adjustable Sachs monoshock ensure supple but precise handling, while the radial dual front disc brakes offer the bite of a sportbike. For anyone consulting a **technical specification sheet**, the equipment is faultless for a roadster of this era.

So, what is it for, in 2024? Faced with a **Triumph Street Triple** 675 that is more aggressive or a Yamaha MT-07 that is more versatile, the Monster 696 plays the card of pure emotion and style. Its temperamental V2 heats up, growls and vibrates, demanding committed riding. Its consumption and 15-liter tank make it a limited companion for the long-distance traveler, and some details, such as the sometimes difficult-to-read digital dashboard, recall its age. Its **new price** was €7990, but today, searching for a **Ducati Monster 696 used - Le Bon Coin** requires scrupulously checking the history and the condition of the **Ducati Monster 696 battery**, a known weak point.

Between the striking **white** version, the classic **black** or the bold **matte black**, this Monster will seduce the motorcyclist looking for a strong personality, a lively chassis and an aesthetic that does not go unnoticed. It is not the easiest, nor the most versatile, but it has that face and that soul that are sorely lacking in many of its modern competitors. For the pleasure of the senses above all.