All Essays – A Monster of Ease – New tune!

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A Monster of Ease

All Essays - A Monster of Ease - New tune!

Ducati, Italian manufacturer, MotoGP world champion in 2007 and Superbike in 2008, is renowned for its sports cars and big-hearted roadsters. However, its best seller remains the little Monster completely revised in 2008: the 696! Test.

New tune !

One thing is certain: with the new 2008 model, the Monster is given a "new look". And as always with Italians, the aesthetics are very neat.

Evidenced by the meticulous cutouts – OK, they are not new … – a mudguard with sharper lines and the air inlets located on either side of the tank, which are used to force-feed the gearbox. 10 liter air placed above the Twin.

In its 696+ version, the Monster is also adorned with a seat cowl matching the chosen color and an elegant little nose screen, also taking up the color of the tank and the other painted parts. Black, red or white, such are the colors – one could not be more classic – of the 696. And for Site, the choice is made: the pearly white paint is beautiful. !

The line of the Monster is upset at the rear: the transalpine manufacturer has replaced its "old" silencer with less conventional shaped pots and placed much higher. If the old ones could scrape by taking an angle, the new ones will not pose any problem at this level … But what will be the melodious song of the Italian twin cylinder ?

The footplates, previously painted black, are now gray. The "new" engine is put forward thanks to the adoption of a lighter shade and the polishing of the inscription "Ducati"on the right crankcase.

The brakes are not left out since the calipers receive a silver finish. At the front, the discs go from 300 to 320 mm and above all, are clamped by new Brembo branded calipers, mounted in "radial sauce" history to give the little Monster Superbike flavors.

Will the 696 be to the taste of sportsmen? Certainly, if we are to believe the expertly crafted "heavy roadster" side !

Behind the new optics – contemporary in shape – is a 43 mm fork from Showa and no longer Marzocchi. The tank gains in presence and the gasoline capacity goes from 14 to 15 liters even if, anyway, "this 696 is a real camel", assures us Fabien Reze, head of the press service of Ducati France, giving us the keys to the beast…

At the rear too, the Italians "play the big guns": the rear wheel is now suspended from an aluminum swing arm of very good size, which would make any other equipment – Japanese … – pass for puny crutches…

The dashboard also takes the opportunity to update itself, with 100% digital instrumentation. Posted near the lights control, a button allows you to scroll the information: speed, mileage trips, engine speed (displayable in digital value), time, battery voltage, stopwatch and even the air temperature … Information which will or will not result in the activation of the manual starter !

The pinnacle of "Sport Attitude", the little Monster is pre-equipped to receive the Ducati DDA data acquisition system. History of fine-tuning your daily performance: going to "work more" – quickly – … to "earn more" – chances of getting drunk ?

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