Ducati has just released its bigger and better middleweight Monster on the local market.
The 696 is priced at $12,995 plus ORC, and boasts a huge range of upgrades across the chassis and engine.
On the chassis front, the factory claims: "Inverted Showa forks, Sachs mono-shock with progressive linkage, Brembo brakes with radial design at the front, and Marchesini 3-spoke wheels."
And for the engine: "Power is increased by 9% to 80hp and torque by 11% to 7kgm. As with all other current Ducati models, the 696 enjoys longer service intervals, reducing costs by up to 50% from previous models."
Bikepoint recently attended the media launch for the machine and can vouch for the fact it's a nice progression over the previous model.
Look for our road test in the near future.