Ducati 696

The new 2008 Ducati 696 may be called a Monster, but in truth it's also extremely refined. This motorcycle is far more of a Jeckyll and Hyde machine than a mindless Frankenstein.

Of course, it hasn't lost the cult monster look, rippling with naked aggression and bad attitude. If anything, the new 696 is more muscular than ever. But it wears it with a new sense of style, thanks to a new Hybrid Trellis frame, which borrows heavily from Ducati Motorcycles' MotoGP world title winning Desmosedici GP7. Above this sits an ingenious fuel tank with removable outer skins that allow you to change the look to match your mood, with colour co-ordinated rear seat covers available to match.

Ducati have improved the overall ergonomics of the bike, with a shorter reach and slightly lower, more forward foot peg position, and lowered seat, giving you greater control and an altogether more civilised ride.

But don't be fooled by these refinements; Mr Hyde is alive and well and living right beneath you - and with one twist of the throttle he will roar into life. The new 696 engine has new cylinder heads which optimize the fluid dynamics and provide a 9% boost in power from the old 695, producing 80hp - the highest power per litre of any of Ducati's air cooled engines. It also gains an impressive 11% boost in torque to 50.6 lb/ft, so that power comes through smoothly whenever you need it.

The new exhaust now stands out for all the right reasons, re-routing the old down pipes for a cleaner look, while keeping the signature twin Ducati mufflers that make such an unmistakable statement to the eyes and ears. Staying true to the naked look, Ducati have also tidied away many of the wires and hoses that cluttered the lines of its predecessors. There hasn't been a monster this good looking since Charlize Theron.

Add in a class-leading front brake system with two 320mm discs and four-piston radial callipers, fully digital instrumentation, and a 5kg weight reduction making it the lightest in its category, and you can see why Ducati describe this street-wise motorbike as ' the final word in urban excitement'.

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