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Like Giulio Malagoli, the Monster's lead engineer, said of his creation, "Isa one hundreda percenta Ducati. For sure-a it'sa Monster."

Ducati knows what butters its exotic bike bread, and for you, Monster fan, they've created the new 696 in a sharp new package. The improvements to the chassis, suspension and braking are complemented by a smartly revised mill, with the bike's looks and accouterments as most delicious icing on the cake.

If you're an experienced rider looking for a multi-tool ball-of-fun with loads of character, or a new or shorter rider, or a long-time devotee of this line of minimalist Italian bikes, be sure to get your deposit in soon, as my guess is that they'll be flyin' out the door faster than free cheese. Hopefully you’re the patient type, though, as the bike isn't slated to appear in the U.S. until June-ish '08 as a 2009 model. The 695 will complete its full production run during that time, so there'll be some overlap for awhile. When the 696 does hit American dealers, we'll be getting the model with pillion cover and little flyscreen as standard, all for $8775.

2010 Ducati Monster 696

soul-stirring sound and seductive, liquid-red styling inherent to a long bloodline of championship-winning Ducati sportbikes. Yesterday's triumph, however, is just that, and the bigger the trophy, the more dust it tends to attract. Ongoing product evolution is what maintains a competitive edge, and the Bologna boys aim to kill in the hotly contested middleweight supersport category with the new 848 EVO recently rolled out as an early-release 2011 model.

2011 Ducati 848 Evo Action

Torque builds quickly off idle before easing into a soft spot around 5000 rpm. While the mid-rpm lull is perceptible even at slight throttle settings, fueling remains good, allowing the bike to cruise dead-steady in the lull zone at freeway speeds. The sweet spot for smooth running spans from 4000 to 5000 rpm, yielding an indicated 70 to 87 mph in top gear with only modest engine vibration seeping through the handgrips. Strong power pulses quake the footpegs and frame while chugging along at basement revs or spinning the engine in its upper rpm range. There is little driveline lash, even when casually lugging along at 3500 rpm in a tall gear.2011 Ducati 848 Evo

The Diavel project was born when Ducati designers applied their wish-list of bike “basic instincts” to a blank canvas. With a “what if?” approach to creating a dream bike, they sketched inspiring shapes which became a lower and longer motorcycle.

“The challenge of building a muscular silhouette over a pure-bred competition motor had to be met with determination and a delicate touch, and the result is a frontal area that looks like a power athlete on the starting blocks,” explains the team at Ducati Design responsible for the project. “With the front wheel kept close to the Diavel’s body and using the short tail of a sport bike, we were able to blend this muscular design with a chassis that matched.”

2011 Ducati Diavel Carbon Exhaust View

2011 Ducati Diavel Carbon Images