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View Full Version : Ducati M659 Monster Review



EJK
29th October 2018, 21:04
Recently I had a chance to ride a Ducati Monster, the LAMS approved M659 for photo shoot. I thought I'd share some 2c thought and impressions.

Although it was only an entry level "baby" Monster, I have a lot of good things to say about the bike.

Pros:
1. Adequate power: It may have restricted throttle (to fall under LAMS restriction) but it still had plenty of torque at low end. And because of it the power delivery was very linear and consistent. There was no sudden burst of power, making throttle control "scooter-like" easy. Launching off the lights was absolute bliss and dead easy.

2. Bike size and design: From what I heard I believe the frame and body is shared with the older brother Monster 797. Low seat-height helps accessible for vertically challenged people (like me) and it's full bike size would help bigger people avoid being too cramped. And coming from a supersport bike rider I first didn't really liked the naked design of the Monster. However as I rode more it grew on me. It's a very emotional bike, oozing with style. The Monster looks really nice parked outside a local cafe or inside home garage. It's beautiful to look at with red trellis frame.

Also it wears proper 120/70 front and 180/55 rear tyre. For those new to motorcycling this is a huge win. It's the most popular size which allows you access to almost every tyre manufacturers and types. Also, motorcycle shops do most specials on popular 120 and 180 tyres, so it can be a real money saver.

3. Handling and gearing: I can't say much about handling, as I don't think I rode enough. It was easy to ride and that's all I have to say about that. However I loved the gearing ratio and gear shifts. Each gearshift gave a firm mechanical clink, which felt good and provided excellent feedback that gear has successfully shifted. Finding neutral can be a bit of a challenge however.

The power it produces and gearing is engineered to perfection. Gears weren't too short nor too long. Just right. I don't think I had to rev anywhere near the redline. Not sure how it'd be out on open road but riding around town it was just perfect.

Cons:
1. Throttle Lock: It makes the bike feel like beautiful bird with clipped wings. It's capable of producing more power, but it's mechanically (bottom end of throttle cable I think?) locked and that makes it feel just... limited. It's like buying an imported car but it says the navigation is not available in your country. You know..?


It's on the expensive end for a LAMS bike at $12,790, but for someone who's got a decent paying job, cares about style, spends a lot of time on Instagram while drinking latte, and wants have fun while staying economical... I think this would be a perfect bike.

Although it's not a MotoGP race-bred sports bike, it's still unmistakably a Ducati.


Special thanks to Casbolts Motorcycles for the bike. I understand their reputation has been somewhat "mixed" in the past but Craig has been really good to deal with and helpful.

Laava
29th October 2018, 21:37
Nice review mate!

OddDuck
30th October 2018, 06:35
+1, nice work. I see it's a cable operated clutch, if it's a bit clunky in the shift or finding neutral, check for excess free play. Should be as simple as turning an adjustor.