Ducati 696/796 Questions

[thought]

I went round and round with the same decision.  The single sided swing arm and an extra 100 cc's was worth the extra grand for me..... well since I got a left over 2011 796 it was actually the same price as a '12 696.... The red frame isn't so bad. Wasn't a deal breaker for me.  The 1100 is about $1700 more than the 796 and for me I didn't think I needed that much bike, I didn't want to pay a higher insurance premium (gotta love NJ) and personally I wasn't a fan of the 1100 low mount cans as I love the sssa.

Are you using rider insurance in NJ?  if you're not, switch... consistently the cheapest insurance you can get for your bike and the cc diff doesnt affect it as much as other companies.

[El-Twin]

it has more punch..., but it also vibrates more because those pistons make bigger bangs. I doubt you'll be going any faster on an EVO.

Truthfully, vibration just hasn't been an issue in my 1100 experience. Sure, the mirrors vibrate just enough at speed to make vehicle I.D. difficult. But no problems through the hand grips or foot pegs or the nether regions.

That's no SBK suspension on that thing.

And no SBK price either. 

[El-Twin]

The thing is, if I have that much power I tend to want to use it and I think that leads to trouble for me on the street. I am a smaller guy anyways (155 lbs) so I think the 796 would be about right. The 1100 is a beautiful machine though...

Throttle control.

You and I are the same size and I was a bit overwhelmed by the 1100's power at first. But it's something that you grow into and soon seems normal.

So... Zen and the art of throttle control.

[El-Twin]

And besides..., a smaller engine ridden well is less handful and more jollies!  Suggest you fit a 14T front sprocket though unless you're riding the Autostrada!

There is a certain satisfaction in wringing-out a smaller engine, so I'll grant you that. And  on the 14T sprocket. It's the way the bike should have been delivered from the dealer. 4000 RPM @ 70 MPH = just about perfect in my book.

[Raux]

another thing to look at is the 160 vs 180 rear.

the 160 is a dream on turn in, i've heard the 180 is a bit more push needed.

several have done the change on the 696 so could give you impressions on both.

[Curmudgeon]

another thing to look at is the 160 vs 180 rear.

the 160 is a dream on turn in, i've heard the 180 is a bit more push needed.

several have done the change on the 696 so could give you impressions on both.

No issue, at least on a 796. Turn-in is very light and precise and neutral. Glad to have the 180, given the additional torque. Also stable and no hint of twitch with my Ohlins, so I presume Ducati set the bike up accordingly. If I had a tuned 696 like yours, I'd stay with a 160 as well, but on Rossos of course! 

[Curmudgeon]

Truthfully, vibration just hasn't been an issue in my 1100 experience. Sure, the mirrors vibrate just enough at speed to make vehicle I.D. difficult. But no problems through the hand grips or foot pegs or the nether regions.

Mirrors vibrate? You make my point.  Bigger pistons make bigger bangs.  Over 900 cc I'd probably switch to 4V which are much smoother. Be happy with your big block Chebby.  Not unusual for most Americans to equate a bigger number with "better". 

BTW, it's a bit hard to "wring out" a 796 in VA. Vs your 1100, you do need to be in the correct gear more often in the tight stuff, but so far never lacked for power in passing zones. A stock 696 is a bit anemic vs my old 600 SL however and nowhere near as smooth.

[wannabfast]

well the 696 has a different front tire as well, the 696 uses a 120/60 instead of 120/70 in the front

i personally like how my 796 rides, i love the powerband i havent ridden a 696 to compare but im happy with the 796, if you have a lot of urban riding, the 696 is a good choice, but if you like to get on the freeway and do long stretches too, the 796 is a good option

[El-Twin]

Be happy with your big block Chebby. 

To me, it sounds more like a built-up small block. Music to my ears. 

[teddy037.3]

Out of curiosity, what MPG does the 796 get?

commuter days= 50-52mpg for me.

of course, I'm sure those numbers will drop once I buy those termis 

[wannabfast]

ive averaged 46mpg on mine, but i have seen 50

[SelfMedicating]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

So no serious reliability problems? It seems like in most cases you get out what you put into any machine.

I have pretty much decided on the 796. The only dislike I have is the red frame but overall I think the 796 looks better than the 696 and the 696 would be a little short for me anyways. I would love to try out the 1100 though...

[Curmudgeon]

Last, parts availability. For the scheduled maintenance (belts, shims, etc.), are these parts easily found? For parts in general, is anything hard to get if I happen to need something out of the blue?

BTW, you haven't said where you are, or if you did, I missed it, but... Last Thursday I ordered a spare windshield for my bikini fairing from my dealer. They are VERY efficient. He was putting in his weekly parts order to Bologna. Yesterday it arrived at the dealer and today I have the windshield and some other stuff he had in stock via UPS.

So..., the answer is..., how good is your dealer? Mine's a large one but only stocks what turns. DNA stocks next to nothing, but this DHL thing seems to work well, at least in Virginia. Of course, if the factory is out of stock, that could delay things.

I don't blame my dealer for not warehousing more because Virginia has weird personal property tax laws and anything lying around on December 31st in the parts department gets taxed.

[El-Twin]

[

I would love to try out the 1100 though...

Well, okay... Just for the fun of it...

Since thoughts of the 1100 are still dancing through your head, here's a quote from Kevin Ash, from ashonbikes.com:

On the 1100 EVO, and it's engine in particular:

 quote]It’s important though to ride it appropriately. Riders who treat it like a sports bike engine will think it’s not bad, although it starts to feel flat as it approaches its 8,500rpm rev limit, and it does go faster when you do this. But you fare much better if you stop trying too hard, drop the rev zone you’re using to anything from 4,500 to 7,000rpm, and here the motor is supreme... the best engine in motorcycling just got better. Well, maybe after the Diavel it’s the second best, but it’s still a seductive mix of aluminium and steel.[/quote]

Many may disagree, but calling the 1100 EVO engine the best in motorcycling is a bold statement. 

Here's the link: http://www.ashonbikes.com/content/ducati-monster-1100-evo-review