i dont have a clue on the answer.
but i will put money that that dude doenst know a good suspension if he says its great.
The ducati monsters (all of them in fact, just dontk now about the 696) were deisgned to be ideal for someone around 130lbs. decent for 150lbs (myweight) and just horrid for anything over that.
The 696 is better, but still wouldn't be right for 215 lbs. I weigh that (once I go metric->oddball), and I rode the 696... I'd have wanted just slightly stiffer springs.
As for what rate they are, make the beast with two backs knows. Time to get it to a suspension guy who can measure it and tell the rest of the world.
Welcome to paving the way in the Ducati world with a new model.