Ducati Monster 659

Name: Ducati Monster 659
Brand: Ducati

Could Ducati's endearing and stylish Monster 659 possibly be the best LAMS-legal bike currently available? It's easy to ride, comfortable and quick

Do you remember your first time? No, not the one that resulted in little more than a juvenile fumble around the back or your parents’ garage, but the first petrol-gulping ride that marked your progress from BMX Bandit to Easy Rider?

Mine was on Suzuki’s remarkable TS50ER. Well, I was 16 at the time. True, it wasn’t much faster than my pushie and it had taken a year of delivering papers around the neighbourhood to afford, but it was a watershed moment for a young me. Happy days.

So here I am, a handful (if you’ve really big hands) of years later and back on a learner bike. But this is different to my first time. This is proper grown-up biking.

Yup, Ducati’s Monster 659 doesn’t look, feel or sound like a mere stepping-stone to a new world – it’s the real deal.

BIG TICKET

Naturally, being a Ducati, this is no entry-level bike in terms of price. At $10 under 13 big ones, most if not all other LAMS bikes will cost you less. But on many other learner-legal bikes, you’ll be counting down the days before you can trade it and get on a ‘real’ bike. With the Monster 659, there’d be no such rush – it feels like a real bike from the get go.

The engine is a variant of the 696 mill, sleeved down to meet the LAMS requirement. Coupled with a physical restrictor on the side of the fuel-injection body that limits the throttle action to a few millimetres, you’d think the engine would struggle to excite. Not so. There’s plenty of useful low-down torque and the machine feels pretty lively within the confines of those restrictions.

Take-off is aided by a light clutch pull and it’s very easy to achieve a smooth, smart launch. And this ease of use and understanding becomes the dominant theme as you ride further.

Even though the gearbox isn’t as sweet as on some bigger bikes, it teaches good selection and clutch control. Click through the ’box and you’ll end up sitting on 4500rpm with the digital figures showing 110km/h.

Even though the final gear doesn’t feel like an overdrive ratio, you’ll want to keep over 4000rpm on the tacho to prevent the V-twin from labouring in the top couple of gears. It can get slightly lurchy if you don’t. Having said that, the top-gear acceleration from 4500rpm is smart – it’s no slouch.

QUALITY GEAR

Continuing the easy-to-use mantra, the Brembo monobloc calipers are well matched to the master cylinder. This is important as the bike is aimed at the more inexperienced sector of the biking family. Even braking suddenly, there’s no real snatch from the front, but the front stopper still offers impressive single-finger power.

The ergos offer all-day comfort, too. The saddle is low (as is the whole aspect of the bike) but it’s not uncomfortable for the taller rider. Having said that, there’s not the most room ever between the seat and footpegs, and the latter are fairly low to the ground, too. That’s no bad thing for novice riders pushing and discovering their and their bike’s limits. Overhanging toes touch pretty early, but that’s better than wondering where the limit is as you blindly ride off the sides of the tyres.

There’s a good stretch to the upright ’bars and the mirrors are wide and informative. On the downside, Ducati’s slightly limited steering lock remains a trait of the Monster range.

And when your licence restrictions allow the carrying of a pillion, the 659 doesn’t disappoint. A twirl of an Allen key is all that is needed to relieve the saddle of the rear plastic cover and the engine has enough torque to accommodate the extra bod without complaint.

BACK TO BASICS

There’s no adjustment on the front fork and, aside from slightly ‘bobbling’ on a rippled road surface, the 659 represents a decent compromise between low-tech, low-cost and a controlled ride.

There’s also a $1200 option to customise your Monster through replacement body panels. There are a variety of designs and colours that see every colour panel being able to be swapped to give the bike a different, fresher look. These include the tank covers, front guard, bikini fairing and rear seat cowl, and swapping the bits over is a quick and easy task.

But maybe the biggest downside of this LAMS bike is that it will always remain just that. Regardless of your licence status, you cannot de-restrict this bike. Ever. That’s a shame because it’s a real bike as it is, but unleashing extra power after you’ve gained a full licence is now forbidden fruit.

Above all, the Monster 659 is a bike on which you can learn your motorcycle craft. It’s easy to ride, comfortable, quick, good handling and pretty cool. It’ll cost you more to buy, but the resale looks strong and the brand association will elevate you amongst your biking peers. Having said that, I doubt if you’ll be able to buy one with the proceeds from delivering papers around the neighbourhood…

> Visit Ducati Monster 659 in Bike Showroom

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Ducati Monster 659

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