With all the attention big, shiny, mondo power street bikes get these days, it can be pretty easy to overlook small displacement motorcycles. I mean, doesn�t every rider need 170 horsepower at the twist of their wrist? We all need to accelerate from a standstill to 100 mph in eight seconds, right? Who wouldn�t want to lay thick, 100-foot long strips of rubber on pavement?
While there will always be a small percentage of the moto population looking to carry out such hijinx, the fact is, the majority of riders who wish to keep their driving privileges need something a bit more practical. These days, though, a huge spectrum of motorbikes fit the bill, so let�s narrow it down.
2009 Ducati Monster 696
First and foremost, it�s got to be chic. Style is everything and it�s got to come first. Next up, versatility. Whether you�re dodging between cars during the heat of rush hour or blasting down wavy back roads, the bike has got to be fun, agile and easy-to-ride. Finally, there�s the almighty dollar. Not only does the price tag have to be reasonable, but it�s got to go easy on expendables like fuel and tires, plus something the wife isn�t going to kill you for spending, right? This leads us to Ducati�s Monster 696 and Aprilia�s Shiver 750.
Okay, so they�re both made in Italy, both aimed at the same style conscious rider and both include a price tag under nine grand. But beside those three common denominators, however, they�re substantially different machines. To find out how they stacked up against each other we hauled them out to the racetrack, followed by a few hundred mile sorties through the not-so-mean streets of Southern California. Let�s see how they stack up, shall we?
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