Monsters Inc 2: Ducati reintroduces the 659

Ducati Australia and New Zealand has announced the Monster 659 will make a comeback.

The 659 will be produced exclusively for Australia and New Zealand and is based upon the new Monster 797.

It’s expected to arrive and be on sale from October 2017 with an introductory price of $12,490 plus on-roads.

2018 Ducati Monster 659 reintroduced to Australia

Ducati Australia and New Zealand CEO, Warren Lee, said the 797 is “proving to be a very popular model with younger, female and less experienced riders.”

“It’s the ideal basis for our new LAMS model,” he said.

The 659 was ‘discontinued’ a couple of years ago, leaving Ducati with the Scrambler Sixty2 as its only learner-approved machine.

FCAI figures show it was certainly a very popular model the first time ‘round, roughly over 1000 bikes were sold in its last three years.

However Ducati’s sales figures from the first half of this year were down 17 per cent compared to the previous year.

It appears the 659 could be vital to the Australian market for Ducati, neither the Monster 797 or 821 seem to be resonating with buyers like the 659 did.

Ducati says the Scrambler range made up just under 30 per cent of its worldwide sales in 2016, a trend which isn’t yet being seen in Australia.

The new Monster offers the key elements of its predecessor; lightweight, easy handling and rider-friendly V-Twin power delivery.

The 2018 version has a low standard seat height of 785mm, ABS is standard.

As with all new Ducati motorcycles, the Monster 659 will be covered by a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty and 24-hour roadside and emergency assist.

Cycle Torque tested the Monster 659 in 2014 as part of its first TV series, watch the video below:

1 Comment

  1. Great to read this positive review of the new Monster 659 – if it’s anything like my Monster 696 ABS, it really is a great bike – and very versatile as your reviewer suggests. The only thing I’d change is a bigger tank than 13.5L, but the range of the 696 ABS is somewhere around 290 kms. Thanks again for this review.

    Chris K
    Murrumbateman, NSW

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