1098R, 848, and Monster 696 announced

[highside]

Yeah, I'm not big on the new Monster. It's a bike that has always greatly depended on it's appearance, and i think the new one is significantly less attractive than the bike it replaces.

That 848 on the other hand seems like one hell of a bike. They really captured the correct appearance for the middleweight Ducati line, and it seems like a bike that will live up to expectations. Shame about the price tag though.

[Mr Sunshine]

Well those demo ST3s at my local dealer just got cheaper.    

[eurofan]

This clipped from the EICMA site today:

"...Claudio Domenicali, responsible for Ducati products, was also very satisfied because the 1098 presented last year has sold extremely well and helped lift the profile of the Italian company all over the world. “In the next few years we’ll present 11 new bikes, three new models and 8 redesigns.”

Eigth redesigns, hmmmm

I would say that on of the new models will be the Scrambler.

And 3 of the 8 redesigns are the SS, ST and Multistrada

[atypical1]

ST design won't be coming back. Multi will get a redesign and fulfill that role. The sport-classic line has taken the place of the SS line but won't last forever.

james

[OldBob]

I may be a potential 696 buyer.

I’ve been riding since forever (ok, not forever: 1970), and I no longer expect one motorcycle to do everything.  My stable currently includes  a BMW R1200ST and a Yamaha RD400.

Over the years, I have mourned the passing of many bikes, only to subsequently prefer their replacements.  Sure, there are always some trade-offs.  I prefer the performance of the oil-cooled BMWs but still find their complexity off-putting.  Some past favorites never had a replacement.  Think Honda Hawk GT.

I recently rode a Monster S2R 800.  Fun bike.  I can only assume that the next generation Monster will be even better.  In some area(s), it will probably seem inferior to the current generation, but as my RD400 continually reminds me, the good old days really were not all that good.

Bob