Power
The power is satisfactory. Based on my experience with the Monster 620 I would say the 620 is a good beginner bike. The bike is powered by a V-twin (L-twin according to Ducati terminology) with a nice, linear torque curve. Power delivery is very predictable and smooth. I think predictability is a good quality in a beginner’s bike. I wouldn’t mistake predictable with boring in this case though. The bike is spirited. It is not a wheelie machine by any stroke of the imagination but opening up the throttle always puts a smile on my face. There are times where I wish I had a little more “oomph” (for lack of a better adjective).
Brakes/Clutch/Suspension/Seat
The brakes are good as well with what I find to be a minimal effort to quickly stop the bike. The brakes aren’t overly sensitive either. One would really have to grab a fistful of the break in order to cause any sort of problem. The suspension is adequate as well. The front forks are not adjustable and once in a while seem a little ‘soft’ if that makes any sense. The rear is adjustable for rebound damping and spring preload. With some minor adjustments, the ride becomes incredibly smooth. The adjustments are easy to make. The wet clutch requires a little bit of effort and my wrist can become a little sore if stuck in rush hour traffic for an extended period of time.
One area of complaint for me is the seat. I think this is a complaint about most bikes,. The stock seat isn’t the most comfortable. After about an hour and a half of riding my butt is usually on the sore side.
I can usually squeeze between 220 and 250 kilometers out of a tank, about 5L/100km (15 litre tank and usually end up needing 11 or 12 litres to fill the tank). I am pleased with this as I like to accelerate in a brisk manner more often than not.
Overall Impressions
I love my bike. After rereading the review it sounds like a review of a mediocre bike but that is not how I feel about my bike. What impresses me the most about my bike is the handling. I just have to think about entering a curve and the bike seems to know where I want to go. It just loves the twisties. The adjective ‘flickable’ applies. My bike also inspires confidence. After the tires are warm, it feels like the bike is glued to the road. I enjoy the exhaust note emitted by the stock pipes as well. The little monster is also a great commuter bike. All in all I would recommend the bike to anyone.
Cheers,
Gatineau_Guy
