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The Ducati Monster 1000′s mambo comes courtesy of the factory’s punchy 1000cc Dual Spark motor. It’s versatile and reliable, though it will require expensive cam belt changes every two years or 12,000 miles , which means a bill of around £700 a time. The Ducati Monster 1000′s motor is not exactly stressed with a mild 80bhp, but it suffices.

The Ducati Monster 1000 isn’t a motorcycle to ride through winter. That way it’ll stay gorgeous for longer. Traditional Ducati electrical woes seem to have been largely sorted, though if you plan to lay your motorcycle up for the winter a trickle charger’s advisable or the Ducati Monster 1000 can flatten it’s battery quickly.

The Ducati Monster 1000 is perfect for demolishing A-roads with its loping pace, but press on and you’ll quickly find the pegs grinding on dry tarmac, with the cans not far behind. The Ducati Monster 1000′s Brembo brakes are tried and trusted, combining well with the chassis to leave you with a feeling of real confidence.

Compared to the pricier, Ducati 996/998-powered Ducati Monster S4R the Ducati Monster 1000 feels a bit underwhelming. And against the belting Kawasaki Z1000 it’s both dearer and slower. But the name on the tank is worth it for the snobbery value alone – and with some fruitier, preferably carbon, cans on the back you’ll soon feel better about choosing the Ducati Monster 1000.

The Ducati Monster 1000 is equipped with span-adjustable levers and an ignition-based immobiliser as standard and there’s a raft of official tuning and luggage kit to be had from the factory if you want to modify your Ducati Monster 1000.

The Ducati M620 Monster offers 35cc and 9bhp more than its predecessor, the Ducati M600 Monster. Its air-cooled, Desmodromic engine has plenty of useable power but experienced bikers can find it lacking. Very much entry-level machine although there’s a 33bhp version of the Ducati M620 Monster for beginners too.

Good build quality and finish (the frame’s taken from the sturdy Ducati Monster S4R), that alluring logo on the tank and a traditionally juicy-sounding exhaust add up to an attractive package with the little Ducati M620 Monster. Ducatis don’t have the best reputation for dependability, however, and parts are pricey. Loyal owners ignore all this, however, and love ‘em anyway.

The seat’s low and the motorcycle is light and small: perfect for some, cramped and uncomfortable for others. The Ducati M620 Monster has low ground clearance which can prove a problem if you’re “on it”, as can the soft-ish standard suspension settings and less-than-sharp steering. The light clutch is designed to lessen real wheel chatter on quick down changes. The Brembo brakes are excellent.

The Ducati M620 Monster costs quite a few hundred more than its closest rivals (Suzuki SV650, Honda CBF600, Kawasaki’s ER-6n) but you’re buying into an Italian legend so a lot of punters are happy to pay the difference. Accessories aren’t cheap and Ducati reliability can be patchy.

Fairly basic, no multi-lingual gadgetry here… the Ducati M620 Monster doesn’t even have a fuel gauge. However, the electronic dash does have an LCD clock and a fuel reserve light. There are extras aplenty to choose from: carbon fibre body parts, performance upgrade kits, bars, brakes, pegs etc… The Ducati M620 Monster is great for customising but it could be cheaper to just buy another motorcycle.

There’s an addictive lunge about the Ducati 999 motor, which sounds awesome with Termignoni pipes. In many ways the booming 90 degree V-twin defines the motorcycle brand, but it’s no match for a Suzuki GSX-R1000 or Yamaha R1 on track, especially coming out of tighter corners, where the sheer grunt of the Ducati 999 can make it harder to get on the gas whilst keeping traction.

If you spend time and money setting up the Ducati 999 to suit your weight, riding style, the track etc. it can make you feel like you’ve just qualified on the front row for Misano World Superbikes. But on ordinary, ill maintained UK roads the Ducati 999 can sometimes feel harsh, a bit raw and unforgiving. Occasionally, all that power can simply overhwhelm the old school trellis chassis.

The 2005 onwards Ducati 999 is not only faster, but likely to be more reliable, with a tweak to aid cam belt cooling on the engine, plus the deep sump motor standard across the range. Servicing is crucial on the Ducati 999 – every two years it requires a 14 hour workshop check and replacement of cambelts, fork oil, fluids etc. Neglected Ducati 999 models will break down – sooner rather than later. The overall build quality on the post 2005 motorcycles is a tad higher somehow, as if Ducati were really trying to make people fall in love with the Ducati 999 model.

At £20K on the road, the Ducati 999R isn’t good value. You could build your own Ducati 916 special for half that and make people openly drool in the street. Best value in the range has to be the Ducati 999S from 2005 onwards, with plenty of poke, good chassis kit and Termis as standard. The Ducati 999 Biposto tends to go for the least money secondhand, so an early 2002 motorcycle is the cheapest entry ticket to the world of Ducati 999 motorcycles.

The dashboard has a race motorcycle-like simplicity, but has been known to light up like a Vegas slot machine if water gets into its electronic brains. There’s a lap timer, oil/temp warnings, air temp monitor and a fuel consumption display. An immobiliser is standard on the Ducati 999 range too. Seat comfort is minimal and the pillion pad on the Ducati 999 Biposto is basically for a short trip back to pitlane.

The Ducati 1000SS’ air-cooled dual spark motor coughs up just over 80bhp, but thanks to clever gearing and oodles of torque the motorcycle never feels all that breathless, despite having to cart about well over 200kg (once you’ve dialled in the fuel load). Only the Ducati 1000SS’ snatchy injection spoils things in town.

Definitely the Ducati 1000SS’s strongest suit – it genuinely feels as though it handle at least another 20bhp with ease. The Showa suspension complements the trellis frame perfectly. There are some vibes through the Ducati 1000SS’ frame and bars, but nothing too intrusive.

Ducati motorcycles have come a very long way from the electrical and mechanical horror stories of yore. However, regular servicing is crucial with a Ducati 1000SS, especially the pricey (£750-£800), but essential, cam belt replacements every two years or 12,000 miles. Avoid any Ducati 1000SS without a full dealer service history.

The Ducati 1000SS represents poor value for money if your only interest is getting from A to B quickly. Secondhand values aren’t particularly strong either for this motorcycle, so in pure monetary terms it’s a tough motorcycle to recommend. However – the Ducati 1000SS’ handling, charm and sheer difference are qualities hard to ignore.

The Ducati 1000SS has an ignition-based immobiliser, an Ohlins shock that lets you adjust the motorcycle’s seat height independently of the preload and fully-adjustable forks.

Early 2003 and 2004 versions of the basic Ducati 749 lack power – it’s nowhere near, say a Suzuki GSX-R600, on a long open circuit. The Ducati 749S had the 116bhp Testastretta motor from 2005, but you’re still gonna get your butt kicked by a Suzuki GSX-R750. For all its exotic chassis detailing, the Ducati 749R still lacks some serious high rpm punch when matched against sporty 600cc motorcycles with four cylinders, or even beautifully grunty Triumph Daytona 675 triple.

Early Ducati 749s are not quite as reliable as later motorcycles. Like all Ducatis it needs quality, regular servicing (although most have). 2004 onwards saw a new electrical system plus a new management chip which eliminated the tickover stalling problem this motorcycle suffered with.

In a nutshell, if you can afford the deeply wonderful Ducati 749R version, get one. It handles with an arrow-like precision, and a decently quick rider can feel like Troy Bayliss. With adjustable steering angle, a WSS designed swingarm, Ohlins suspension and 4 pot radial calipers, the Ducati 749R feels like a totally different animal from the entry level motorcycle, although many a used Ducati 749 Dark may well have some chassis tweaks on it to improve the overall handling and ride quality.

A new Ducati 749 is a one way ticket to depreciation Hell. Prices for the Ducati 749 Dark model are soft, as some were brought in as parallel import motor cycles at a discounted brand new price. As a used motorcycle buy, the 2004 onwards Ducati 749S model, with its beefier motor, improved aerodynamics and electrical system is the best buy of the range.

£14K Ducati 749R apart, the Ducati 749 range is somewhat basic. The Ducati 749 range comes with an immobilser as standard, plus the usual oil/temp warning lights and that’s about it. Of course, there is a vast array of factory Ducati extras available for this motorcycle.

For a 750cc sports motorcycle from Ducati, it’s not that fast. Around 90 genuine bhp at the rear wheel is less than the budget Kawasaki Z750. The Ducati 748 does deliver it in a satisfying, torquey manner which makes the most of the motorcycle’s available grip. Vibration’s present but never intrusive. The Ducati 748 has a dry clutch, which sounds rattly.

The Ducati 748′s stability mid corner on the race track is phenomenal. It’s a motorcycle that makes fast cornering seem slower like the CGI scenes in The Matrix – that’s the magic of a great chassis. On a bumpy road or commuting through town, you’ll curse the tall first gear, stiff suspension and crippling wrist heavy riding position the Ducati 748 offers.

Bought new and maintained by experts with a money-no-object approach problems would still arise with the Ducati 748. Get an abused motorcycle or skimp on maintenance and four figure bills will haunt your dreams and could become reality with this motorcycle. Check cam belt changes have been done and be aware rocker arms can fail.

Yes, you can get a faster motorcycle for less money. You can get a more reliable motorcycle for less money. You can get a more practical motorcycle for less money. But you’d be hard pushed to find anything with the charisma, cachet and feel good factor as an early Ducati 748. Cherished Ducati 748s may even appreciate.

The Ducati 748 scores a fat zero for luxury – but this is a race motorcycle on the road. Mirrors are terrible, comfort’s poor for most sizes of bikers – at least the instruments are clear and the fast idle beautifully crafted. Termignoni silencers (with the matching EPROM chip) are the top choice for the Ducati 748 and worth paying more for. Ducati paddock stands and dust covers add to the special feeling when you see this motorcycle in your garage.

The Ducati Monster 695 has bigger bores but shorter strokes than the Ducati M620 Monster combine to deliver 10bhp more than the old 620 and the highest output per cc of any Ducati air-cooled V-twin ever.  But the Ducati Monster 695 is no breathless, rev-happy psycho. It’s meaty yet free revving and flexible with glitch-free throttle response.

Around town the Ducati Monster 695 is light, lithe and easy, and all the better now for the improved responsiveness and smooth flexibility of the bigger engines. While out on the open road, although the suspension is a tad soft, corners could still be tackled briskly and confidently on the Ducati Monster 695.

Ducati’s standards have notably improved of late, and the Ducati Monster 695 is the latest example of this. Paint is mouthwateringly deep and glossy for example. It’s not perfect, of course. Some areas around the engine still look a little unfinished with too much exposed wiring and the like, but the Ducati Monster 695 is better than older Ducatis.

At £4995 when launched the Ducati Monster 695 succeeds in being both novice-friendly and genuinely versatile and practical, in having both style and respectable, usable performance but, most of all, in being something of a bargain that no longer either looks, or performs like, the poor relation of the Monster motorcycle range.

The Ducati Monster 695 is not the budget motorcycle the smallest Monsters once were. Although suspension is fairly basic the Ducati Monster 695 has ‘proper’ twin front discs, the same dual dial instrument pod of its bigger brothers and plenty of decent detailing. On the black version, for example, there are black bar clamps, mirrors, levers and even footrest hangers.