The 696 in my opinion is very tame in comparison to the litre versions of the Ducati bikes. The other nice thing is that the 696 is a desmodue, meaning it is not a superbike engine but a 2 valve per cyl engine. This means it is NOT as peaky as the superbikes and is more of a torque make than a high end power maker.
The other nice thing about the Ducati Monster bikes is that the gearing is a bit shorter. I really enjoyed the hell out of the monster I rode. The powerband was usable, the bike felt very tame in comparison to others I have ridden. So the acceleration was well matched to the power of the bike. They'll still go plenty fast, not that you need to, but they've still got a respectable amount of power.
The suspension was a hair mushy, the brake felt a hair mushy in comparison to the superbikes, and those bars... they're so far out there. It was a very different feeling to ride one. But I spent several days riding one and it was very enjoyable.
I have a 99' Ducati 900SS (which is ALSO a desmodue!), which is much stiffer feeling, the bars are a different setup and I cannot imagine having started out on something like the 900SS. I am glad I started on a 250 Ninja.
That said... the 696 felt VERY tame in comparison. I think it's simply the way it was laid out, the riding position and how well the bike sits and rides that really made it comfortable and "tame" feeling. If you have a good handle of throttle control and understanding of your bike then it's very possible to step up to it. It really came alive on a nice twisty mountain road, what a blast to ride!
A few things to remember! Ducati motorcycles need frequent valve adjustments (every 6k miles) and belts (every 2 years) and you HAVE to keep up on maintenance. You'll be deeply sorry if you don't. So keep in mind with the Ducati comes the maintenance to boot. Aside from that they are a fantastic motorcycle, a blast in the twisties, fun in acceleration but not crazy quick and will still make it hard to wipe the smirk off your face when you hop on it.
If you can find one used at a dealer see if they have a demo they'll let you ride, or maybe test ride it and see if you like it. I definitely do not buy a bike UNTIL I have ridden it.
