First bike?

Hi everyone
So I'm having an early mid life crisis and have decided to take my bike license. The question is which bike do I get?
I'm 29 fast approaching 30 6ft tall and weigh around 16stone. I plan on taking my direct access course in August and not sure what to get for my first bike?
I've made a bit of a short list and have whittled it down to the monster and the er6n but would appreciate the opinions of some ducati owners. My list currently consists of;
ducati monster 600, 620, 695, 696
Yamaha er6n

My heart is telling me go for the monster but pretty much everyone I speak to is warning me about the running costs and reliability issues? I do also like the er6n as it's a good sensible choice, looks good and everyone recommends it, but can't help going back to the monster.

Just wondering what your thoughts are in terms of reliability and real world costs of owning a monster? Also I've never rode a motorbike before and was worried a monster may be too much for me as a novice? I do drive and have driven a lot of fast cars but imagine a bike is a completely different experience.

Any suggestions and thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers

[Jez900ie]

I would do the course and think about what to buy once you have spent more time riding. A direct access course will give you a fair few hours of riding and you will quickly find things you like and don't like!

Also the use of your bike is relevant. If you are planning to commute long distances comfort is a big issue compared to a weekend summer plaything. If your mileage is high, you are frequently needing servicing, but if you ride occasionally for fun, the real running costs of your bike will probably be purchasing carbon fibre bling bits!

A quick tip on the test: I just took mine a month or so back. My score on the hazard perception vids was poor prior to the test because I saw the hazards too early (go figure) due to being an experienced driver / rider. I would definitely recommend practising this with the DVDs from Halfrauds. They are a tenner, and will get your click/timing appropriate for passing the exam.

[smiffyraf1]

i personally think the service/part cost thing is absolute b*ll*cks. servicing a 2V ducati is not difficult even for someone with no previous mechanical knowledge. id go as far to say is easier than a lot of bikes due to the ease of accessibility of the belts and clutch etc.
i say go for what you want straight away and as big as you want. otherwise you will be disappointed.
my first bike was a 900ss but dont forget CC means nothing as a modern 4cyl 600 will outperform most ducati 2v twins in everything but style and soul.

[Mr Gazza]

Hello and welcome.

Follow your heart and get a Monster. They are comfortable and easy to ride. I covered 620 miles on mine last weekend.

As Smiffy said, the high service costs are a myth. An awful lot of stuff can be done at home by an average owner. The 2 valve models are really easy, but the 4 valve models are a little more complex.

Personally I would avoid a 600. The fuel system can be fickle sometimes and it will be the least powerful of any Monster.
A 620 would be a good starting point, having fuel injection and being a little more modern.
If you can get something with a metal tank, rather than plastic you are also ahead of the game.

One of the weakest points of ANY motorcycle is the charging system. No less so on a Monster... Get one and we'll show you how to make that aspect reliable..

[Nickj]

Reliability hmmm I guess I've run about 100K in the past 10 years without any huge problems and tS.
The Yam 600 I had was a total pain, carbs always dropping out of sync, plagued with electrical issues... which is what people say about Ducati's

They're as reliable as you'll need, a newer injected model would be what you want. 620 or 750 for the old classic frame. Or just newer where there are lots of models to choose from.

More is getting used to the style of riding which isn't about massive revs. Most of the monsters handle really well, you can do lots of tweaks to get the set up you want and like.

Try one you might get on well with them, watch out though they can be addictive,

[Dirty]

Nothing wrong with the fuel system on the 600. Carbs rock, they give the bike a mechanical heart as opposed to the soulless efficiency of an injection system

Thanks for the advice but have a few more questions,

Once I've done my test I will probably understand more about what I want from a bike but at the minute I like the idea of being able to take it easy build my experience but have a bike that I can grow into and not get bored of. It will be used as an occasional commuter (130 mile round trip mainly motorway/dual carriageway) and a weekend toy.

Of the monster models I'm looking at, I like the 696 the best (based purely on looks) followed by the 695. Any info on what they are like to ride ie power delivery and handling and the differences between the two would be great? I was wondering what they are like work on as they are slightly more modern? Are they the more complicated 4v engine? Also if i decided I didn't want to do the maintenance on it myself are they expensive to have done at the dealer?
When looking for one are there anythings in particular I should be looking out for or things that commonly go wrong?

Also smiffy you said about not worrying about cc's what are your thoughts on a 796 or an 803 as a first bike? I assume a 1078 or 1200 would be way too powerful? Ideally I want a bike that I won't outgrow quickly, but at the same time have never ridden before and don't want to be in a position where I'm nervous about opening it up and braking etc

[Zimbo]

Monsters are better built and will last longer than the ER6, dealers will charge to maintain the bike but as has been said above, the 2 valve monsters are easy to maintain at home at very little cost and there are plenty of good independent shops that will do it for you if you would rather.
As you want to commute occasionally a fly screen would be beneficial.
620 is fine as a first bike but you will probably want more power at some stage. 696 is a good bike, the 800 is also suitable and has plenty of go. Anything bigger is probably too much for a first bike, insurance would be difficult / expensive and the available power can get you into trouble very quickly.
A slightly older monster has the benefit of not depreciating as well :-)

[slob]

Service history.
I'd rather have a bike with higher mileage that's been ridden and maintained regularly than an a totally mint bike that's been garaged for long periods and may have problems that haven't surfaced and been fixed.

A bike is only as fast as you open the throttle, you don't have to jam it all the way open everywhere (...do you?)
If your budget will stretch to a 796, it may save you selling a 696 next year if you decide you want a bit more go.

[smiffyraf1]

i personally believe 796 or 803 would be fine. look at the power of them around 87 hp compared to 71hp of the er6 so not a lot in it really. having said that a 1200 is a different beast altogether. not saying its a no go as like slob said they only go as quick as you twist the throttle but you could definitely get yourself in trouble a lot quicker on one. youll find the power in the ducati v-twins a lot lower down and wont have to rev it like a 4cyl. this along with the engine braking pays to be a lot smoother which really is a good practice to get into anyway. Id agree that something ludicrous straight away will be crippling with insurance but if you look at the older stuff an early 750 would give you enough power to not get bored, still be easy to work on and some places will do it on classic cover. i had my 900ss and my monster 750 on a joint policy for £110 a year.
do your test, have a look round see what takes your fancy then come back and ask for opinions. even if its not a monster i think people will give you some fair pointers on here.

[Darren69]

I was going to suggest the 696/796 or 750ie/800ie or even S2R800 would be a great first bike and first Ducati, they're all about roughly the same power wise so it depends on budget and which style you prefer.

I test rode a 600SS when they first came out, same engine as the M600, my first ride on a Ducati and I ended up buying a 750ss, so although I liked the 600 the 750 was just so much better, it was a big difference and the 750 felt way more powerful and loads of torque.

[Maggsy]

It depends how much you want to spend.
I love my 696, it always starts first press of the button (even after being left for 2 months over Winter). Before that I had an SV650 which was horribly unreliable.
You will probably do your training on something like the er6n so you may wish to move on to something more interesting once you've qualified.
Check the mileage and service history of the bike your intending to buy. On a 696, the belts need changing every 2 years (some owners stretch this to 3 if they don't do many miles) and every 7500 miles brings a more expensive service.
Check with your local Ducati dealer and also independent specialists what they recommend and charge. Many will tailor the servicing to suit your mileage and what you do yourself, eg plugs, oil, brake fluid etc.
If you are new to biking and don't have much mechanical knowledge I would definitely steer clear of older bikes of any make or model.
If you do go for a Ducati (you know you want to!) you will find many enthusiasts on here willing to share their information and experiences, not sure if the er6n inspires the same level of passion!

[Uncle Bob]

Pass your test then test ride a few different bikes to see what you like. You will find that a modern Japanese 4 pot is a lot smoother than a twin and you may find that you prefer something like that. I can't imagine the Monster is that bad as a first bike, but it's definitely not as easy to ride as a 4 pot, especially the low speed stuff.

Other things to consider might be secure parking at home or at work, access to a power supply for trickle charging, the cost of insurance etc.

[MrsC_772]

I have a 696 and my husband used to have a 695.

The riding position on the 695 is a little sportier - you lean forward, more weight on the wrists - compared with the 696, and I found I slid back on the seat of the 695. Both have low seats but the 695 seat is a little wider at the front than the 696.

Both handle well - one of the things that struck me when I first test rode a 696 was the way the bike seemed to respond almost telepathically to my desire to go round a bend, certainly compared with the 400cc Suzuki Bandit which was my previous bike - but I seem to recall the handling on the 695 was even sweeter than the 696.

While the 696 has plenty of power for me, I'm 5'2 1/2 and 8-ish stone so you might find you want a bit more grunt than a 696 has to offer.

BigOz has made quite a few major suspension modifications to his 696 to suit his height and weight which are nearer yours than mine.

The 796 seat height is a little taller, which if you're 6' may be more comfortable, as well as having a bit more power.

[Flip]

A lot of good advice already and a lot comes down to budget for both the bike and insurance as a new rider along with the cost of some decent kit to wear while riding I guess but here goes my thoughts.

Personally, unless you want to tinker I would go for an injected bike- as Dirty says there is certainly nothing wrong with carbs (I have run a 1997 900 for what will be a very happy seventeen years at the end of this one) but you can't escape the fact that the carb'd models (along with the early injection bikes) are getting on a bit in years and as such many items like fuel lines and vacuum pumps etc. will either need or soon need replacing.

Also if you have to put the older bikes into a shop (either main dealer or specialist Ducati) the service/work costs to bike value ratio can be very steep.

But on the flip side if you are confident and like playing with spanners the bikes are cheapish (depending upon model) and it is a great way of 'bonding' and getting to know your bike....gotta love 'date night' in the garage

So if I were in the market for a new bike (which I kind of am actually, to go along side my '97 Monster) and wanted a Monster (which I kind of do too) I would (am) be looking at a 696 as a jump on and go anywhere bike- if you prefer the look of a single sided swing arm then there is it's big brother 796 instead.

Servicing is on the cheap side of Ducati ownership as are insurance costs due to them not being the scumbags choice for an angle grinder attack!

As already said, if looked after they start on the button, are fun to ride and quick enough on real life roads and ooze Ducati style and coolness.

In addition, should you decide it's not for you or you want a few more cc's, as with most Ducatis once values plateau you won't lose too much (if any) if cared for.

Look at condition and history rather than mileage (Ducati's like to be used) and don't be put off by the colour as the body work is designed to be easily changed.