Hi from the Peaks and looking to buy my first Monster! Advice please! - Page 2

utopia · 27-07-2012, 12:35 AM

Well, now that you've hinted that the new monsters are perhaps not your cup of tea (cos they do have undoubted plus points too), its worth saying that.......
The 750's are quite nice, and you should easily pick one up for under £2k, if you can find one.
I've had mine for about 6yrs now. I'm still besotted, and I still don't crave the extra power of the bigger motors.
They're quite cheap to run too, as they're in the same insurance group as the 600, and I get at least 50mpg whether I stroke it or thrash it.

Carbs or injection might be a consideration. I like the simplicity of my carbs, though they freeze up in winter if you don't dose the fuel with pro.fst, whereas the injection models don't have that problem, but might hold potential complicated and expensive electronics malfunction issues.
Some say the clutches are heavy on some models (though my wet-clutched 750 isn't)....its a point to consider though.

If you haven't ridden a monster before, you'll probably find that first gear is quite high and lasts longer than you might expect. Also that the steering lock (ie amount) is quite small, making feet-up turns in the road a little more tricky, so don't be afraid to paddle. Both seem to be common to all models, as far as I'm aware, but you soon get used to it.

04-08-2012, 07:28 PM

Thanks for all of the advice everyone - I bought Wildman's m695 this weekend and have loved the first 100 miles I've done on it (driving through the spectacular scenary of Yorkshire and the Peak District helped of course!).

It's powerful enough (glad I didn't go for anything heavier to manouver as that will take some getting used to when trying to back it up, get it into the garage etc...) and now that I'm used to the biting point and position of everything, riding like a dream!

If anyone has any tips on what I need to do/look out for regularly and annually that would be really useful. I'll read up on the web and I'm sure I'll find out as I go along but I'm guessing there's some Ducati owner quirks, especially in winter.

I think I'll get some decent crash bungs fitted as my biggest worry is becoming unbalanced by the weight when walking/reversing it - my lockup has some very uneven ground outside it - its a hill front to back and also slopes left to right so difficult...so any recommendations would be useful. Then the biggest question will be to Termie or not to Termie....hehehe.

Managed to buy a great new helmet as well - carbon (prety much the same as the monster carbon) with red highlights on the liner...you can't quite see it on the picture but it matches perfectly)

http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/shop/...et-carbon.html

04-08-2012, 07:46 PM

Looks like u bought a stunning bike, as long as u service it yearly i wouldn't look too much into what may or may not go wrong. You'll end up paranoid! Just get on and ride it, lots!
Me personally i think Monsters look beautiful in standard trim, with standard exhausts etc. But then i guess i'm getting old

Just give the chain a lube every few hundred miles, check to see if the low fuel light comes on(not many seem to work!), if not, fill up every 100-ish miles.

04-08-2012, 09:42 PM

Thanks
I was thinking more like...ACF-50 to stop rust in winter, whether I'd need to have the battery on charge if not using it much in winter months, that sort of "normal owner" stuff? Its been a long time since I've had a bike and my first Ducati...

MrsC_772 · 04-08-2012, 10:20 PM

Not sure if the battery on the 695 is as much of a pain in the backside to get to as the battery on the 696 (where access involves removing at least a dozen allen bolts and the fuel tank), but I'd recommend plugging the bike into an Optimate or other smart charger if it's not going to be ridden for a few weeks/months over winter.

I had every R&G bung I could find fitted to my bike before I rode it away from the dealer, and have been very glad of them. Other people on the forum have had other brands of crash protector fitted (Rizoma?)

There are a few of us on the forum who have had our bikes ACF50'd for winter. First time round I hosed the bike off after every ride, and it looked remarkably good when cleaned up fully in the spring. 2nd winter, I was commuting every day on it, so it didn't get rinsed after every ride. It no longer looks like a new shiny bike - the rear shock in particular has suffered, and there are a few furry fasteners - but I suspect it would be even worse if I hadn't had it ACF50d.

You will also find among Ducati owners quite a few sunny-days-only riders and obsessive polishers - viz Kato's "it got rained on for the first time ever" (in was it 7 years?) thread.

singletrack · 05-08-2012, 07:15 AM

Congratulations.
I does look like a lovely bike., and that helmet is gorgeous.
Let me know when you handy a ride over this way and we can possibly meet up.
A x

04-08-2012, 07:28 PM	#17
bluep Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks for all of the advice everyone - I bought Wildman's m695 this weekend and have loved the first 100 miles I've done on it (driving through the spectacular scenary of Yorkshire and the Peak District helped of course!). It's powerful enough (glad I didn't go for anything heavier to manouver as that will take some getting used to when trying to back it up, get it into the garage etc...) and now that I'm used to the biting point and position of everything, riding like a dream! If anyone has any tips on what I need to do/look out for regularly and annually that would be really useful. I'll read up on the web and I'm sure I'll find out as I go along but I'm guessing there's some Ducati owner quirks, especially in winter. I think I'll get some decent crash bungs fitted as my biggest worry is becoming unbalanced by the weight when walking/reversing it - my lockup has some very uneven ground outside it - its a hill front to back and also slopes left to right so difficult...so any recommendations would be useful. Then the biggest question will be to Termie or not to Termie....hehehe. Managed to buy a great new helmet as well - carbon (prety much the same as the monster carbon) with red highlights on the liner...you can't quite see it on the picture but it matches perfectly) http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/shop/...et-carbon.html Last edited by bluep; 04-08-2012 at 07:33 PM..

05-08-2012, 07:15 AM	#21
singletrack Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Glossop Bike: Other Not a Ducati Posts: 1,513	Congratulations. I does look like a lovely bike., and that helmet is gorgeous. Let me know when you handy a ride over this way and we can possibly meet up. A x __________________ A woman can never have too many bikes!

27-07-2012, 12:35 AM	#16
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,561	Well, now that you've hinted that the new monsters are perhaps not your cup of tea (cos they do have undoubted plus points too), its worth saying that....... The 750's are quite nice, and you should easily pick one up for under £2k, if you can find one. I've had mine for about 6yrs now. I'm still besotted, and I still don't crave the extra power of the bigger motors. They're quite cheap to run too, as they're in the same insurance group as the 600, and I get at least 50mpg whether I stroke it or thrash it. Carbs or injection might be a consideration. I like the simplicity of my carbs, though they freeze up in winter if you don't dose the fuel with pro.fst, whereas the injection models don't have that problem, but might hold potential complicated and expensive electronics malfunction issues. Some say the clutches are heavy on some models (though my wet-clutched 750 isn't)....its a point to consider though. If you haven't ridden a monster before, you'll probably find that first gear is quite high and lasts longer than you might expect. Also that the steering lock (ie amount) is quite small, making feet-up turns in the road a little more tricky, so don't be afraid to paddle. Both seem to be common to all models, as far as I'm aware, but you soon get used to it.

04-08-2012, 07:46 PM	#18
urbanfireblade Guest Posts: n/a	Looks like u bought a stunning bike, as long as u service it yearly i wouldn't look too much into what may or may not go wrong. You'll end up paranoid! Just get on and ride it, lots! Me personally i think Monsters look beautiful in standard trim, with standard exhausts etc. But then i guess i'm getting old Just give the chain a lube every few hundred miles, check to see if the low fuel light comes on(not many seem to work!), if not, fill up every 100-ish miles.

04-08-2012, 09:42 PM	#19
bluep Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks I was thinking more like...ACF-50 to stop rust in winter, whether I'd need to have the battery on charge if not using it much in winter months, that sort of "normal owner" stuff? Its been a long time since I've had a bike and my first Ducati...

04-08-2012, 10:20 PM	#20
MrsC_772 Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Farnborough Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 713	Not sure if the battery on the 695 is as much of a pain in the backside to get to as the battery on the 696 (where access involves removing at least a dozen allen bolts and the fuel tank), but I'd recommend plugging the bike into an Optimate or other smart charger if it's not going to be ridden for a few weeks/months over winter. I had every R&G bung I could find fitted to my bike before I rode it away from the dealer, and have been very glad of them. Other people on the forum have had other brands of crash protector fitted (Rizoma?) There are a few of us on the forum who have had our bikes ACF50'd for winter. First time round I hosed the bike off after every ride, and it looked remarkably good when cleaned up fully in the spring. 2nd winter, I was commuting every day on it, so it didn't get rinsed after every ride. It no longer looks like a new shiny bike - the rear shock in particular has suffered, and there are a few furry fasteners - but I suspect it would be even worse if I hadn't had it ACF50d. You will also find among Ducati owners quite a few sunny-days-only riders and obsessive polishers - viz Kato's "it got rained on for the first time ever" (in was it 7 years?) thread.