frustrated wannabe ducati monster owner!

Can anyone please explain how the monster 696 order process work?

I have been reading the posts here for a couple of weeks now and decided its time to join in, and get some good opinions and views from passionate ducati owners ...

For the last 2 and half years I have been commuting to work on a scooter (vespa px) and at the end of May I finally decided I had had enough.
The beginning of June I booked up a weekend das course getting a test date for the 23rd June. So I arranged for my scooter to be auctioned on ebay ending on the 22nd June.
Next step was to decide what bike to buy. After hours of researching my focus always came back to Monster 696.
The next hurdle was lead times for delivery, all dealers within a 50 mile radius of London were stating Aug/Sept earliest.
Going further a field I got a delivery time of end of June, although I was sceptical I decided to take a chance as I was desperate for it to all work out and come together at the same time.
Needless to say I passed my test, sold my scooter, but have not took receipt of a 696+!
Now the dealer is saying it was always end of June/July, that I am second in the list for the bike and they will contact me as soon as they get the bike details from the factory at which point there should be a 7 day lead time.
Having been commuting on the trains since the 16th of June I am tearing my hair out and becoming obsessed with a plan B!
Can anyone give me their insight/opinion into whether there is any likelyhood of this bike coming soon or whether the dealer has just hooked me in.
I have given myself a dealine of the 14 July at which point I will look for a 695 but I am still unsure whether this is a good idea as I dont know whether there could be a chance it would arrive a couple of days after I pull out?
If it doesn't get here in July, being made in Italy it won't be coming in August...
Would a 695 be a good alternative?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

I dont think the factory gives the dealers much idea of whats going on,i was ready to cancel mine as got so fed up waiting,then its turns up out of the blue,worth having a phone around as the odd stock bike has turned out at a few dealers.Dont give up,696 is awesome.

Thanks for the reply walpole68, I have previously read your posting and have admired your bike. That's what make its so frustrating (coupled with my general impatience)

Try riders in Bristol,they rang me a couple of days ago to say they had a bike in stock.

Thanks again for the reply walpole68.

I phoned Riders Bristol this morning and they told me they have a white one in stock which I held. I tried to get my money back from the other dealer and luckily enough they didn't give me the deposit back. I phoned Riders back to ask them to hold on for another hour while I sort out my deposit to which the salesman told me he had made a mistake and that it was already sold... Close one!

695 is a fabulous bike, so I shouldn't worry too much if you can't get your hands on the 696. You could get a second hand 695 for half of what the brand new 696 goes for, and you could probably get one this weekend.

I think you are mental buying a brand new ducati as your first bike.
Especially a brand new model that wont have the parts backup in place yet.
If you drop youre shney new 696 and break something off of it chances are youll have to wait weeks for new parts because priority will be given to building bikes to fill orders.
Paivi is right.
dunno what price you got the 696 for £5750 ish?
You could get a 55 2006 plate 695 for £3200
£2550 quid is alot of money.
Thats hi level cans Braking wheels and radial master cylinders.

My first bike was a brand new 695 and I did'nt drop it yet! (14 months & 4500 miles on!) It has lost loads in depeciation though.

Thanks for all your posts.

My bike is in the dealers, will be getting it on Saturdaaaay!

Hey,

What dealer did you end up getting it from? Metropolis by any chance?

[J.P]

See, its all come together for you. I think the dealers do it on purpose to make you gigglingly excited when they call you to say its ready !
The improvements in the 696 over the 695 will be worth it I'm sure, though its cost you that much more. I loved my 695 as my first bike but it only lasted 9 months before I upgraded.

Two facts
1) Buying a motor vehicle is a quick way of throwing money away no way round it.
2) Don't think it'll be the only bike you ever own.

Just think, in about 3 years time the entry level Ducati will have a version of the traction control system found on the 1098R and full ABS probably. Times they are a changing.

Wolverhampton

I have never had a car long enough for an mot, so Im not kidding myself... The price has been justified by putting it through my company which makes it more cost effective than a second hand 695...

[J.P]

Oooo, nice. Well let us know how you get on and if you've got any questions just ask away. You may have already seen there are various oportunities to catch up with other owners from time to time depending on where you are in London and we're not weird either.

[Nonnie]

Originally Posted by J.P

various oportunities to catch up with other owners from time to time depending on where you are in London and we're not weird either.

Oh ha ha ha ha priceless!