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So, I'm kinda sorta kicking around the idea of possibly getting a new Monster 800. Maybe. (As you can see, I suffer from an overabundance of decisiveness.) I've had my GS a year, and I've learned a lot on it and could probably still learn from it, but I'm tired of spending 2 hours working on it for every hour I ride it. I don't trust it much farther than I can push it, and constantly wondering if it'll make it back home under its own power is a real kill joy.
I like the sport-standard thing, and the practical side of me says go for an SV650 or FZ6. But then, I'm not in this for practicality. I think the Monster 800 is dead sexy, and I'm not immune to the Ducati cachet.
But, being a conservative fellow, I have a few questions that hopefully you nice folks can answer (FINALLY I get to the point)
I see Ducati is proudly annoucing all '07 models require less maintenance. They then fail to give specifics, except one lame example comparing the (discontinued) 620 to the new 695. Kind of a useless comparison, IMO, and it sorta smells like marketing hype to me. Can anyone be a little more specific about the major service intervals (specifically, for the 800 I'm considering)? Did they improve the bikes or fudge the interval numbers?
Also, there's just one Ducati dealer in St. Louis. The idea of having just one source for parts/service seems less than ideal. How important is it that I have a good dealer after the sale? I'm not afraid to spin a wrench, so I think I can handle routine maintenance, but are there some jobs best left to a pro? Are parts and stuff readily available online?
Anything else I should consider?
Thanks in advance
__________________ Tony
Tomorrow turned into yesterday, and I see the fault in the chance that was never taken.
I think (and others can confirm) that all Ducati did was loosen up the clearance tolerances on the valve shims. Thus, it can go longer before you need to check it or re-shim it (theoretically). This is largely moot as experience has shown that valve shim clearances hit a stable plateau soon after 12k miles.
If you aren't afraid to spin a wrench, I wouldn't worry about your dealer. The Desmo engine, while a little intimidating at first, is rather easy to work on. Get the books, search the web, etc., and you will find more information than you could ever hope for to repair your bike. There are great on-line parts sources, as well (California Cycleworks is one). Hell, motogpfan will sell you motor oil.
Good luck. Buy the 800. Hope this helped.
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"May you own a hotel, and be caught dead in every room." -Yiddish curse
They are fundamentally sound and reliable machines, and will do you well as long as they are maintained properly and ridden frequently.
Most of what needs to be done is pretty straightforward, and the Monster is not hard to work on. Service intervals have lengthened several times, mainly because they were initially set much too conservatively; they have never needed to be checked as often as they once said. And as the fellow above noted, they settle in after a bit. I check the valve clearances on mine about every 8,000 miles, on the average, and they might need adjusting every other check; and mine is the older model with the tighter tolerances.
The only caution I'd give is that some of the newer models have had a few electronic glitches, and for those you do need the dealer to be responsive and responsible. So it might behoove you to ask around a bit and make sure your one local dealer does respond properly if/when needed.
PhilB
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'93 Ducati Monster 900
157,000 miles (so far)
it's a fine bike for a commuter.... but if you are a twisty smoker,
you prolly won't like it.
It's probably a very good next step from a GS500E, and a good introduction to Ducati ownership. You don't necessarily want to jump from your first bike to an expert level rocket. You might outgrow the 800 eventually, or you might not. Either way is OK.
I went from a 1971 Honda CL350 to my 900 Monster. Almost the first thing I did was highside it, because in an emergency I failed to adjust well enough to the triple disc setup, and grabbed it like the 2 cable-operated drums I was used to. 13 years later, I still have that dent in my tank as a reminder.
PhilB
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'93 Ducati Monster 900
157,000 miles (so far)
It is so cool to pull up to a stoplight while riding on the front tire
Yeah, that is cool. I like to kick out my feet to add a little "spread eagle" action to the move. It shows the ladies that I'm both flexible, and a little wacky.
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"May you own a hotel, and be caught dead in every room." -Yiddish curse
Yeah, that is cool. I like to kick out my feet to add a little "spread eagle" action to the move. It shows the ladies that I'm both flexible, and a little wacky.
Good call on that move, I have been known to do that as well.
I really like to pick my feet up off the pegs and lay on the bike, with my feet hanging off the back.
Try riding a stoppie that way........everyone applauds and thinks you are the shit
It is so cool to pull up to a stoplight while riding on the front tire
You and gregor crack me up.
The stock brakes on the S2R 800 are adequate... And a Brembo gold line 4 piston 320 mm rotors upgrade is only $500. The most best single mod I had on my previous bike.
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Hoosier Hooligans Club President.
twomotherfuckingfingers
Can I post here? (Monster related)
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