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browndog

browndog

Are you bulletproof boy?
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Hey Brewers,

I've got a bout 6K to spend and am tossing up between a Ducati Monster 750+ or a Honda VTR1000. For 6K I can get a 98-02 Monster with around 40-50K on the clock or up to 06 VTR with similar milage. Anyone have firsthand experience with any of these bikes?

cheers

Browndog
 
Both very different bikes.
I thought about buying a Monster a couple of years ago but I have never owned one.

I had a firestorm for a couple of years and loved it. Carbon pipes made it sound like thunder and I used to set car alarms off in car parks.
I suppose the type of riding you are planning will determine which is best for you. The Firestorm was torquey as hell and fast. Very fast.

The drop bar sports position would put me off these days.

eta. The guy who bought it off me was too inexperienced to handle it. He destroyed both himself and the bike by driving too fast for the roads and his brain.
 
The VTR 1000 is a pocket rocket with joy, if I remember correctly, I took off from a standing start turning onto a freeway on ramp, careful on the take off so as not to put the nose in the air, by the time I'd got to 3rd the g' force was inhibiting my reach for the clutch, so I took a quick glance down at the speedo 180 and I was'nt at red line.
The only duke I've owned was a 600sl Pantah, would love one of the Monsters, but it's a little limiting at this time of life. (nowhere for the 5 kids)


MB
 
if a v-twin is what you want are you stuck on those two? The Suzuki SV1000 is a descendant of the hospitalising TL1000 and is a great unit. Got mine for less than $4500 with Yoshi's already installed and six months rego!
 
Thanks for the replies Brewers, as you guessed I'm looking for a V twin and back in days of yore, used to punt around on a Ducati 900 which I loved to ride. Not being a spring chicken anymore, I'm not too keen to have too much weight on the wrists. The Monster does not appear to have the bars set too low (the one I am looking at anyhow) and I have no idea of the riding stance for the VTR. I'll give the SV a look Fraser, thanks.

cheers

Browndog
 
I own the same model Monster you are looking at buying.

The Duke is fantastic in that it is quick and light and you sit upright rather than crouched over like a sports bike. ( feels more like a trail bike than a road bike ) Dont let the fact that it is only 750cc put you off, they have heaps of torque. They are also very reliable with cheap spare parts. They use standard bearing you can buy from any bearing shop. Timing belts need doing every 40k, but are cheap and easy to put in yourself. Valves need to be checked at 10k and adjusted every 20k. If your good with feeler gauges and have a box full of shims they can be done at home.

You can pull the last baffle section out of the standard pipes and they sound ******* AWSOME....)gives you that real deep Ducati V-Twin sound when you get on the power, and the same when you back off)...and it still looks standard so less grief from Newmans finest..

As you have already owned a 900...there is no turning back..
 
I've owned four Ducatis and zero Honda road bikes. I had the SR4s monster. I'd admit I'd be more inclined to go for jap stuff unless you had a pretty thorough service history for the Duc. Not that they're unreliable, far from it, just that jap stuff is a little more tolerant to indifferent maintenance. Belt driven desmo valve trains and dry clutches you know. The motors themselves are lowly stressed and last forever. Almost.
I'd also be inclined to stretch to the FI 900 if possible. Set and forget.

Ducatis also have the street cred vital to the middle aged motorcyclist.
 
Monsters are also easy to customise...

hazan_motorworks_ducati_monster_4.jpg
 
I went from a bevel drive 900SS to a 750 Monster. I wasn't all that excited with the Monster after the bevel and I soon sold it. Make sure you get a good ride on one to ensure it is what you want.

I worked as a mechanic in a Ducati shop for a while and really liked the carb 900 bikes but they are perhaps getting a bit old now.

I have had a Moto Guzzi Le Mans 3 for the past 15 years that I have modified with normal handlebars and no fairing among other things. I couldn't go back to a bike with clip ons.
 
I personally know 2 others with Le Mans.....nice bike...and go....
 
You can get one of these 955 i's for around the same money now also. Was about the most upright - ish street bike I ever owned. And windy.
Had one of the best exhaust notes next to a V twin with that shorty can to. ..burble-burble-burble-rorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt- POP!-POP!..

DSC02361.jpg
 
Dammag, I'm after a bike that you can go on a day ride and stay comfortable and also be able to punt around the bends now and then. Never was really into keeping the needle on the redline type riding. I'm with you Stu, once a Ducati rider, hard to get out of your blood. I've found a 2004 1000 that is priced right and has had a bit of custom work done to it that I am pretty keen on. That I love the Guzzis too and initially went searching for one, but they are out of my price range unfortunately. Dave, I think I have made my mind up a Monster it is.
 
Dave70 said:
You can get one of these 955 i's for around the same money now also. Was about the most upright - ish street bike I ever owned. And windy.
Had one of the best exhaust notes next to a V twin with that shorty can to. ..burble-burble-burble-rorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt- POP!-POP!..

DSC02361.jpg
Click to expand...
There a are 2 bikes on my list



I already own 1
 

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