Ducati Monster Forum

It's probably not going to happen, but I allow myself to consider upgrading.

If it was you who had to decide, which one and why?

The MH900 isn't much of an upgrade in performance, but it doesn't get much better for cool-ness...
It has $10k (?) worth of mods on it. 1,000 miles.

The S4RS has full racing Termis, titanium cam xxxx "thingies" and lightened flywheel. 8,000 miles.

2001 MH900 is $2,000 more than the 2008 S4RS.

(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l394/stopintime/valg2.jpg)

(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l394/stopintime/valg1.jpg)

no contest mh900.

there are thousands of s4r's for you to buy in the future. MH900's? not so much

Are you going to actually ride it?

Wow tough choice, the MH900 is so make the beast with two backsin cool but we all know how good the S4RS is, they both have good mods on em.  Shit, I can't decide either.  Buy em both and go deep into debt.

ps keep the S2R too, it's too nice to trade off.

MH900  [thumbsup]

Can you test ride?

When you ride the S4rs, you should be very gentle with the throttle in first gear.  Also, utilize only one finger to the front brakes.

But, when you shift into 2nd, give the throttle a slightly aggressive, progressive twist, and observe what happens to the front wheel.

This will resolve your dilemna immediately.  I predict you will subsequently do one of two things:

a.  Buy the Rs instantly without hesitation.
b.  pull over and park the Rs by the side of road, run to your grandmother's house an hide under her sewing machine until sunrise, afterwhich you may or may not purchase the M900evo.

Of course, my opinion is biased.   ;D

J

If I did get it, I would ride it like any other bike  [moto]

The owner never put plates on it, it mostly served as a furniture in his living room 8)
He said it deserves a life on the road [thumbsup]


No testing the MH900, but it's not very light or powerful so I wouldn't expect to be blown away other than by it's sound and looks. I'm struggling against testing the S4RS for the reasons you mention - afraid I will never be able to forget it and start being less happy with my 800 (which must be owned a while and allowed to "pay off" it's mods)

I know Ohmic has one - waiting for him to chime in with the ride experience story  [coffee]

that's a tough choice. cause as cool as it would be to ride the MH... i would rather have it as a collector item.

but to pass up a MH for a purchase.. you just may be kicking yourself years from now when they trade at 100k

IMO:

The MH is a piece of artwork.

The S4Rs is meant to be ridden.

The MH can be ridden but I wouldn't put it as an everyday bike.  Maybe a 'once-a-month' bike...

The Rs, however...is an animal.  And for those that love that sort of thing this bike offers a lot of that sort of thing.

For me, the MH is the winner hands down.  Rs's will be much cheaper in a few years and just as amazing.  Ownership of an MH?!?  Uh...that may not come around again for a long....long....long time.

(the above is my opinion and based on all my bullshit.  Your mileage may vary and likely will.  So there.  [cheeky] )

I'd get the MH dirty.



Then I'd be lynched by the Ducati faithful.




It'd make for a good obituary. There aren't enough mob lynchings anymore.

ok maybe ride it once in a while.. to the ducati owners club.. get them pissed that i have it.. then come back clean it and put it back in the house

What would this mint, more or less unused, MH sell for in the US - any idea?

If I had the money, I wouldn't mind getting it as a second bike. In my noob Ducati owner experience, I resist the idea of having a bike and not riding it to it's fullest capability. Strada Aperta for week days, S4RS/1098S for twisties and track days, MH900 to decorate my future larger living room. That's a plan 8)

Mh, but they're not known as the most reliable Ducatis.  In fact, they're known for being nightmares.  That said, they look awesome.  And have you seen monstaman's Malattia?  (speaking of which, anyone seen Andi lately?)

(http://www.duccutters.com/Malattia/Originals/z11.jpg)

(http://www.duccutters.com/Malattia/Originals/z21.jpg)

(http://www.duccutters.com/Malattia/Originals/z23.jpg)

two on ebay now.. one with a current bid of 11k and a buy it now of 16k the other buy it now at 19k... and these are only 9 years old

a 70s 750ss went for 100k not to long ago..

telling you in 25 years that MH is a 100K bike easy

tell me that is not an original MH... oh the pain...

Not even close to original.   One of my all-time favorites though.  Andi has a long write-up about it on TOB, but I'm not going to link there.  Lemme see if I can find another link with the info. 

Edit:  here ya go--  http://www.duccutters.com/Malattia.tpl (http://www.duccutters.com/Malattia.tpl)

I would only buy the MH900 if it was nice outside everyday, and the city kept hte roads clean and the number of motorcycle thefts and vandalism is very very low. otherwise S4Rs hands down!

If you buy the MH, your investment will only become more valuable.  If you buy the S4Rs righ tnow, your investment will only go down in value (for the time being...they will bottom out but aren't there yet).

If you value the 'LATEST-GREATEST-MOST POWERFUL' then the RS is the easy choice.  The MH is the bike that will go up in value and will be art in the future as it is surely art now.

My $:  The MH.

Well I think you already said you have an S2R and are keeping it.  If that is the case then you already have your everyday bike.  Buy the MH for the looker and once in a while ride but mainly for the investment.  When you are ready to get rid of te S2R then get the S4Rs which will be fairly cheap by then.

If the MH900 makes your soul fill full of lust -- buy it.  It "might" appreciate over the next ten years -- doubtful.  But it won't lose any value either.  The S4RS -- I'm seeing a LOT of them for sale right now. Great bikes but "not a keeper". (although it is the best 4V Monster built)

Now what would be a fun bike -- take that S4RS 4-valve engine and put it in the MH900!  Purisits would scream -- but you would have the best of all worlds then. (heck with the resale value though)

The MH900 isn't an "absolute" -- I'd have no problem modifying one -- there are some large areas of improvements that an be made to the bike to be honest.  (picture attached of a modified MH900!)

(http://www.motocreations.com/dmf/ModifiedMH900.jpg)

GOOOOO!!!!!  That thing looks STUPID fun!!

But in all seriousness, I would have to go with the MH if I were in your shoes.  As state, there will almost certainly be better deals on S4Rs's in the future, but when might you have another chance to pick up a cherry MH again?

MH

You all know about the tax hell I'm living in - this bike has a price tag of $24,000 without and 32,500 with plates.

So, it would take a while before the initial investment gave a return. The unusually high local price makes this bike difficult to sell off to other countries, compared to local offers. Norwegian Ducati sales are +/- 100 a year, so collector items aren't a huge thing here [roll]

I really wish I was wealthy though - there would be so many, many, many ways to turn that wealth into toys :)

 

I ride my MH at least one day each week, just to keep her from getting jealous of the Supersport.  It has been quite reliable for me since I bought it, and it's actually more comfortable than lots of folks give it credit for once you get used to it.....especially at higher speeds.

The Monster is also cool, and if you're looking strictly from a utilitarian perspective it's a better choice.  It rides well, it handles well, but it is a bit more expensive to maintain than the two-valver.

My opinion, the MH.....but I'm quite biased.   ;)

900.... sexy always wins!  [bow_down]

Get the MH900 and ride the shit out of it !
Having this in the living room and not on the street is pure masturbation  [moto]
So if you intend not to ride it, get the S4 and pass me the address of that MH...hehe

I love the look of the MH and will hopefully get one...but I dont see this as an investment....unless you are 90 years old when you sell it.  They sold for what 14k in 2000 and now you can get em for 12k after nearly a decade.  Hmmmm.  If that is an "investment" I have some land for you and bridge.  LOL.

They are unique, stunning, pure Ducati.  Get one for those reasons.  If you would rather "upgrade" for performance, get the rs

MH.  Because I like unique and hard to find bikes.

JM

S4RS. MH is uncomfortable, has no range, and has depreciated since being sold. Maybe not as fast as others but still not an "investment".  Also, for a MH to be a collectors item it needs to be bone stock. The OP said the one he is looking at has 10kish worth of mods. As far as bikes on ebay with a "buy it now" of 16K or 19K? That's not an indicator of bike value, just wishful thinking by the auction lister.

if you go MH... get ready to upgrade your forks AGAIN. :P
non-adjustable... if you can believe THAT.

I say go MH900e, because its a real beauty. But that's just me.

 Toys aren't investments let's be serious. How many people are stripping their mods off their bikes to resell and then selling the accessories separately? What we think our personal bikes are worth and what someone is willing to pay are usually very different.  Cars and bikes are meant to stir your dirty parts and have fun on them. If you want an investment get a CD. If you want the MH because she's beautiful, do it. If you want to grin every time you roll the throttle, the RS. Either way, do it for the love of the bike not the notion of future value.  [thumbsup]
My dos centavos.   

obviously, there are a lot of ways to look at it.
i know my 803 isn't the fastest bike in the world... hell, it's probably one of the slower...
but i crack a wicked evil grin every time i flog it, and am completely satisfied with the fun-factor.

were it me, I would go MH.

+1  [thumbsup]

S4Rs, sorry folks the MH is only beautiful when looked at superficially. Any closer inspection you start noticing things like a fake sump bolted to the bottom of the engine. How Harleyesque to add weight and mass for no other reason than looks.  :P

For me the beauty of the Ducati is in its mechanical honesty, this bike breaks trust.

S4Rs more fun, less headaches, and just a better bike.

Apples to oranges if you ask me. 

If you aren't planning on riding a lot MH

If you are,  s4rs.

Beyond that,  a monster's riding position is a lot different than that MH which I think is more like a superbike.  If you don't care about putting miles on a limited production bike then at least consider that the  monster will likely be more comfortable as well.

Which bike is cooler?  the MH for sure.  but when 1 bike is way newer, more comfortable, has more horsepower and better suspension and brakes and the other is just cooler and they cost about the same.  It's hard to make a comparison. 

This is the part that really bothers me. Unreasonable perhaps but to me it's like a grotesque goiter on a neck. For all the looks and lines of the bodywork this is what I see when I look at it. And the idea of a Ducati that sits in a living room purely and non-functional unmoving art offends.
(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/WannaDucBad/motorcycles/MH900.jpg)

I'm a Supa' Bike lovin' MoFo, But that 4V vrs MH ... MH all day!

Scottish, what are you showing us?  The fact there isn't oil all over the motor yet?  :)

if I had a green frame SS I certainly would let it sit in my living room

S4RS

The MH looks cool, but I like to ride my motorcycles.

Y'know, if its removable, you could..uh...remove it.

Then again, most of NCR's models have a non-functional aesthetic addition down there: a carbon belly pan, (though it serves some oil catching function, and protection in the event of crashing)

Why can't someone ride that bike?  It's a 2V Ducati with some very cool nonstructural parts.


 





 

+1

No I'm showing you 15lbs of non-functional ballast, bolted to the bottom so it "looks cool"  :P ??? Oh I forgot you were a HD guy too, so I get why you're puzzled at my reaction to that Keith.  [laugh]

I talked to a MH owner - a beautiful MH - and he had a few non-stock bits on it.  The license plate bracket was one of them.  He said that all of those one-off MH bits were one-to-a-bike so once they broke, it was aftermarket time.  He couldn't get replacement MH bits from Ducati.

They could...but it has a very small tank, an uncomfortable riding position, crap suspension, and isn't known for reliability.

The S4RS is a better bike if you intend on putting miles on it IMO.

I also don't think the MH is much of an "investment".

Me, too.  I've hung about 5k on my MH900e this year.  The tires are scuffed to their edges.

Ask someone who owns one if you want a good opinion of a bike.  I'll tell you the truth, without bias, it you REALLY want it.

The bike is cool beyond coolness.  This is indisputable, and it's the ONLY reason I bought the bike.

The suspension isn't ideal for riding HARD, but for what 99% of the motorcycling population will do with their bikes, it's sufficient.  It's underdamped and mildly oversprung (and I'm quite large for a Ducatisti), resulting in a rather wooden feel out front that keeps me from pressing the bike as hard as I might otherwise.  That said, I don't believe I've ever held up my riding companions due to this limitation.  I can definitely ride it quickly enough to have fun.

The shock is at least as poor as the forks.  It's mildly undersprung (for me) and as underdamped as the forks, resulting in a rather mushy feel.  It's great around town, though, as it soaks up expansion joints and potholes better than bikes tuned to my liking.  If the forks were better I'd replace it, but as it stands the forks are the limiting factor when riding at a brisk pace, so why bother.

The fuel tank is petite.  The literature says it holds 2.2 gallons including reserve.  It actually holds 2.7 gallons including the 0.5 gallon reserve.  Ask me how I know EXACTLY how much it holds.  I rode it to Albuquerque from Atlanta when I bought it, and I ran it dry......twice.  The first time in just under 90 miles at a sustained speed of around 100 mph.  Luckily, I packed a supersecret reserve.   ;D

The false sump is lame.  The good news is, it can be removed and kept for reinstallation when you sell the bike (if you sell the bike).  I know a number of other MH owners who have removed these.  

The x-shaped piece that supports the license plate is a weldment comprising both extruded and machined pieces.  The welds are insufficient and should be reinforced.  If you buy the bike and want one, there's a gent in Salt Lake City who machines them from billet, and his pieces are virtually indestingishable from the stock bits.  I happen to know this breaks because I lost the lower half of mine (along with the license plate, tag light, and turn signals) between Little Rock, AR and Dallas, TX.  I bought a billet one because the original is now unobtanium.

The instrument cluster is allergic to water.  Most of us who ride MHs travel with a ziploc baggie in our pockets to cover the instruments in case of rain.  When water gets inside the cluster it fries it, and the cluster costs about $2k to replace.  

Now for the good part.  Everytime I ride the MH I feel better when I get off than I did when I got on.  It turns heads like no other thing I've ever ridden.  It shifts better than any Ducati I've ever ridden (and I've ridden a BUNCH of 'em).

I've ridden with a few of you.  Speak up.  Will it hold a pace?

Last words and I'll leave this alone.  The MH isn't my primary ride.  I bought it because I could afford to have it as a "backup" ride, and I do ride it.  I wouldn't own any bike I was afraid to ride.  Green frame SS....ride it (I have, indeed, ridden one).  Brough Superior....ride it.  Vincent Black Shadow...ride it.  Henderson Excelsior......I wouldn't own that piece of junk, but if I did, I'd ride it!!!

Get what you like.  Like what you get.  It's your money.  Everyone else's opinons are shite.

The absolute truth.  [thumbsup]

Cloner,
You need to ride the S4RS.....I meant to say mine ....and you will be able to give us an in depth side by side comparison. Let me know when you are ready for it.  [clap]  I personally think it's aesthetics versus performance [thumbsup]

Never. If you guys saw him (and he aint a little guy) ride this bike you would want one...not that many of us don't.

Ok

Oh, And as for motorcycles (any) being an investment, I agree, save that line of crap for your wives (or husbands) when you try to convince them to let you buy a new bike.  :)


Aaaaand, ok.   [thumbsup]

 [laugh]

Then you can let him ride your 1098S Zaster & the whole thread will be jacked.   [laugh]

Too late....He already did ;D Have to say he was slightly disappointed how long it takes the front wheel to come off the ground in fifth gear ;D [laugh]

  [evil]

Wait, I have to stick to the facts ....he was just pulling my leg about this while he used it to go to PJ's from CAD when his supersport
spit out a chain link he had to replace.....but he did ride it [moto]

All fun & games  :)

But when you open the garage door & turn on the light how could you go wrong with either of these bikes?

Yeah, what a POS that 1098 is.  That bike wouldn't pull a greased string out of a cat's ass.  I knew it was aenemic when it set the front wheel down before the 5th-6th shift.  Pitiful.  The MH'll hold a wheelstand as long as I want to twist the grip.   :o

Getting back on topic.......as to the direct MH vs. S4 comparison, I'd gladly ride your Monster and write a comprehensive comparison....but I'm pretty sure it would simply tell you that the S4 has more motor, more brakes, better suspension, a more comfortable riding position, but isn't nearly as pretty. 

My whole point here is that the MH isn't a dog, as some have inferred, by any stretch of the imagination.  It is a very capable machine with excellent geometry and a tractable power curve that, like most two-valvers, makes average riders look good and good riders look great.

I'll defer to my earlier assertion that everyone else's opinions are shite, and you should buy what stirs your soul.  I have followed this course of action several times and have rarely been let down by the results.

This thread has been officially New Mexico'ed. Damn you guys have a knack for jacking threads  ;D

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

I have read everything you've said and I'm happy that this "what if" case brought on many opinions [thumbsup]
It has been very educational. The minor thread jacks doesn't bother me - just a part of the DMF good times.

Clearly the MH is evoking a lot of feelings - true Ducati. More so than the S4RS..... Perhaps only until ride time.

It's not going to happen soon, either bike would stretch my budget beyond comfort.
As a new Duc rider I still twist the throttle hard and the response I get is important for my happiness. My 800 has enough torque to keep me happy for now, the sound backs it up and the handling is inspiring (after the geometry, suspension and brake mods).

The MH is out because it's lacking in power and suspension, compared to what I lust for. Even if I had the money for a second bike I think the MH looks better than it is, and I would miss the power and handling it doesn't have.

It's a personal choice, but the cool factor isn't enough. I want a better bike, like a 1098 or a S4RS.


Before I allowed the (small) sensible/financial part of me decide to keep my 800 another few years to "pay off" it's mods,
the advice handed out by a wise member (who was that? Statler?) was exercised - - - flip a coin, if the result made me want best out of three, then the other result is what I want. The S4RS won.  
So, I'll keep my 800 at least another 20k miles/two years, then decide. If I had to choose today it would be 40/60 between a 1098 and a S4RS.

Bobspapa [nudge] 
Do you know someone with a 1098 for sale?

 [cheeky]

Since you're talking about a primary ride, Stopintime, I think you've made a wise decision.  The 900 might, and I mean might, have a little more power than your current ride, but from the performance perspective it wouldn't be enought to justify the cost.  A "better" bike than the MH can't be had....a better performing one is easy to find.   ;)


Dang, ElM, what did you expect?  Them NM boys are a bit opinionated when it comes to riding.  Don't you remember?   [drink]



As to the S4RS versus 1098 debate.....that's a question for another thread.....or is it?!?  Speak up, Karl, you own one of each.  If you HAD to get rid of one, which one would you keep, and why?

Since you poked me I guess I better.... ;D
I'll start with the reasons why I bought each one of them:
I finally made up my mind in March of 2007 to buy a Ducati and had my eyes set on the 999. Since my wife still likes to ride cupcake I asked
her to meet me at the dealership to check the riding position. When the owner heard that the riding position might be an issue he urged me to
ride the S4RS before my wife would arrive. You might have guessed...she hated the riding position on the 999 and was happy on the back of
the S4RS, hence the purchase. When I laid it down on my way to Ouray, CO I had to make a decision whether to buy it back from the insurance company at a fraction of the original cost and fix
it up or just buy something else. During the insurance settlement period I stopped by the dealership to make up my mind. Since I always liked the sleek look of a full fairing bike
I decided to sit on a 1098S that he had on consignment. The manager offered me a heck of a deal and my wife told me to buy the type of bike I wanted in the first place and I did.
I fixed up the S4RS at a minimal expense and ride both bikes with the 1098 getting a bit more saddle time.
Since I'm addicted to the twisties I can't wish for a better bike than the 1098. It is so easy to flick into the corners and power out of them that I'm amazed at it's capabilities everytime I ride it.
Anyone taking long trips or using their bike for commuting while still enjoying riding the twisties aggressively would be best served by the S4RS....it's an awesome bike.
And for the record Cloner....I'm keeping them both [clap]



 

900 and ride it to a good death (many years down the road) then restore it and do it again [evil]

Old topic  ;D

The bike I asked about is now up for sale again, with an Öhlins shock and 2k miles on it.

The owner is asking 30% more than he paid. He'll have to wait a while [cheeky]

Is the bike in Norway?  I am afraid to ask how much the asking price is....

Don't be afraid, but you should sit down.....

US $ 40,000  :o

Stupid really - there's no market for this bike here - maybe, but just maybe at half the asking price.

not even half....there are guys asking 20K for a bike with less than a 1000 miles on it and markeing it as better than brand new and still aren't being sold...last one I saw on Fleabay was a fully kitted out with all the Carbon Dream parts they could put on it and it was spanktifferifically pretty...but still not a $20K bike IMHO....

GREAT SCOTT!

What does that mean?

It's a pop culture exclamation used most famously by the Dr. (Christopher Lloyd) in the "Back To The Future" movies. It's used to show shock and amazement at something. Like 40,000 freaking dollars for that bike.  :o

Holy sh#t!

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Scott (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Scott)

I'm satisfied [thumbsup]

it was also the popular exclamation on the origional Star Trek shows....

Modified by Perry White into 'Great Caesar's Ghost'....

I'll take the Hailwood as it's far nicer nice to look at.. [thumbsup]

MH just popped up for sale locally on CL... $16000

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/2789746422.html (http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/2789746422.html)

this is just one of those bikes i want to own one day simply because it's so damn pretty in person.

Hell, I want to get one so I can swap all the go fast bits (to include the motor) from my S1000 onto it.

don't forget to put real forks (adjustable forks) on it, and to remove that heavy 'fake sump' cover.  you'd need to re-do the triples though to fit superbike forks, I believe.  Or locate good condition adjustable supersport forks (since they are longer than Monster forks, which iirc would be necessary for this bike)

you could always get the smart fairings and do a custom jobby for the rear

like this? -> http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/2793714658.html (http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/2793714658.html)

Without the yellow accents please!

dang. you really can find everything on CL

No

I dunno...friend has one, beautiful to look at from a distance...but I went limp on the fake sump and the cracked welds on the tail ornamentation

"Purpose-built collectables" are a tough gamble...

Look at the resale value of commemorative coins and trinkets, engraved, inlaid and scrolled-up commemorative rifles, pistols etc...

The MH is visually impressive but as a serious ride it could use some serious upgrades ....kinda like my ex-wife  ;D

fancy collectors 1911's command ridiculous prices still.


For the MH900e, I think it just needs some upgrades (just like a Monster ought to have as well) - I think the frame and body are wonderful. The forks and fake sump gotta go, but that's about it for me.