Ducati Monster Forum

So this is kinda a sequal to the "I hate you lot" thread.

I dare say the first mod most people do is the pipes. Some even before they take delivery of the bike like in my case.

But what was you first?

What got u started? Was it a damaged/worn part needing replaced/upgraded?

When did u know it was time to stop? By the looks of it some people don't know when to stop. Is there a bling-a-holics support group for such people? Is this such the place and being on here typing such a post is the 1st step in rehab?

the seat to make me reach the ground better. Pipes were definately not the first. when i could fine anymore gold bling

Pipes were definitely not the first for me either ... although for the 'old-timers' that remember it was the sound-off which forced a change there, the results of which could be deemed embarrassing. Funnily enough the sound of my pipes still causes debate ... and the occasional shaking of heads.

But as for my first ... other than removing some warning stickers, replacing lost rego labels and bending of the rear reflector (accidental during use) ... I think it was the Ventura rack. However subsequent mods have rendered it useless.

But I don't think any of that was quite what you were asking. The first mod came about due to a perceieved necessity ... having gone through some roadworks I figured a rear hugger was a good idea (hugger was not standard on my bike). Problem being that the only options were carbon fibre and it seems a bit wasteful to order only one thing from the other side of the world ...

Damn you practical decisions!

Geez I can carry on with some crap sometimes

ohh really do ya, only sometimes  [roll]

From she who knows me best. Yes I am full of shit, thanks dear ... love you too :-*

(http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_2_104.gif)

Whilst waiting for the first bike to be delivered I started buying bling.....so when she arrived on went a carbon fender....

then I hunted for exhausts whilst I did belt covers, oil cap, rear tray, hugger, belt covers, rear indicators, chain, levers, mirrors, stone deflector,  ceramic coating, light bulb, rear led, rear cowl, petrol cap, re-coating sidecovers, oil cooler guard, resprung & revalved forks, colour coded zip ties, registration tube, battery...

um, did someone say there's an addict group here? I've contacted Matty and we are really good at helping each other!

Very first mod was a CF clutch cover purchased off eBay......

It was a compromise till I decided on what type of open cover, pressure plate, etc., I wanted.......

Then mirrors next and so on and so on (+ most of what Spider said...).....

Ain't stopped since.........  [bang]

PS: So Spider and Matty are in therapy then..... Can us other addicts join the group therapy?????

Hey Justo
Dr Phil will help you LOL [laugh]

You will have probably realized by now it would have be cheaper to buy a second hand blinged Monster that some poor bastard has spent his entire children's school fees on and then sold it for less than half its value.  [bang]

I have only had mine for 5 months and still a work of art in progress :-\

My first mod and the one Most needed on any Monster is to fix the crappy looking number plate  holder rear flap thingy that hangs down over  the rear wheel :o
You can buy them (Tail tidy) $150 or so.
They are very easy to make a piece of 2mm stainless steel and an angle grinder i made mine in less than one hour for $0
if i knew how to post pics i could show you.

I bought my bike near new from a friend who very kindly put termis on it and ventura rack.  I was never going to bling my bike as many posts on this forum with prove. 

But the bike wasn't having any of that.  I had a rear wheel bearing collapse that caused so much damage that the rear wheel had to be replaced.  Options were OEM 3 spoke brembo from Italy on a slow boat $2000.  Or much lighter 5 spoke Marchensini in Melbourne for $500 with slight modification to get bearings to fit.  Bike had already been off the road for 3 months, it was summer and I had booked to go on Turismo so choice was pretty easy to make.

Then of course I had to match wheels by getting rid of the 3 spoke brembo on the front.  Then my plastic rego holder kept falling off where it's tacked on bottom of the number plate so I've now got one of those little cylinder things nicely tucked away. Then I have always disliked the mirrors, then I noticed that the OEM front sproket cover hides a lot of grime and makes it difficult to check condition of the sprocket.


So most of my bling is for very good reasons.  Just like the rest of us.  And Spider and Matty in therapy - that'll be the day.

Hmn when I ride long distance I ride with my feet on the pillion pegs - does this mean I need rear sets?? [laugh]

I email Matty and tell him what I've bought and he provides support by telling me how much more he's just bought. We are there for each other.

Ahhhh my first mod????????
Ummmmm, rego tube? wheel stripes?
One of those things.

Then I found (TOB) which looked like this place then all credit card debt broke loose.
Since then I can't and won't tell you or myself what I have "invested" in bling.
Current items on the way......

The 620 was a bit of a chuck it on and see how it looked, no real plan to it.
Best bits from it were the MIVV pipes now living on Goldfish's M800 and my Sargent seat.

Haven't fully committed to therapy just yet.
I'll never say it's fully done but there is a slowing down after you have your bike for a while.  

It's the Monster-hood
We all need support for our addictions and it comes in many different forms.  [thumbsup]

my first was buying a monster  ;D i thought they were bling straight out of the factory  [bow_down]

yeah, they are alright....but I view them as blank canvas perhaps....they need to individual....and let's be truthful....they can be made to perform better as well, safer too. not all mods are ego driven, in fact I think a good way to start would be with the safety first:

LED rear light (perhaps with flasher unit)
powerful front globe
adjustable brake levers if the stock aren't comfortable.
brake pads that match your riding/braking style

some would add exhaust to that list as a loud bike can let others know you're near.

and replacement of anything that isn't comfortable too to allow focus on the riding environment.

(I presume your tyres are in great condition and suspension is adequate in this list)

I bought my non-monster with the express mission not to bugger around with it like I have with every other bike, car, pushie etc I have ever owned......

First mod was a battery doctor to keep it charged and ready to ride.

Then there was a rego tube to neaten the tail and 'cause the plastic ones are so crappy. Had to be one of the nice billet alloy ones in gold, didn't it?

Then, well, the standard oil filler cap always weeped a bit, and I saw these nice ones in billet alloy going cheap. Then Matty had some nice CRG levers for sale, and I had to have matching billet bar ends. Other bits are now on the way, and I cannot realistically see an end point.  [evil]
I am but a padawan learner in this forum of Jedi Master blingers, but once the bug bites, its all over.

Now see the really sad thing is there are so many members on this forum nowadays who don't know Melvin.

Surely recent postings are enough to awaken he who walks with the (bling) Gods?

All very interesting and not what was expecting. Which I great. I'm learning alot here. I suppose my upgrades mods cover alot of what u have all said.

Only early days but I think I have followed some of the common obvious mods.

1. Day 1. Full termi cf pipes. To improve power around the dip at 4500rpm. The louder sound was more of a poser addition but the safety of being heard evens out the ego.

2. 250km. Bar end mirrors. These were purchased cause I hated the bug eyed attennaes. Turns out the convexed mirror give better vision too. Win win.

3. 400km. Comp werkes eliminator. For obvious reasons.

Oh and with my nice little win on the storm tonight the next thing may be comming a little sooner. Yeeehaaa!!!

4. At 1st service in about 2 weeks. 14T front sprocket. Performance reasons purely. I do alot of city slow riding so this should help with the low end power.

Next. Hmmmm who knows. Perhaps the combined led brake/indicator.

So I suppose most of my mods are for performance and or safety. Well that's my protest and I'm sticking to it. See step 2 in rehab manual.  [wine]

1st M800, it was really only pipes - the "lucky remus" low mount pipes that I bought on fleabay for a reasonable about of money (about $400 and they were new! try doing that now). This was coupled with the spousal bling education program to attempt to justify why I need to spend more money on a perfectly good bike. Yeah, it's all about the safety - loud pipes saves lives...

I think there was a 14T on that bike as well as some rizoma grips, but that's about it....

Current M800 came with most of its bling - ohlins rear, sargent, cyclecat rearsets... ive added a few things, sbk fender, LED rear light etc..... like matty said, I've now got his mivvs on it (replaced the Ti arrows) and I've got a Power Commander to put on it, but nothing really else - the only thin now is to eventually get the tank ding removed (which will clearly require a complete new paint job!), book it in for a Dyno tune, and sort out the soft front end / set up the complete suspension.... That is, unless I find the clipons and master cylinders I've been looking for.......

1st:
CF Termis, DP ECU & Open airbox

Fav:
CF side panels (yes boring) but I put the oem "Monster 695 & italian flag" decals on (in the same positions as the old panels) and had a few coats of clear slapped on. The decals look like they are slightly floating above the CF layer.

Last:
Rego tube, just in time for the concourse.

Next:
Another boring but much needed 14t front (ordered). A gold DID or EK chain (still pondering) might be on the cards at the same time.

Future:
CF belt cover & Oil cooler kit


Then have a baby  :) , then kiss future mods goodbye  :'( .

ah I love the italian flag treatment u did. Love to see pics? Please make it quick thou my first child is due in jan? [cheeky]

Is that another baby due from the Oz Monster clan in Sydney!
Gee people are breeding up here, is there something in the water?
Lucky the GLW & I don't drink from the tap....


Back to topic now, sorry folks.

No, no, no.
Not that soon! Sorry for misleading you lot.
Baby in the pipeline - Mr & Mrs Six95 are getting clucky though.
Motorcycle trip in Vietnam in Dec first.

and yes - back to topic.

as dumb as it sounds, I can't even remember my first mod. The earliest I do remember is putting clip-ons on a stock 600M.

and look where that led!  [thumbsup]

(is there a picture of your bike in the 'show us your ride' thread?)