Ducati Monster Forum

Does anyone here have an opinion on the ninja 1000 sx ?

do you want to provide more details like milage and year?

 They have too many cylinders and too much plastic.

FACT.

I have to hand it  to the OP, it takes a lot of nuts to set yourself up for so much abuse.  Could have just started a thread about not understanding the need for gear.   ;D

Oh and yes, the Ninja sucks.  Given the cash that would cost there are so many other options that are not covered in plastic, heavy as hell and ugly.  Other than that it is a great and wonderful soulless lump of metal that could only bring joy to those that had previously only ridden a 1989 Suzuki Katana........   ;D

Thanks ! I have been thinking the same (sorta).  My wife
has implied I might be able to get another bike and I would
be interested in fairings and hardbags so she can go.
Right now I'm just thinking out loud.  Have always liked
the ST 3 but haven't ever been on anything but my 900
Monster.

Also y'all have been really good about the open ended
question   Thanks

i'm sure it's a good bike.  there's also lots of good tourers in the adventure tourer style market that may be better equipped as a function of market demand and competition for much the same cash.  such as the Kawasaki version, possibly much the same bike, just further off the ground.

see if you can get a few test rides on various things of a few different genres.  some of the fours can feel a bit gutless compared to the twins (esp a 2v twin) due to the different engine tuning (ie, they make lots more top end power), but Suzuki have a big twin option and there's always s/h bmw variations if you don't want to spend too much.

and most importantly, take her for the test rides.  if her arse ain't comfy, it won't be getting on it.

and ignore the other crap.  buy the bike you want/need/makes her want to go/etc.  who knows, you might end up on a road king. 

multi 1200?

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

look for a Honda PC800....and I agree with Brad's advice to take the missus along...

Thanks, we (the missus & me) have agreed to shop together. I think she may be saying these things to shut me up. I got my monster when she told me I needed a gf. I'll see where this goes. However I really like Raux's soon to be complete ST2

Beware half-wits and fan boys who call Jap bikes soulless...never believed in souls and if I did, I certainly would think an inanimate object had one.

I've ridden the Ninja, its quite nice, very fun and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

If you're looking for fairings, windshield, and hard bags look at the Yamaha FJR.  Not as heavy as a lot of the sport touring bikes out there, handles like a dream, and it is a rocket.  You gan get a very nice '03-'05 for less than 5K if you look hard enough.  I'm loving mine!

You might also consider the Suzuki Bandit. Lots of people love them and it has a more upright seating position which is good for when the wife is on the back.

(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTNDHDy3OTB9exaBB3Kwil-naQqtlPoXdCYzD08dM_tjSFvZmD)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-Bimota-DB3-Mantra-with-low-miles-/321189293867?ViewItem=&item=321189293867&forcev4exp=true (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-Bimota-DB3-Mantra-with-low-miles-/321189293867?ViewItem=&item=321189293867&forcev4exp=true)

That is AWESOME !!
thanks Zooom. All the info and advice is excellent.
I'm pretty sure as I (we) get closer to pulling the trigger she will change her mind.
We just swapped houses and she thinks kitchen/bathrooms are more important than
motorcycles.

I just don't get it !!!!! But I still have to plan and build a garage for all this.

 [clap]

The Mantra is a pretty slick bike BUT it has a nylon tank which ... ugh.. expands...

Have a look at the Ducati ST series.

I owned a triumph sprint RS for a year and rode it on a few long trips, but all the time I was on it, I was wishing I was on the monster. It was a fantastic highway bike with a fantastic engine, but top heavy and had shitty suspension. The triple 955 was a fantastic engine, but still lacked the visceral feel of the monster for me.

I also rented an FJR 1300 out in Colorado for a week and put a number of 10-12 hour days on it over 7 days. It too was a fantastic bike and certainly awesome on the highway. However, once we got into the tighter twisties I found it to be a little cumbersome. Don't get me wrong, it handled well and certainly very well for it's weight, just obviously not like the monster.

I also did a couple short rides on a buddy's VFR (2002 I think, but not sure) and didn't really care for it. It's a fine bike, but wasn't all that comfortable for me (5'9) and lacked the visceral feel of the Ducati.

About 2 months ago, I traded one of my 2 monster 900's (a 2000) for a 98 ST2 straight up.

I was prepared to be underwhelmed as a few people on the ducati ms forum claimed the engine was a "dog".

I have been really surprised and pleased at how well it goes and with stock exhaust and unmodified air box and filter. I've since added a sargent seat and an upright set of rizoma bars and risers I had sitting around and it is super comfortable for my 5'9 frame. My knees usually get sore after an hour on the monster, but I've done up to 4 hours on the ST2 with no knee issues.

I hate to admit it, but I think I prefer riding the bike to the monster. It munches miles on the highway yet handles far better than the triumph sprint in the twisties. Most importantly it gives me the ducati feel I was missing when on other ST bikes.

I'm riding it out west to Colorado in a couple weeks for a 10 day blast, which should really give me an opportunity to put it through paces in all types of riding.


When I look around at what some used ST3 and ST4 and 4s bikes are going for ($4,500-$6,000) it seems to me one can get a whole lotta bike for the money, if it's in good condition.

Which year was your Sprint? I've heard good things about the last batch.

2001, so yeah, not the latest generation.

I've heard good things about the 1050, although I hear the suspension still sucks.

If you think you are turning Japanese... the only problem I have with my V-strom is the little markings it leaves when it parks.  I don't think I ride it like the typical V-strom owner, though.

The wife likes the pillion seat best of all she's tried so far (and that includes about 1000 miles on a Honda ST1300, I hate that bike for being a fat heavy pregnant dog and ridiculously hot in the summer).  Her only complaint on a 400 mile day in January was the cold (on a stock seat).

The forks need help for twisty stuff, but it's a bargain basement ADV tourer and mods are relatively cheap (coming from the duc world).

also, 17k miles for the first valve check...

For a little different flavour... check out the Tiger 1050.  It's advertised as an "adventure tourer", but it's really just a comfy standard/sport tourer with slightly taller landing gear.

Only thing folks recommend is getting the suspenders worked over.

If I'd had ten grand when they were running a killer sale for leftover 2010's back in February/March 2011, that's what would be in my garage.

Instead I have the much cheaper to buy (but more expensive to maintain) Cagiva Gran Canyon.  It's a lot of fun, but there are times I wish I had the grunt of that big triple, especially 2-up.