Ducati Monster Forum

Fisrt I heard about this http://www.ducatiusa.com/monster-challenge-2014.do (http://www.ducatiusa.com/monster-challenge-2014.do) it was a scoop on Ductalk. Strange that there is not any chatter here about this. Funny thing is I have been busy working on some of my bikes and the M900 got some special attention, so she is ready for this, contacted my dealer to ask about this. - Gene

Best of luck Gene.  [thumbsup]


I like the idea of making it local.

 ;D

Pics of all DMF entries need to go on this thread please!

If I ever get another monster it would be just like the one pictured in that link.  [drool]

I've made a few improvements since the National Challenge back when, but she is pretty much still the same, those pictures are around, at one time they were on this forum somewhere. The old girl still looks pretty good, even with 50K miles on her. The CF timing belt covers were showing some age but the ones on my SS looked brand new, so I swapped them this last weekend. Funny thing is after I cleaned up the ones on the M900 with some meguiars scratch polish they looked pretty good and behind the bodywork on the SS they look great. I had also ordered a new set of the color matched grips, (that were in the Rider magazine article) which were showing thier age, they were hard to find but I found a source and oredered two pair. - Gene

I guess they heard the gripes from the "vintage" Monster owners that were not allowed to participate last time they had a Monster Challenge. They might also be thinking that the new generation Monster has been around enough for people to come up with enough customizations

My 2013 qualifies.....  Although to be honest it is more of a catalog queen than a true custom.......  But hey, at least I did all the work myself ( :

 [beer]

Well, that IS exactly what they were looking for back in 2006.

I would not agree with that, although my M900 is guilty of that with some other stuff thrown in. The 1st place bike in DC round was hardly a catalog catalog queen. 2nd place was not either both had significant mods and 1st Place had a custom Paint job by the owner, not my choice in a paint scheme but you could not argue with the work. My Red Corse M900 was 3rd and peoples choice, there is a lot of DP parts on it, and a lot of stuff not from the catalog. I was also at Barber and I thought many of the finalists had some nice mods but yes there were some with stuff from the catalog. But for me it was just the spirit of being involved I just thought it was a hoot to get a chance to show off the bike and I still feel that way, she has won many awards but I just love riding the bike on different trips and watching people look her over. I realize not evryone feels that way but that is the way I feel. The monster is such a great platform to make your own and it fits so many riders desires, across many age groups, what other bike does that so well as the Monster? And I hope this competition re-kindles that spirit that most of us have had about the Monster since the first. - Gene

Great timing as well.......

Gene, you taking your M900 to Winchester?

I'm anxious to see what people manage to do with the new 1200.

Yes and maybe leave it to pick up my Diavel.

BTW I heard from Chad that the time for the challenge is 11-3 and he asked me to pass that along.

- Gene

Me too, but on the surface it is just a grown up Monster, with a Metal Tank! There are some areas that need work so I'm guessing the aftermakrket will pickup the slack, The license plate bracket, rear hugger come to mind. Also the huge gap between the tire and the seat bugs me and while Ducati is working on bags, I believe they will be those awful cloth type like on the Hyper Strada and Diavel Strada, with ugly brackets to hold them. The rider peg/passenger peg arrangement will need some thought. Performance wise I'm not sure it will need anything, or at least not the S version but time will tell after some have put some miles on. Anyway lookling forward to see how this unfolds. - Gene

Debating about where to ride out to Winchester or Battley. Feel like Winchester will have a larger turnout of unique Monsters.

Easy decision for me, DucPond is the only Ducati dealership I go to now that I'm not Prez of MAD. Donnie and Julia are also personal friends. - Gene

For those who do go, Gene mentioned a great idea. Please post pictures of the Monsters you see. Always interested to see what others have done  [beer]

twolanefun: you have your opinion, & I have mine.

Best of luck regardless!

Stuart

Is this one worth the effort, or just 'fluff'?

Well I guess you won't know unless you show. I could care less about winner/losers I just want to see what others have done. Also I think this is about generating some spirit in potential new monster owners by seeing what the current owners have done, that is why this is being done with the Premiere of the new Monster, and I don't mind showing up to share some of that spirit. - Gene

I give two make the beast with two backss about the new monster.  :D

You don't like the previous Monster either.

Our memories are not that short. ;)

I lump em all together.  :D

Don't think I'm gonna bother. Lady on the phone at the only dealership near me, when asked if I could get some information on the 'challenge', asked me if I wanted to talk to a salesman about buying a 'Monster Challenger'.  :D

I am looking forward to seeing the other bikes.  Gonna head out to A&S tomorrow to see the show.  I will bring a real camera and get some bike porn shots for you all.

Not much to see at the challenge here in Sacramento.  Maybe eight monsters total.  Not worth taking pictures even  :(   No cool old vintage stuff and only one highly modified bike showed aside of mine.

But hey, the 1st. place trophy looks cool sitting on the shelf.  [thumbsup]   I am gonna go for a quick ride and take some real pictures somewhere.

 :-X  :-\

Oh, and I just skipped riding the new 1200.  The thing is fugly and the more I look at it the less I like it.  Great shape with the tank and tail but those that rode it seemed underwhelmed when I spoke with them.  Of course there is only so much one can do on a test ride with a leader in front of them.  Several felt that the bike was "too heavy for a Monster" and "felt like every other bike".  I did not see the silly poo eating grin when people got off of it.

My S4Rs scored 3rd place in Indy.   20 some bikes were in the challenge  [Dolph]
The new 1200 l'll pass

That's because they rode the new Monster and not the new SuperDuke.

 [evil]

From Moto Forza in Escondido, CA

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd86/scbaran/e3388b1f82676d02b5c0e595471a5dc4.jpg)

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd86/scbaran/adf8344b76ec5b3d525b069046b16bb7.jpg)

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd86/scbaran/0a9a564cac76882657751f421a3ecf3b.jpg)

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd86/scbaran/d46d42f311dd4b01b7b5c17ebe089050.jpg)

There were more, but these stood out to me.

As you note, not much you can do behind a leader. 4V Ducatis tend to be rather smooth and deceptive too, so sometimes you're not aware until you look at the clock and notice you're doing MACH 2.  [roll] And being modern, it probably doesn't wheelie like an S4RS because they'd give the bike more front end bias I'm guessing.

You might well miss the "heartbeat" of your 2V. Only had one water-cooled 4V myself but agree all the plumbing feels like a higher center of gravity.

ime an all std s4rs was a bit of a dud.  the difference b/w that and a full system'd bike was quite amazing.  so an all std 1200 might feel a bit doughy too.

So I took the old gal out and put her in the challenege. I'm guessing we only had 1/2 dozen show to actually enter the competition, it wasn't great weather but still you would have thought more would show. I know there are some great Monsters in this area that did not show. The poster that was done up, by Ryan Danger, for Duc Pond is really great. After the competition I left her there for a minor mod and retrieved my Diavel which had been in for it's first service. So I got to ride the two bikes back to back. There is no doubt that I still love riding the M900 it's still my favorite bike in the garage, it is just so sorted out for me, my style of riding, and of course I made the mods to her to my liking. But I have to tell you that the Diavel is a hoot, very comfortable, the motor is great generating serious velocity any time, any where, just twist the right grip, and it also stops right now. I suspect these same qualities exist in the new M1200S, same motor in a different state of tune, same electronics, I don't think the longer wheel base will be a problem nor the weight and so IMHO it will be a great bike for anyone that makes a purchase. The one big difference for me is that the Monster is still more of a 1up bike. My lady, Nora, is very slender but she is 5'8" and she fits much better on the Diavel. I am fortunate to be able to still have my M900, she will stay in my garage forever, but I'm liking the new bike for different reasons. If I had the room and the money I'd also have a M1200s parked next to the M900. - Gene