696 or 1100??

[The Bacon Junkie]

My first bike EVER was (is ) a '99 Monster 750.  I've had it for almost two years now, and still haven't ridden it to it's full potential yet. Its got plenty of oomph, and can keep up with bigger bikes if need be. Plenty of torque too. In the twisties you can just leave it in third and go just as fast as any sane person would want. Very forgiving, and plenty capable of covering my ass if I do something stupid.     It was under $3k, insurance is reasonable, even for a new rider.Like others have said, wear proper gear, and ride your own ride. 

Good luck with which ever bike you choose... ride safe!   [moto] 

[Raux]

i find my 696 struggling sometimes on the autobahn slab. and riding 2 up. but those are for 85mph plus speeds. the 1100 would definitely been the better choice for this portion of riding. but for normal riding, and the corners, i am enjoying the 696. plus the lack of extra torque is keeping my front wheel down.

[causeofkaos]

if you want new, 696 for a while then upgrade,
or do like others have suggested 620 for a while then upgrade
if its a first bike there is a lot of learning that needs to happen and the learning curve is better on a smaller bike

[mrplease]

well the 696 isn't by any means my first bike. but for me it works great! i don't see myself growing out of it any time soon. i plan on keeping it for a very long time. and if i do plan on getting a bigger bike, i'll still keep the 696. I LOVE IT!!!!

[gh0stie]

all this talk of 620s is making me regret caging it in to work this morning (just not feeling like riding due to head cold)


my 620 is technically my second bike, but I'd only been riding for about 2 months before I got it, so it might as well be a first.......definitely a great learning bike.

I got to test ride a 696 the other day and man was it a lot of fun!

I feel like the throttle is a lot more twitchier than my 620, but of course it's a much newer bike!