what do you suppose a talented machinist would charge for this?

[Akechi]

A bling statement can be vain but not necessarily. It could also be a creative statement. Buying simply because it's shiny and expensive (exclusive)=vain in my book. Buying because it truly grabs your attention no matter how low or high the price=creative choice.  
But whatevs. Digression.  

This.  If performance was the only metric I cared about, I wouldn't be riding a Ducati.  Design is an important part of the mix, and I'd hazard to guess that a lot of Ducati riders are drawn to the design of the bikes as much as they are to the performance. 

[Rudemouthsky]

A bling statement can be vain but not necessarily. It could also be a creative statement. Buying simply because it's shiny and expensive (exclusive)=vain in my book. Buying because it truly grabs your attention no matter how low or high the price=creative choice.  
But whatevs. Digression.  

Yes, this. my Monster is my only financial vice and one of my few creative outlets. Do vapid people even sink ridiculous amounts of money into old DSS Monsters? That just makes me foolish and insane, which I'll be the first to admit to.