Monster as a first bike??

[Brett]

I am riding on my first bike an 06 S2R 800. I took the MSF class and found the 250 lacking that we trained on.

I will say this.....whatever the bike, ride within your abilities! Do not try and push the envelope. Like others have said, things will come in time. Take it easy and just enjoy the ride. I love my Monster and I have a big smile everytime I ride. Just be safe and do what you can to mitigate your risk while riding. You may learn to be the greatest rider of all time, but all it takes is a dumb ass on a cell phone...

[sbrguy]

i'd suggest a beater bike for a frist bike, here is why.

you can if you want to mess around, push it a lot more on a beater bike bc if you wreck it no big deal in a sense bc its a beater bike and the parts are easier and cheaper than any ducati parts even used are.

now here is another thing, when people are saying get a beater bike for a first bike, get one that costs maybe 1000 dollars so that it runs safely and if you look around you won't have to put any money into it.

use it for literally a month or two and sell it, with the summer coming around you can buy it now, use it for june sell it in july for exactly the same money if not more and the only money you used is for gas that's all, not even an oil change bc you probably wont' ride it that many miles.

in that time you can ride it in teh rain, get used to tryign some parking lot manuevers really push it on the slow speed stuff in an empty parking lot to get used to that, drop it there. then selel it and get a monster by mid july you have it all summer ..

perfect situation... you don't have to keep a beater bike for years and years like some poeple, just enough in a way to get out the initial motorcycle learing curve in that first couple of months if you really want to.

but do what you want.  nobody is going to change your mind here.

[x136]

I couldn't bring myself to buy a an '07 or older due to the dated looks.

They only look dated when you're not riding 'em.  [moto]

[Thudias]

Ive been ridding for 2 weeks now on a Honda Nighthawk and I dont really care if i drop it.


Once i get an 09 626...I better be out of the newbie phase because a little piece of me would probably die if I dropped it.

[CountGreffi]

I just got back into riding with a 2007 S2R 800. I had bike's prior though. I started with a Suzuki SV-650, I think it is great to learn on. Cheapest/Best thing around for $4000, plus you can mod them and learn how to ride on a track with them. Which is what I did, buying a R6 in 2004. I had that, modded it up, tracked it a few times, then sold it at the end of 2005. I haven't been riding since. But this bike is fine for someone who can handle it. I mean the bike can rip, but it can just lull along. I think it depends on having a rider with self control. But with the ability out there you really just need to be careful. Haven't needed any maintenence yet, but I didn't even look into that cost (I am 25 and have a "real job") but I'm not concerned about it. But when I had my SV-650 I was more concerned. If you don't have income to dispose of INTO a bike, don't buy one that COULD have issues. Buy something that won't make you poor man. But the Monster isn't too much of a bad choice IMHO.

cg

[Aminul]

+1 on the second bike theory; at least that worked for me. Though as it turns out, I never did drop the Buell Blast I started on (the previous owner did that for me, plenty, so it was cheap)

Finally!  Someone else who started on a Blast!  Laugh away, but I loved the Blast as a first bike.  I dropped it the 2nd day I had it while downshifting around a corner.  The only 'repair' was to bend the shifter back into position.  It would have been a different story on the Duc!  As it turned out, a 620 is my 2nd bike.  Couldn't be happier! 

[acalles]

I started on my 695.. well, before that I rode a blast at the MSF class.

There are a few things that made it difficult as a learner.. the clutch on them (at least on mine) seems like its a on/off switch compared to the friction zone the blast had.. the brakes can bite you easily, the gearing is tall, so getting off the line takes more gas then you want to give as a newb crossing a busy intersection (more about how this cause my drop later)..

The things that I really enjoy on the bike as a new rider..

1 the suspension, its great, when going threw a corner it feels rock solid and very steady,at the same time the bike reacts easily and feels light so theres more confidence when going threw corners. when I had to make an emergency stop, it was all very predictable.

2 the brakes.. even though if your not careful they'll bite you, they work VERY well and just like the suspension, very predictable and not real grabby (the brakes on the buell, grabby as hell, and suspension would dive heavily)

3 seat hight, Its comfortable for me from stop to stop.

4 the engine.. its very smooth even from low rpms, and when it does come alive it isn't surprising, it feels like its supposed to and has enough nuts to be comfortable if your going threw a corner in a gear too high.

I'm not gonna lie.. I dropped it once.. pulling threw a stop sign, I didn't give it enough gas and too much clutch and stalled out with my feet up on the pegs.. going like 2mph I just fell over.. which brings me to my next part. the mods that have made my life much nicer.

Frame and bar end sliders. when I did fall, there was very little damage, just scuffed up one of the bar end sliders and ground a bit off the clutch lever .. I don't even think its bent, just a little ground up.. Saved my tank and bars I'm sure.

the next best thing I did was the 14 tooth.. makes riding at low speeds (where crappy drops seem more likely) much easier!
I should also state, I'm riding at 7k feet and higher, so theres a lot less power then at sea level. this bike is more then powerful enough for me.. I don't have to slam down to a higher gear to pass and stuff like that.

some times I think about what if I started on something less... but I kind of get this nagging feeling if I was on a piece of junk I might do things on the bike that aren't so smart (like when driving a rental car)

[powerhammer]

My 01 M600D was my first bike and the only regret I have about it is that it wasn't an M900.  I'd have kept it if it was.

[slyfox]

Monster as a first bike??

Why not? ...... Mine's the S4R

[The Bacon Junkie]

'99 M750 is my first bike... had it about a year.  Never dropped, but some close calls. 
Once was in a tight 180 dgr left, uphill, and got a little wide, some gravel, and my right leg/boot got friendly with some bushes...   stayed up, though.  still don't know how.
 
Another time, there were like 5 RV's parked on the shoulder, blocking road signs and STOP sign at a 4 way intersection. Grrr.     By the time I saw the little white line it was too late. I sailed through the intersection with the rear locked up and shimmying side to side. Luckily, no other traffic.

Other than that, I commute 20 miles everyday on it, just got back from a long weekend trip up HWY 1 to Monterey. no troubles.  Replaced the clutch slave cylinder ($200) and oil pressure sensor ($45)

Good Luck!   [moto]   

[Popeye the Sailor]

Monster as a first bike??

Why not? ...... Mine's the S4R

Because your first car shouldn't be a ferrari.



On TOB, one guy had bought a tricolore for his first bike.



He wadded it a few weeks later, because he had no idea what he was doing. Not saying it's the case with you, but I'd rather was a 30 year old $500 Honda than a bike with exhaust cans that cost more than that...

[Dareduc]

i am with the 620/695 crowd... great beginner bike. plus (depending on your age...) you won't get all crazy like you would on a sportier bike.... but the dropping factor is an issue. a good price on a well taken care of 620 is what you should be looking for. I am in LA... it is a unique place to ride. good for a monster....(agressive, but not stupid agressive) if you are a noob... there will be times you hop on those jap bikes and think you can out run the light illuminating out of your head lamp... not a good idea.... especially in LA.

get a monster or sv something of the sort... take a safety class... enjoy the rides... and stay safe.

[redtydefx]

hey thanks for the info you guys, its really helping...   so about how much do you think minor maintenance is for a ducati with reasonable commuter use in a given year?

[SolidSnake3035]

hey thanks for the info you guys, its really helping...   so about how much do you think minor maintenance is for a ducati with reasonable commuter use in a given year?

That's a good question actually.  I'm thinking of asking the dealer to include the first service or two with my purchase...  See if you can do that aswell.