The history of the Monster List

[ScottRNelson]

The history of the Monster List - from my point of view. 

I bought the first Monster in September of 1997, without doing any online research or even reading about it other than a Cycle World article back in 1993.  Once I had the bike, I was suddenly anxious to learn all I could about it.

Searching for forums about the Monster sent me to ClubDesmo.com, which was great for many years, but has totally decayed and become a home for spammers, plus the group organizes some good track days.  But you can't find a good motorcycle discussion there anymore.

Right after that, I found cowintech.com, which had a big Ducati forum and a smaller Triumph forum.  It wasn't much different from an e-mail digest, except that it was available on-line.  That one had some strong personalities, but was a great source of information for several years.  Eventually the strong personalities drove everyone else away and it died.  The site no longer exists.

Sometime in the late 90's, I discovered the e-mail list that still exists today, available at http://micapeak.com/mailman/listinfo/ducatimonster  This is where the name "Ducati Monster List" originated and a small number of participants keep it going.  It's e-mail only and you can choose to either receive every e-mail message or receive a digest.  It was a great community up until 2003 or 2004, when DucatiMonster.org finally took off.  The list originator, Thomas Alberti, was seriously injured in a tank slapper accident and finally dropped out to pursue a medical career or something.  There were archives covering several years, but I don't know if they still exist online or not.

It wasn't until late 2002 or early 2003 that DucatiMonster.org was started by Jeff Higginbotham (I hope I spelled that right).  I managed to be number 10 or 11 to sign up for the list.  You can see an early post where the early member introduced themselves here: http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91844  That was back when I was a moderator for No Monster Content, before it turned into "The Garbage Disposal" (from my point of view).

It took about six months to reach critical mass, and there were about two dozen people who kept the forum going back then.  The number one poster, by a long ways, was Daffe.  Back then, you got a ranking based on how many posts you had, like newbie up to 50, junior for 100, and so on up to Advanced Member for a bigger number like 1000 (all of these names could be wrong).  But a new category was created called "DaffeLike" for those who got over 2000, in honor of the many posts that Daffe made.  He finally dropped out after he got married and had to concentrate on his chiropractic business.

And everything went along smoothly until May 5, 2008 when The Other Board got wrecked and this one suddenly took off.

So let's hope that http://ducatimonsterworldwide.org has a long and interesting life.

Feel free to correct any "facts" that I've messed up, or add more details.

[m1moto]

I always wondered how it all started, thanks for historical trivia

[SKOM]

Thanks Scott. Interesting stuff.  wt:

[Ducatista]

I had no idea that I registered for the first time right at the beginning of the board.  I didn't become an active member until 2006, though.  What brought me there was searching for a solution to my suicide sidestand problem.  I found the blasted replacement bolt and continued to be a solo rider for the next year and a half.

[Rob Hilding]

I remember finding TOB in '02 when I got my first Monster.

It was great to find so much info.

I also remember posting a couple of typical newbie questions to which no one responded.

Kinda stayed away after that ...... but eventually, returned and met a lot of great people wt:

[Adam in TX]

TOB in 2003 for me. I remember daffe... and daffelike.

That's nice to think about... I think I might be a tad depressed about the failure of the DML.

[Juan]

I remember the old days, Scot was the only other person who use to like my yellow baby duc.. That is when the 620 first came out.
Here are some pictures of way back then at a dinner for the old DML, at Armadillo grill...and than later on at the first meet of the now call MOB.







Cafe Triste, San Francisco Ca.  Before the Zgs..

[ROBsS4R]

Wow everyone looks so young 

[ScottRNelson]

Wow, Armadillo Willy's (I'm a doin' wheelies) when Chris Kelley was in town to haul off my old engine and other parts of my wrecked 1997 M900.

That's the only Ducati event that my wife has ever attended with me, by the way.

[red baron]

Wow, think of where all those reflectors went. ;:|

[Speeddog]

Must've been very early '03 at the latest, as I joined in March '03, and the board was rolling fairly well at that point.

Daffe was the *man* in those early years, for sure.

Lots of good times.

[duc996]

Very interesting to know how it all started,and ended.

[DJ]

Ahh Daffe, I hadn't thought about the guys for a while. I remember wondering if I'd ever become daffelike myself. I joined TOB in May '03, and it soon became my daily obsession. For some reason my performance review wasn't very important that summer...

Did he ever get that solid white one-piece fully perforated suit he was talking about? mo:t:

dj

[Juan]

Ahh Daffe, I hadn't thought about the guys for a while. I remember wondering if I'd ever become daffelike myself.

Did he ever get that solid white one-piece fully perforated suit he was talking about? mo:t:

dj

hehehe... ;:|  Yea, I think he did..! 

[DJ]

I want a picture! I just never could picture lil Daffe in a solid white suit. Images of the Power Rangers keep entering my head.