Looking to buy 900 Monster

[lowraW]

I have been looking for the last few months at buying 900 monster, I would like something 2000 onwards.

I have come accorss the following at team moto, looks like its been unregistered for a year, thoughts?

http://www.teammoto.com.au/used_bikes.php?action=view_stock&order=price&orderdir=ASC&pNum=1&pLimit=10&make_id=21&model_id=773&stock_id=C03813

Im in Tassie in the south and it doesn't help seeing yellow mennie all the time!!

[Yellow Meanie]

Hello there Lowra 

I'm glad to have been somewhat of an inspiration to you 



Have you actually inspected the bike? How do you know it's been unregistered for a year?

Obviously, being at a "dealership", the price is already too high.
The tail has been chopped, which might make getting a roadworthy difficult. But I spose they would have to sort that out in the shop anyway.
There is no bikini fairing.
There is no tail cowling.
Km's are reasonable, although mine had half that, just over a year ago when I bought her.

I don't believe it is an actual "S" model:
   Looks like it has adjustable Marzocchi's up front - good.
   But is should also have an adjustable Ohlins rear 
   The rear hugger should also be CF. No biggie, you can get a short one anyway.
   The rear brake caliper should be positioned under the rotor and connected to the engine block via an arm.

I think someone may have been a bit sneaky and put the 900Sie sticker on the side 

None of these points area actually "bad" points. From the pics it looks like a clean and tidy machine.
Hopefully you can use this info to knock a grand or so off the price.
If you walk in there with "model specific" info, they will at least think you know what you are talking about 
       

[lowraW]

Bloody hell, thats alot of information, thankyou

I sent off an email for pictures and got 4 phone calls instead, one from their 'marketing manager', I guess they are keen for a sale.

NSW Transport shows that rego expired junuary 2009, which makes me wonder if has been someones project hence the questionable sideways stickers on the side covers and no seat cover etc.

Is tail chop an isue with Tassie reg?

Price seams ok if they can cover six months rego and transport to Tassie (which I doubt they would) which would make it easier on me and leaves the rest of my budget for some nice pipes.

[techno]

Another Tassie monster would be great.

I'd be looking for a documented service history first. You want to know its been looked after and had its belt changes and valve clearances done to schedule.

I'm sure one of the friendly Sydney crew will go and cast an eye over it for you. (they offered to look at a few bikes for me when I was shopping).

BTW I purchased mine from Sydney and had it sent down so if you have any questions about how I did it, feel free to ask.

[loony888]

i'd say keep looking, the tail chop is illegal, and while plenty of people like them there's no going back and modifying the frame is a no no, you shouldn't be able to get it registered. it's not an "S" it doesn't have the alloy swingarm, it does have the hoop rear suspension, which means it's based on the 888 frame and rear suspension geometry, from 2000 onwards have a ride height rod and are based on the ST series frames and are better in every way. I've seen a few of these imported from japan of all places so make sure it's an official import with an australian compliance plate, as yellow meanie has said there's no seat cowl or bikini fairing, which were std on the "S". lots of klms, if it has a full service history and a warranty book then maybe, without it? i wouldn't touch it.
it's a buyers market so i'd shop around, there's plenty of good monsters around, worth remembering too that newer smaller capacity bikes make the same HP that the carbed 900 did, you may pay a little more than for the right bike but usually you get what you pay for and i still say that 900 is overpriced by about $1500 and that's just after a quick look, i doubt it would improve after a proper inspection.

paul.

[loony888]

some 800's
http://www.bikepoint.com.au/all-bikes/results.aspx?Ns=p_RankSort_Int32%7C1%7C%7Cp_Make_String%7C0%7C%7Cp_Model_String%7C0%7C%7Cp_YearMade_Int32%7C1%7C%7Cp_PriceSort_Decimal%7C1&N=1432+604+1428+4294967242+4294965504&TabID=2207444&keywords=&Nne=15

the middle one already has carbon hi-rise pipes too.
just examples of what else is out there.

paul.

[lowraW]

Thanks Paul,

that second 800 does look nice, I guess I can be a new age man and admit the lower capacity is not an issue...

I do really like low pipes though.... has anyone modded these from High rise in the past?

Sorry if this question offends anyone.

[brad black]

that bike is a 2001 model - silver engine, late model clutch slave.  it has an alloy swingarm - you can see the stand pick ups that the steel arms never had.  right forks, should have a showa shock i think in 2001 - only the 1998 and 2000 had ohlins from memory.  should have a screen tho.  you could get the vin and call nfi - they'd be able to tell you.

the tail chop thing is an issue depending on who is doing the inspecting.  i used to knock them back when doing rwc and usually the result was lots of whining.  it does have std mufflers so i'd say they've made it as stock as they can and hope no one asks too many questions.  like the dealership i used to work at, they may let things out on sales deals that wouldn't get a rwc as a walk in.  my boss could also sign rwc, and he'd do the ones i refused to.  you could ask them to guarantee that it'll be ok, but that won't be much help when they're 2,000km away and you can't get it registered.  you can usually hide enough of it with std plastic bits to cover up welded on tubes - we had to do that a couple of times.  as long as it looks ok and doesn't wobble.  like keeping std mufflers, people who throw all the removed bits away are going to have issues in the future as the rego systems get tighter.

if they want to move it you could demand all the required plastic bits for the tail and the screen and use paul's price guide.  see how keen they are.

800's go almost as well as 900s did.

[loony888]

whoops, you're right it is an alloy swingarm (hangover! that's my excuse.....) thought they went to the later frame in 2000 though?

paul.

[Spider]

I like the early 2000's FI bikes, they get the stiffer frame, more power....I wanted a m800 as my first but they were as rare as hens teeth in the 6 month period I searched (goldie's was one of very few I ever heard of!). The classic monsters are lovely looking things  

[lowraW]

Went looking for more bikes and found the same one again....

Same rego number and K's on bikesales, now with seat cover and has become a 2001 model and $1850 more expensive.

http://www.bikesales.com.au/all-bikes/dealer/details.aspx?R=7968894&__Qpb=true&Cr=4&__Ns=p_PriceSort_Decimal|0||p_Make_String|0||p_Model_String|0&keywords=&__No=75&__N=1432%20604%201430%201429%201428%204294967242%20752%20687&silo=1400&PriceTo=687&seot=1&PriceFrom=752&__Nne=15&trecs=100&__sid=125EB95D8A06

I guess I will avoid this.

[wrxmy99]

I don't believe it is an actual "S" model:
   Looks like it has adjustable Marzocchi's up front - good.
   But is should also have an adjustable Ohlins rear 
   The rear hugger should also be CF. No biggie, you can get a short one anyway.
   The rear brake caliper should be positioned under the rotor and connected to the engine block via an arm.

It's a 2001 Sie, same as mine 

- Showas up front
- No CF rear hugger on the 2001 Sie (ie is Fuel Injection in case you didn't know)
- Rear caliper is on top and that is an alloy swing arm
- It also has the "prettier" KTM designed oil cooler that the 2000 didn't have.
- CF clutch cover is non standard (but I have the same mod, found the open cover too rattly, CF cover lets a bit mroe of the sound out than the stock cover does [prepares for flaming]  )

As others have said, it should have the red seat cowl and bikini fairing as these were std on the 01 Sie, and yes the tail is chopped, depends if thats your thing or not. I love the look, just fear potential rego hassles and maybe a wet(ter) butt in the rain.

Re: the price,I was goin to say that 7.9 seemed pretty good as most of them were between 9 - 10 when I was looking a year ago, thought if you could haggle closer to 7 it would be a good thing if you were OK with the tail chop as most carbied 900s are in the 6-7 range. Seems they're "corrected" that in the bike sales listing....bugger

FYI I got mine for 7.2 which I thought was a bargain at the time (35,000 ks, stock except for Ti Termignonis  and ventura rack, full service history, new clutch and bearings all round) but I had to drive to Cobar (about 10 hours from Sydney to get it!!)

Anyway I'll stop ranting about mine now other than to say I love it!

Happy New Year and good luck with the search!

Andy

[goldFiSh]

I like the early 2000's FI bikes, they get the stiffer frame, more power....I wanted a m800 as my first but they were as rare as hens teeth in the 6 month period I searched (goldie's was one of very few I ever heard of!). The classic monsters are lovely looking things 

Love my M800's - both of them, although the current one (an 03 Sie) is the one I'd prefer...

My bike is now officially never for sale - it's Nemo's bike, and he's letting me ride it until he can reach the rearsets...
And now the (casual for the moment) search for my new ride - I have a few years before he will claim it.

[brad black]

the first ST series based frame was the 2001 S4, which had an alloy swingarm, 5.9m ecu and immobilisor.  all other 2001 monsters (600, 750, 900ie) were the old frame.

2002 all monsters had the ST based frame with either the ST2/ST4 steel swingarm or the S4 alloy swingarm (which also was fitted to the ST4S) and the 5.9m ecu - 620ie, 750ie, 900ie.  none of the late alloy swingarms have stand bobbins.  first 800 was 2003, spec ranged from basic dark to s - not sure how flash the suspension offered was on the s model.

M900ie (ZDM904A2Kxxxxxx engine number) have the close ratio gearbox that i find annoying when it comes to the city versus highway gearing compromise, and even tho the 800 has a 6 speed it's ratio spread is closer to the close ratio 6 speed than the wide ratio 6 speed with a big gap from 1st to 2nd.  apart from that i quite like them.

[goldFiSh]

Good info Brad! I did not know there was different gearing ratios used..

I have a 03 M800S and it's forks are the non adjustable Marzocchi type, has goldline capliers and the coffin masters. I'm pretty sure the only upgrade to the S was the Al swingarm (abd maybe some carbon side panels)