well i kind of found a few answers here, for example i wondering if the Monster has a fuel gauge and obviously it doesnt! how come a fuel gauge is not a standard thing on bikes?? that is really a shame imo!
It has a low fuel light...when it comes on you have a little bit of time (maybe 20 miles, depends on the bike and the rider) to fill up. Never rely on it - the trip meter should be your friend.
since i'm still new to all this, how do you guys know which gear are you on when driving? i find that very confusing to be honest. there should be a gear indicator on the screen to tell you which gear is engaged! that also should be standard.
Honestly, apart from 1st and neutral, which are obvious, it doesn't really matter which gear you are in numerically as long as it is appropriate for the situation, which you can tell by the rpms and the sound and feel of the engine...just takes getting used to.
and what about helmet locks? i read that you can lock your helmet from under the back seat but there is no clear pictures to show how, do you guys have any pics or have i missed a thread?
I wouldn't trust locking a helmet to a bike, I always carry mine with me.
I'm selling my Aprilia tomorrow and within a few days my Monster will arrive, hopefully will post some pics by then..wish me luck with both processes, selling the Aprilia and buying the monster
Good luck!
And what is your typical advice about beginning bikes? dont you think that the 696 would fit as a beginner bike?
No, I really don't. I think it is a great 2nd bike.
I wrote this to someone else before but I'll repeat it here:
You will find all kinds of differing advice about the suitability of a Monster as a starter bike.
Personally I would recommend first finding a little beater bike and riding the snot out of it for 6 months, then getting your Duc. Why?
- You should be able to sell a good starter bike for about the same price that you buy it for
- Less expense and heartbreak when you drop it - Ducs are more expensive to repair (even if you can do the work yourself, the parts are more expensive than for a japanese bike...)
- It'll be very forgiving when you are still learning the mechanics and coordination of riding; it's much easier to get in trouble quickly with a bigger bike
- It'll build your confidence
faster than a bigger bike will - it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
- It'll save you on insurance
- After you've been riding for a little while you'll have a much better idea of what you are looking for in your next bike
Here's a review I wrote up a while ago on the Ninja 250:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2613.0And here's an excellent post I saw on another board about beginning bikes:
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5380523&postcount=8But it sounds like you have made up your mind already, so good luck and enjoy!
