monster for a returning rider

[Curmudgeon]

Hello Duchess,

Will reply to your PM presently.

Meanwhile..., agree that 'light is right" but maybe not to Chapman extremes. (I knew Jimmy Clark slightly when I worked with NART during the summers of 1964 & 1965). Just think, a 796 = 419 BHP per ton! You would have loved my 600 SL in your twenties because it weighed ~ 320 lbs on the scales.  BTW, few Harleys will be in the same State if they follow you on a Ducati. Your mother sounds tough! 

Agree with you on mods. After riding a 696, I knew what was right and what was needy; the mods on my 796 were done before leaving the premises. This my 34th (?) bike and 8th Ducati though. All this stuff is totally subjective but I DO know precisely what I like.

This lad was going to disassemble and fine tune my forks, but after setting up my rear shock preload and damping, he found both ends to be working perfectly together. He weighs 10 lbs more than I, BTW. http://www.ducpond.com/aboutus.asp I'm quite sure that my suspension could be more plush and 10% better..., for ~ $5K. It's too good as it is to bother. The bike goes where I think it but has no bad manners, at least at road speeds.

So far no one has mentioned that the 1100 EVO has a much heavier dry clutch. The 796 clutch is two fingers and if you ride with finesse, you'll enjoy it. No chirps from the back wheel either if you downshift through several gears briskly, so long as you make "some" attempt to match revs.  Do you still have those "old school" muscle memories? The front brake is two fingers too BTW.

Later...

[Duchess]

@Buckethead:

To miss quote Monty Python

VILLAGER #1:  If... she.. weighs the same as a duc, she's made of wood.
BEDEMIR:  And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1:  A witch!

and we all know duc's weigh in at around 430 ~ 460 lbs.

so I can only take it that you are slandering my slender figure by accusing me of being a Witch



Duchess

[Curmudgeon]

796 is 415 lbs wet with 3.6 gallons, ~ 373 dry with ABS.

[Duchess]

Hello Duchess,


So far no one has mentioned that the 1100 EVO has a much heavier dry clutch.


The 796 clutch is two fingers and if you ride with finesse, you'll enjoy it. No chirps from the back wheel either if you downshift through several gears briskly, so long as you make "some" attempt to match revs.  Do you still have those "old school" muscle memories? The front brake is two fingers too BTW.

Later...

according to Ducati, one of the mods they made on the evo was to switch to a "wet multiplate clutch with hydraulic control" - it's not the APTC on the 696/796, but its not the old heavy dry clutch.

LOL - maybe what I want is to wait until Ducati bring out the 769 evo with the better suspension ....

Duchess

PS : in Europe two fingers are for signalling to traffic as well as for clutch and front brake ...

[Curmudgeon]

Sorry! I stand corrected. http://www.ducati.com/bikes/monster/1100__evo_/233/tech_spec.do I actually LIKE the APTC on my bike as does my rather large 34-year-old son who has put ~ 100 miles on it. Guess I was thinking 1100S. You will see that it's heavier on the EVO though.

Don't hold your breath for a 796S.  The market neither exists for one nor would the ticket of admission be acceptable! The components on a 796 are quite premium. Check out the wheels and swing arm.

BTW, a 796 ABS was introduced at $11K but was reduced to $10K for 2011. I consider the ABS "free".  Price one in the U.K. and you'll see this market's advantage after you pick yourself up off the floor!   

[Nottsbiker]

Yes you get them a lot cheaper than we do, currently £8200 for the 796 with ABS and at todays exchange rate would cost $13000 US

[Duchess]

Well, I got my insurance quotes:

With full medical/bodily injury coverage the rates are (drum roll please ...)

Yamaha FZ6R (600 cc reference bike) - $713/year
Ducati   M696                                 - $591/year
Ducati   M796                                 - $678/year
Ducati  M1100evo                           - $824/year

so less than $20 a month separating the big bad evo from the cute cuddly 696 - so thank you all you careful Ducati riders out there, and stay away from Yamaha riders, they are clearly reckless !

Duchess

[Curmudgeon]

 

This is with full collision and comp I presume? What medical is that? You may already be covered for medical on your current medical policy and I presume you will not be carrying passengers! Did the broker give you all applicable experienced rider discounts? Do you have an excess liability policy covering your house and cars? If so, will it pick up where the liability coverage ends on the bike policy? OH may also be more expensive than some states. (VA is VASTLY cheaper than NJ was.) Who is this carrier?

Many here are probably only insured for liability and self-insure for collision and comp. In retirement I'm short of funds and do this. Also, the sale of my old bikes paid for these two current new ones. Also, at my age, if I REALLY drop one, I'm unlikely to be able to ride again as something major will break. Being a good bit younger, YOU would hopefully NOT be in that "fix".

[Duchess]

Dear Curmudgeon,

These were rough quotes for comparison purposes, to see if any of the choices were ruled out by sky high insurance. In the UK, the 1100e is insurance group 15, vs the 796 at group 11, so I would have expected a bigger jump going from one to the other. Less than 100/year difference is peanuts compared to what the difference in power is...

I can fine tune later, once I have picked an actual bike ...

Duchess

[Curmudgeon]

Rates in the EC are much more driven by cc's than here, and there's a lot of difference in the way bikes are rated from state to state as well. Displacement and MSRP ARE issues, but only part of the equation. No doubt you're getting discounts for homeowner, female, 50+, riding experience, etc., etc. Ask for the same quotes for a new rider <30 year-old male and your heart could stop beating! 

BTW, in the UK, an agreed value policy on my Plus 8 is 1/3 - 1/2 what a collector car policy costs here!  Life ain't fair. 

[Le Pirate]

I'll just throw my $0.02 in...

First of all: Welcome!

Now, thats out of the way...

I used to commute on my 620 all the time, and I can honestly say...I hardly ever wished I had a lot more power. It's light, and nimble, and FUN. I also regularly got 55-60 mpg out of it without ever thinking about riding efficently. I'd power away from lights, and rev it out through the gears. I'm not sure if the newer 696 are the same, but I'd assume they're close.

As far as mods. bar end mirrors are cool. some other blingy stuff too...just don't let them convince you to chop your tail, if you're going to ride in bad weather. Else you'll end up with muddy streaks up your back 

Termis sound awesome. Just do it. Damn the neighbors!

Also, if you plan on doing some touring, they monster is okay....but may I suggest the multi be added to your list of potentials. Though...it is taller


Hope you stick and round, and can put up with our unique genre of crazy 

[Buckethead]

Hope you stick and round, and can put up with our unique genre of crazy 

@Buckethead:

To miss quote Monty Python

VILLAGER #1:  If... she.. weighs the same as a duc, she's made of wood.
BEDEMIR:  And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1:  A witch!

and we all know duc's weigh in at around 430 ~ 460 lbs.

so I can only take it that you are slandering my slender figure by accusing me of being a Witch



Duchess

She seems to be holding her own. I say we keep her.

[wvcruiser]

Well, I got my insurance quotes:

With full medical/bodily injury coverage the rates are (drum roll please ...)

Yamaha FZ6R (600 cc reference bike) - $713/year
Ducati   M696                                 - $591/year
Ducati   M796                                 - $678/year
Ducati  M1100evo                           - $824/year

so less than $20 a month separating the big bad evo from the cute cuddly 696 - so thank you all you careful Ducati riders out there, and stay away from Yamaha riders, they are clearly reckless !

Duchess

my Ins insurance on the 1100 evo. Everything except collision is 13 dollars a month x 8 for 12 mo policy

[xsephirot]

Well, I got my insurance quotes:

With full medical/bodily injury coverage the rates are (drum roll please ...)

Yamaha FZ6R (600 cc reference bike) - $713/year
Ducati   M696                                 - $591/year
Ducati   M796                                 - $678/year
Ducati  M1100evo                           - $824/year

so less than $20 a month separating the big bad evo from the cute cuddly 696 - so thank you all you careful Ducati riders out there, and stay away from Yamaha riders, they are clearly reckless !

Duchess

If you have good health insurance at your work there is no reason for medical payments. Taking that out drops your premium substantially.

[Duchess]

As I said to Curmudgeon, these were a "load everything in and see how high is up" numbers - I'll fine tune when I have the specific bike picked out. So thanks for the advice on taking out the medical - I have good medical insurance at work - just need to verify they don't exclude "bodily injury due to riding a Ducati" somewhere in the small print ..

@Buckethead - thanks for leaping to my defense :-)  My Daddy didn't raise no daughter who couldn't hold her own .. so, Pirate - bring on the crazy ..  

@Pirate - I love the riding position on a MTS or Hyper ... just need to carry around a step stool as luggage, so I can climb on and off ... oh, and the electronic gizmo the fire service have to turn the upcoming traffic lights to green, so I never have to stop, 'cos my feet wouldn't be able to reach the ground... Or I could ride in awesome stiletto's ... whatcha think ?

Duchess