monster for a returning rider

[Curmudgeon]

Travman,

33" is definitely out for both duchess and me unless the retractable training wheel option is available for stop lights! 

Good point about the weights. The website lists the SF 848 @ 439 wet. A 796 ABS and SF 848 are BOTH listed at 373 dry. Can't find it now but I vaguely recall an "official" wet weight of 413 for the 796. If I add gas and oil, I come up with 401 though. Go figure!

My comments on steering were from "thought" who remarked that the 796 steering was telepathic whereas an SF had to be "coaxed" to turn. 

Having owned only one 4-valve, a Ferracci-prepped 851 SBK, I DO know that the center of gravity is not as low but that the 4-valves go entirely TOO fast.  (At least for the street as I frequently caught myself doing 140!) For someone coming from Jap bikes, the difference in center of gravity might mean little, but having "grown up" on BMWs and Ducatis mostly, I much prefer the 2V "feel". The 4V is certainly smooth though.

Glad to hear that you got to try a 796. Have had ZERO difficulty passing slower traffic with this thing but only learned the other day from my son that it is illegal in VA to pass more than ONE vehicle at a time! I'd been blowing by 2 - 5, just like NJ. Weird law.

Regards!

[Duchess]

A couple of things against the Street Fighter
 - seat height of 33 is going to be a problem - I "fit" the Monster 696, at 30.5, so already looking at techniques to lower the 796 from 31.5 to 30.5 ... the Street Fighter at 33 will be more of a stretch (literally)
 - Street Fighter has no ABS (even though it has DTC)

Duchess

[Duchess]

OK so I went shopping on the way home and am now the proud owner of a couple of S&W M&P's - a .45c and a 9c - and a Beretta Tomcat .32 ...

The Tomcat is for summer carry under skirts & dresses, plus is BUG to the M&P 9c. 9c is winter carry under jackets or in pants, and can live in the car for the summer. The M&P 45c is just because I like the way it goes "bang".

I'm thinking
696 = Beretta 32 - not as much power as you would like, but easy to use, fits real well
796 = M&P 9mm - not as small as the 32, or as powerful as the 45, but probably the best all round compromise for weight, power & everyday usage
1100e = M&P 45 - more power than really needed to do the job, but so much fun to let it rip

I guess the symptom that I couldn't just walk out with the M&P 9c "compromise" gun, bodes badly for my Motorbike shopping .. .may have to sell the Porsche to make room in the garage for 3 monsters

Also the fact that I "tweaked" the M&P 9c with fiber optic sights shows that you Ducati guys are rubbing off on me and I can no longer leave well enough alone ..

Duchess

[Buckethead]

also the fact that I "tweaked" the M&P 9c with fiber optic sights shows that you Ducati guys are rubbing off on me and I can no longer leave well enough alone ..

Duchess

One of us, one of us, gooble gobble, one of us. 

[gmerri]

One more day til my 796 is here.

I don't buy that pita comment about the airweight 38.  It fires on single or double action if you have rounds in the gun.  No thinking.  Highly concealable.  No safety and in short range where it counts, it will be there.  Sure, I have and love to shoot glocks (have the subcompact 9 and 45).  But, when I don't want to have to think and most problems will be close, no question, I'd like to have that 38 revolver in my hand.  If you've missed 5 times and haven't gotten away, it probably isn't meant to be.  If I can get to my AR, then it is fun time at any rate.    

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_766203_-1_757768_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

[Travman]

Curmudgeon, do you still have that 851?  There is a white, red, and green 851 on display in the front window of DucPond right now.

[Duchess]

The pita comment was about this gun

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_764939_-1____ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

the titanium/scandium version weighing 11.4 oz firing a 357 mag cartridge

compared to your aluminum airweight which weighs in at 15.1 oz, firing a 38 special ...

But anyway, I went with the Beretta, mostly because its totally cute and pretty ... so there ... it also is SA/DA, so I can carry "cocked and locked" and be ready to go just by flipping the thumb safety.

Not to say a J frame isn't somewhere in my future, just not now ...

And I picked the S&W over the Glock, but peace on that one, I could easily have gone the other way, the S&W was just a marginally better fit to my hand, is all.



Duchess

[Curmudgeon]

Curmudgeon, do you still have that 851?  There is a white, red, and green 851 on display in the front window of DucPond right now.

There was a tree with my name on it in the mountains of NW NJ. Sold it in 1991 after three years. Never knew how fast I was going. Went to a friend of Adamo's out on L.I. Not sure what you do out there with one!  Used up a lot of PBA cards riding that rocket...

Can't picture a Tri-colore as I believe the stock bikes were all red. Like Lucchinelli's? Maybe somebody dropped his in the driveway and decided to do some decorating.

[MadDuck]

It's an interesting slight turn of direction to compare weapons to motorcycles but at a certain level I can dig it.

I can definitely see having different bikes but different versions of the same basic model might stretch it a bit for me.   I'd say get the biggest you can handle nicely but not so big that it handles you instead.  

[El-Twin]

Having just gone through a similar thought process....

Logically, the 796 offers everything you need without biting off more than you can chew. It's size, power and handling will put a smile on your face without worring about grabbing too much throttle at the wrong moment.

I opted for the 1100 evo because the wife will eventually want to hook-up in back. But a passenger doesn't sound like it's in the cards for you, so consider that. The thrust of the 1100 can be breathtaking, but just make sure it's pointed in the direction you want to go when you grab a handful.

So the 796 makes total sense, and offers a lot more for the money than a 696. But something about having the "ultimate" Monster can be it's own reward.

[Duchess]

Kinda where I am, too, El-Twin ... 796 makes perfect sense, so I'll prolly end up with the 1100e, just 'cos

Laughing at myself already :-)  Duchess

[Betty]

I guess the symptom that I couldn't just walk out with the M&P 9c "compromise" gun, bodes badly for my Motorbike shopping .. .may have to sell the Porsche to make room in the garage for 3 monsters

Nothing wrong with having 3 Monsters in the shed. My S2R is kept company by the Boss' 620 & S4R (both of which have been lowered) ... they all have completely different personalities yet are unmistakably Monsters.

With regard to your 'dilemma' ... you can't really lose. Your considered approach and thoughtful understanding of the realities holds you in good stead. The test rides should confirm your feelings and make your decision easier

As for all this gun talk ... geez I am enough danger to myself with a Monster and a keyboard so I'll leave that alone.

Good luck.

[Moronic]

Duchess,

I'll be fascinated to read your report after you take some test rides.

What continues to astonish me from following bike development over the decades, is the rate at which general performance levels have risen.

Returning to bikes around 06 after a break of only six years, I had my eyes opened when a friend offered a long run on his near-new Suzuki GSX-R1000.



We spent a bit of time on semi-rural roads and then he asked me whether I'd tried the full top-end rush yet.

Well, no, because I couldn't see the point of doing that in first gear, while I'd be doing well over 100mph at red-line even in second - and we were still on near-city roads with 55mph speed limits. Just seemed rude.

I have taken a look at your intro thread. Sounds like you were quite into bikes if you went to the trouble of putting your CB750F2 engine into a Rickman chassis. That would have been a much admired sporting ride, I imagine.

So as others have said, obviously all the Monster options are open to you.

OTOH, from the specs anyway, the 696 will offer a bit more torque, power and revs than your Rickman Honda, with a lot less weight and better steering, braking and handling.

If you did keep the bike a long time, you could get value out of upgrading the suspension. To beyond "Evo" levels if you wished.

I'm not intending to push this. Just pointing out possibilities.

Me? I have an S4Rs, which I love, but if buying new now for solo use would probably go for a 796 and do the suspension. And I'm not seat-height challenged. The S4Rs is lovely on the open road but not much fun in town. And even out of town, I never use all the revs nor all the throttle. (Might be different if I were chasing people on good mountain roads, but where I am now there aren't any.)

[Duchess]

Dear Ducattzi and Monster-afficionado's all ...

Well, the popular vote is in : Duchess should get
 - the 796 with the lower seat option (either Ducati or aftermarket)
 - request the 14T option
 - decide about Termi - not essential, but may help smooth out the bottom end.
 - consider swapping out the suspension for an Ohlin's set up for her weight range

The general feeling on the 696 is "fun bike, probably a step up from what you had before, but possible to outgrow, and for a few dollars more on the 796, probably worth the step up, even if it means having to lower it to be comfortable.

For the 1100evo - its a lot of bike, and at risk for being not so much fun, as its pretty near impossible to take advantage of the extra power in normal road use, and a liability around town. The better suspension is nice, but possibly a lot of the adjustment isn't usable for her weight range and riding solo.  If the evo, then the stock pipes/power are good and no reason to consider termi's.

So - I go armed (with knowledge, I'm leaving the guns behind) and interested into the next round of interviews and test rides at dealerships ...

Duchess

[Raux]

actually
2 changes

- the Ducati lower seat is wider and may cause issues with your hip. better to keep the stock seat or go with a custom seat.

and

-lower the suspension with the 696 rear clevis and pull the forks through a bit. (like a 20 dollar mod!)