David
San Francisco, CA
Just sold: Suzuki TU250X ('11)
Current Bike: Ducati Monster 696 ('09)Riding history:
*Took MSF course, got M1 license in 2012
*Due to cross-country moves and job changes, didn't buy a bike
*Next few years, I got back into cars - and bought a Subaru BRZ to track (it's been sold)
*Bought the Suzuki TU250X and rode for almost a month
Now I know it's a little crazy to buy a Ducati M696 as my "first bike" since I had only owned the TU250X for literally just under a month - but the deal was too good to pass up. In fact, I had actually been intending on searching for a Triumph Classic, namely the Scrambler - but their high prices here in the Bay Area kept me from making that leap (the M696 was a bit steep for me too...).
In any case, as easy as the TU was to ride in SF, it simply didn't have enough power for me to feel safe 'scootin' around the city, especially since I live in one of the hilliest areas. I loved the balance of the TU and it's classic looks, but had always loved the Monster (Senna, Ducati heritage - having rode a friend's Multistrada before) along with the Triumphs. I decided to look into the Monster since I knew it had a low seat height so I could feel confident (I'm 6' 1" in case you're wondering).
Found a great deal on a M696 with only 5.8k miles with some mods:
*Termignoni CF Exhaust
*MotoDynamics Integrated Taillight
*Atomic Fender Eliminator
I spent so much time studying the Triumph Classics line and old CBs that I am still catching up on this bike, learning about how everything works, etc. Turns out I got a great exhaust with the bike (my ears told me so too, though it's ridiculously too loud for my really quiet area). I'm happy with the bike and it's beautiful and feels great but I am:
*Pretty damn scared of the bike (out of reverence of it's greater power)
*Surprised at how hard it is to finesse the bike at low speeds and clutch control
*Taking safety and gear very seriously (no skimping here, would rather not ride than to have bad gear)
*Still getting used to the choke, the sporty riding position, and super awesome - powerful brakes
I've got a lot ahead as far as learning goes and I'll be practicing all my low speed moves with a friend who's got track experience. He promised to let me practice on his extra track bike (Ninja 250R). I'm thinking of grabbing a Throttle Tamer and doing a 14T swap (I've been doing some homework) but although this bike was an awesome bargain, it was still way out of budget for me
- so I'll be patient!
I know it's not the most orthodox bike to get with such little riding time under my belt but I definitely think being taller, having years of road cycling experience, and understanding (a manual transmission) car dynamics on the track and twistys have helped tremendously in reducing that learning curve of mine. I still know there's tons to learn and I hope to gain all that from my time in community here and from my friends.
