Finally, the wait is over..

[mogmachine]

In august i got back from holiday where i had been flying around on a 50cc twist and go and promptly went and grabbed one as quickly as my cash could fly out of my pocket, ...having been used to skateboards, moutainbikes and kiteboards as my major form of transportation there was a smile on my face. ....for about five minutes.

It was inevitable, ..just as when i bought my first 3m kite i was always going to end up flying a 10.5m, ....how long was i going to last on a bike that didn't go downhill as fast as my skateboard (proven, . .almost at the cost of my pants).

So to cut a very long story short, ...today i walked my dog down to the vet, left her there to have a little something cut off her ear, and ambled over to Rex Judd in west hampstead to finally go and pick up my new 695.

To say i spent the next hour or so smiling would be an assumption, ..i didn't really look at my face that much, ...but i am smiling now that's for sure, ...even though it rained all day and i only got just over an hour on the bike before something inside told me "you only passed your test on wednesday, today is friday, ..go home and read the instruction manual".

...so am i one of you now, ..i think that would be a little presumptious, .but i guess i might be well on the way.
So is this the single longest winded hello ever, ..it just might be, ...

...quick, ..bail myself out, ..ask for advice, ..that's an idea, ...

...being a fairly pint sized 5"8 65kgs and having only really ridden the GS500 i learn't and did my test on, i did find myself a little unsure moving the bike at around at no speed, ...like walking it backwards to park, ....and making those slow sharp turns at -5mph .....any advice, ..pointers, ...or should i just do as i think best, ..which is shut up, ..keep practicing, ..and remind myself that i am in fact a good rider, ....just one who now has to pay for the damage if he drops the bike. ,...that and i would of course cry.

Hello. :)

-mog

[Gadget]

Hi.
Welcome.

[Yorkie]

Welcome, remember the Monster has the turning circle of the Ark Royal!

Take it easy keep it sticky side down!

Yorkie.

[scrumpster]

Congrats and they make a lovely first bike, and a new one too, you lucky :eyepopping:

[GULLY]

Hello and welcome to the club
you chose the wright bike monster are best:mand:

gully

[gary tompkins]

Hi Mog,

Hope to see you down in Kent (Oakdene meet) when the weather improves

Congrats on the new 695 and take it nice and easy - it'll all slot into place with more practice ;)

[Gilps]

Hello and welcome. Not sure if the 695 has a ride height adjuster but if it does then get the dealer to make sure it is set low. It will make it turn in a little slower (you won't feel it really) but will make the bike a little lower. I'm only 5'6" with short legs and I manage OK. Get off the bike to back it out of the garage/parking spaces etc, then get on when it's pointing the right way. Works for me.
Enjoy it.

[CrashMonkey]

Hello and welcome :) As said above, keep practicing and your control of the bike (At whatever speed) will keep improving :)

[mogmachine]

Thanks guys, ...today was sunny and dry and everything was perfect, ...it's amazing the difference between the first and second days of a new bike.

I think i will go quiet now for a while whilst i learn and improve, ..and then no doubt i will be back, ...especially for exhaust and headlight modding time after my first service.

Thanks for your welcomes.

[Mand]

Welcome!

PS - Nice kite.

[Tigerlily]

..and then no doubt i will be back, ...especially for exhaust and headlight modding time after my first service.




Welcome to the club Mog!..... Don't forget the all important tail chop too!









*cue argument about tail chop pro's and cons!* :biggrin:

[mogmachine]

...the kite, ..that was my old frenzy, ..now i have a new frenzy, ..definite pattern emerging here, ...but if you kiteboard or snowkite then let me know as that is one of my other passions.

As for the chop, ....i am not taking an angler grinder to my baby just yet, ....not this week anyway. :)

[gremlin]

Welcome to the club, I'm only 5"1 and haven't got my bike yet, but my 125 was quite tall. I've found surveying the area useful, trying not to end up on slopes or near potholes cos once you overbalance you're buggered so to speak. Or get off and lug it round. I was told to feather the back brake on slow turns to stop the front forks diving and getting you off, I dropped my bike once or twice until I got the hang of using the back brake instead of front. It was mortifying dropping mine outside the local bikers pub, not that they ribbed me too much. Have fun, don't try to do too much too soon. Other half made me do a two year apprenticeship on a 125 cos I'm bit of a loon in a car, now I'm one on a bike too.

[queen_gpants]

Hello and welcome from another pint sized biker!

I'm 5'2" and the 900 is quite a tall bike for me but having ridden some pretty hefty bikes over the years, GSXR600 srad and Ducati 888 I have learnt not to paddle bikes backwards (dropping it hurts the pride and the bike!) get off and push it back, one hand on the bar and one on the seat, lean it into you a little to stop it toppling over - this happened to me once with the gixxer and I had to run to the local indian take away to get help to pick it up again, very embarassing !! lol :o

You'll get used to turning it and do remember it has the turning circle of a tank!

Like others have said you should be able to adjust the seat height but you get used to it and if all else fails buy some platform boots, they work wonders! :chuckle:

[gremlin]

I was hoping to do my test on mine, but hearing about the turning circle I think I'll chicken out and borrow the schools Kwacker ER5 it's lower than a snakes belly and even I can get both feet flat. Platforms are a no no can't get toes under to change gear :freak: It's no biggy to get off and park it or move it, admittedly it's easier if you're a girly cos you can just do a Penelope Pitstop and the guys can't wait to help.

[scrapps]

Hello and welcome, hope to see you down da cafe one sunday (please don't park clean new 695 next to my old 620 cos will make me jealous.):grump: take it easy and enjoy:biggrin:

[mogmachine]

Hmm, ...i posted that thread a few months ago, ..and suddenly in the last few days i have received a few replies, ....ironic really as i have just got my bike back from doing a little bit of work to it, ...no longer is it a standard black/red 695, ..oh no, ...it now looks like this:

http://www.mogmachine.com/blog_images/bike_new_1.jpg

http://www.mogmachine.com/blog_images/bike_new_2.jpg

http://www.mogmachine.com/blog_images/bike_new_3.jpg


Can i still park it next to you :)

...won't be around for Ace Cafe on the 8th, am going to be in Japan from sunday for a week, ....oh wait, ..i will be back by then, ...see you there.

-mog

[Pedro]

That looks right nice!

Ped

[mogmachine]

Thanks, ..he says :running: nipping outside to clean the wheels again.

[benson]

White monster - you are a brave soul indeed and I hope have a keen and eager slave in your garage to clean it every day...:D

Welcome again to the club and hope to see you on the 8th if it's not snowing!

I'm Benson - a.k.a. Rachel - and I'm the london and essex rep - check out the region boards as we're off to the Excel london bike show on the 4th Feb and then there's a mini weekender to Tideswell in September - that's on the national thread...

Ride safe and have fun,

Benson

[Spike]

Hello and welcome from another pint sized biker!

I'm 5'2" and the 900 is quite a tall bike for me but having ridden some pretty hefty bikes over the years, GSXR600 srad and Ducati 888 I have learnt not to paddle bikes backwards (dropping it hurts the pride and the bike!) get off and push it back, one hand on the bar and one on the seat, lean it into you a little to stop it toppling over - this happened to me once with the gixxer and I had to run to the local indian take away to get help to pick it up again, very embarassing !! lol :o

You'll get used to turning it and do remember it has the turning circle of a tank!

Like others have said you should be able to adjust the seat height but you get used to it and if all else fails buy some platform boots, they work wonders! :chuckle:

Some tanks can neutral turn so thats very small turning area.:D

[benson]

Spike, you need to get out more mate!!!!

[Shandy]

Thanks, ..he says :running: nipping outside to clean the wheels again.

Thats why i had mine coated black, being a lazy git and all :D

Bikes looking good there :thumbsup:

Cheers,

Shandy

[Albie]

I think it looks great. I wouldnt like to clean the wheels though. I would personally like black on my s4. Single sider 748 not too bad to clean.

[mogmachine]

pah !, ...a dirty wheel is a dirty wheel,
....but when mine are clean they are WHITE :mand:

....which if you happen to be in possession of a damp cloth on a regular basis isn't really too much of a problem, .....and if they get dirty.. ..then i shall have to keep my eyes on the road and not my own reflection.:spin:


..oh, ..and the monster can neutral turn spike, ..it just requires a fine balancing act, and more faith than your average owner has in his/her sidestand :pedro:

[Chris & Nean]

hello Mogmachine, nice to see you here

[dukest]

Hmm, ...i posted that thread a few months ago, ..and suddenly in the last few days i have received a few replies, ....ironic really as i have just got my bike back from doing a little bit of work to it, ...no longer is it a standard black/red 695, ..oh no, ...it now looks like this:


oooh, now that does look good! can i ask where you got the paintwork done and about the different flyscreen to match your lights? i'm hoping to get an s2r but would have very similar thoughts as you as to how to improve it! :mand:

[mogmachine]

The paintwork was done at Ducati in Aylesbury, ...which is onyerbike.net not the actual main dealer, ..they are just round the side, ..ask for rod if you phone up, he is very helpful, ...as for the screen, ...it is the standard ducati one, ...it is not special for my lights even though the cut outs look like it is, ..to be honest i should probably put a couple more spacers under the lights and raise them more into the fairing, ...but it is raining and ****ty and i don't even have the impetus to polish the wheels.

[J.P]

Hello Mog. I agree, very stunning in the white and they'll be no problem seeing you coming downt he road.
I also have a 695 but left mine original for now, very quiet it is too compared to some the the other Monthers I met. What cans did you replace them with, I can't quite make it out from the picture ?

[mogmachine]

Termigoni's, high, ....they not only sound amazing, but with the new ECU they get rid of any of the uncertainty the 695 has when you roll the power on and off in first and sometimes second, ...and open first up to a gear you actually enjoy using rather than something you just want to get the hell out of.

[J.P]

I hadn't even thought about how it would change the action of the bike, I was just thinking sound ! Where did you find the cans just on the company's site or through you garage ? And how much can I ask ?

[mogmachine]

I knew they cost around £1400 with the ECU kit, ...but i was lucky that Aylesbury had a pair lying around they did me for £600, ..don't ask me how why what, ..i just know i a) was in the right place at the right time, and b) must have spent enough that they thought i deserved it.

...if it is just noise you are after loosen all of your bolts and wedge a coke can in your exhaust :)

[Paivi]

Termigoni's, high, ....they not only sound amazing, but with the new ECU they get rid of any of the uncertainty the 695 has when you roll the power on and off in first and sometimes second, ...and open first up to a gear you actually enjoy using rather than something you just want to get the hell out of.
Uncertainty? Can't say I've noticed any uncertainty with my 695.

As for the termis, good thing you didn't pay the £1,400 as their retail price is £495, according to Ducati UK.

[dameiw]

Hi and Welcome

[mogmachine]

£495 ?? ..with the Marelli ECU and high efficiency air filter, ...me thinks not, ..but if you can get it for that then go for your life mate.

..as for uncertainty, ...jump, ..jerk ,..whatever you want to call it ....made that little bit worse by central london speed bumps.

[sadbiker]

£1400 pounds........sounds very excessive to me, Did you look around and check prices first ?

are they really termis? the ones for the 620 were Remus and still going strong after 4 years. These in 02 retailed for about 600.

[Scotty]

umm i payed £1350 for mine but it was worth it , i think :?

[mogmachine]

I think i will bow out of the price war, ..please that someone is edging my way, ..thank for the support scotty, ..we all know never to look at the price of something once you have bought it, ..duh :drunk:

[sadbiker]

Warning clangers from the missus and the bank manager tend to make me see sense where price is concerned...

Glad she was very happy when I bought her the DP High level Carbons (REMUS) for her 620 for her birthday one year.. With the DP Carbon Belly pan etc..

But to be honest £1400 is very excessive for what they are and I have always found that waiting and looking around tends to be a better policy. They always end up be flogged at more realistic prices. If Arrow can do good cans at full price at £650 then thats a ceiling for me. I was lucky with my S2R, I wasn't going to bother with cans as didn't even want to pay that. But when they came up on this site at half price ...... what the hell..

[singletrack]

You can get termi end cans for quite a bit less than £1400 BUT thay do not come with ECU and filter.
If you get some cheaper ones you can always put a power commander on and new air filter at a later date - that's what I did. It cost about the same in the long run - but I didn't have to pay for it all at once.

[Scotty]

err maybe i should point out it was no ordaniary 'exhaust' i bought

if i can just wave my willy about for a moment , 15 extra bhp apparently

[Bodybag]

err maybe i should point out it was no ordaniary 'exhaust' i bought

if i can just wave my willy about for a moment , 15 extra bhp apparently

15BHP extra?! Do they come with built in afterburners or something?!

[Scotty]

sps cams bwuhahahahaar

[sadbiker]

Must be gold plated for that.....