So What was your first Monster memory

[He11cat]

I was just thinking being the Monsters aniversary and all that what was your first memory of The Monster and was that the moment when you thought you had to have one :):mand:

[mintyhit]

I was about 14 and I overheard my dad talking about his friend’s new motorcycle, a "Monster", setting off car alarms - which my rebellious little mind thought was totally awesome.

[utopia]

Mine was at Donnington motoGP, while queueing for over an hour to get out of the carpark (in the car).
I'd been away from bikes for 10yrs or more.
Can't remember the year exactly, but it was probably around 2000. Melandri was still riding 250s.
Not much to tell really. Simply, a blue, 2-valve monster thundered past and I immediately new that it was "the one".
That's it..... Love at first sight.
.....though it was 3 or 4 more years before I actually got one.

First memories of riding one were....down to Brands for the final BSB round, torrential rain, water in reg/rec connectors, battery boiled, overflow pipe missing, acid dissolved the finish on my alternator cover.
Hey-ho.

[neilo]

Although I loved the looks of it, I wasn't particularly enamoured with the Mevo following my first experience of riding one... I thought it was unnecessarily loud, and vibrated quite a lot. I also didn't think it was a fast bike. Have to remember that I'd gotten off a ZZR1400 to test ride the monster.

Riding a monster is clearly a very deceptive experience, because it was only when my mates told me that I'd left them behind that I realised I must have been shifting a little.

So it was my second experience on the very same bike that struck a real chord with me...

It was apparent that I hadn't ridden it correctly the first time around (it likes a few more revs vs. a IL4), because the second occasion left me with a grin from ear to ear, and I put a deposit down immediately after the test ride.

Loving it now...

[don_matese]

I bought an M600 that hadn't been ran in about two years, it leaked petrol and wouldnt idle for any length of time. On my first run after "fixing" it, it broke down on my - miles from nowhere in the rain... police drove past me three times before thinking to stop...by then though the breakdown van had called to tell me they were ten mins away...

Got it home to find the tank had been "fixed" with some epoxy coating on the inside that had come loose and clogged the filters. I tried clearing the tank but it was no use so I managed to find one on ebay and its been fine since (well as fine as a 17yr old bike parked outside and used in all weather can be)...

[slob]

Late 1992, saw a small photo of this thing called 'Il Mostro' on the Ducati stand at the Cologne motorshow, in Performance Bikes. I immediately wanted one but at the time was scared of what the reliability might be like, got there in the end though :-D

[Pedro]

1993, 3X Motorcycles, wanted it immediately, had to wait about 9 years before I could afford one, ironically a 1993 bike!

Moto Rapido have a lot to answer for.... I only popped in for a nosey and before I knew it I'd traded my Kwacker and was getting over excited by the prospect of owning a Monster. The rest is history as they say!!

Ped

[tricolore]

I remember travelling to Moto Cinelli in Northampton to look at a Ducati 400SS Junior and seeing the new Monster...to be honest didn't pay it too much attention being expensive and only just passing my test ( I ended up buying a Yamaha FZX 750 Fazer ). In 2000 I test rode an S4 at Chris Clarke Motorcycles and that's how it all started, 5 Monsters and 12 years later the affair is still going strong :mand:

[Rally]

Met a UKMOC member on the A350 near Chippenham and was offered a go on their bike. I hopped on, wound it open to a wheelie, touched the peg on the next roundabout and then turned back round again, I thought this is what I want! The rest is now history, i'm now on my 5th Monster. :D

[Char]

1993, 3X Motorcycles, wanted it immediately, had to wait about 9 years before I could afford one, ironically a 1993 bike!



Ped

Yup 3X here to - had a freind who was a mechanic there

2011 before I got one though!

[johnboy44]

I brought a m600 on ebay just over a couple of years ago just as a winter project as it looked a bit interesting, after getting it home me thinks " I'll ride it for a month to see if it has any hidden problems" (it didn't). I've had road bikes since I left school but never enjoyed riding as much as this one. well after 3 months I forced myself to take it off the road to give it some much needed paint, polish n powder. Once complete I had ten months of great fun until my daughter brought a new yam XJ6 she kept bully me to buy one too .... so I went one better and brought a shiney new red 696. All was well until I talked my wife into trying the 696 which she fell in love with too, but at least I get to keep both monsters Win Win.

[Albie]

My first image of a monster although I was well into the Foggy Ducati thing was a Black and Yellow mileenium one and I was not sure at all. Probably some kind of mocking really. The next time was I think seeing a red one in MCM and then I checked out a M800ie senna. I tested the brand new S4R and that was it. Got the M900 and then the S4 and then the M1100s. Never looked back and hopefully won't.

[Yorkie]

1999, two weeks before my test I bought a 1999 600 Dark with a red frame and wheels for £3500 - 13 years later I still have the beast with a few mods!

Yorkie

[NewMon]

I saw one of the first parked outside a cafe in Covent Garden. I hadn't been riding more than a few years and I thought it was super-cool. That was it. I waited a long time before I got one though.

[mrtony]

A mate had a 748 with Termis, and the sound parked in the side alley!! I thought the pointing would fall out of the wall!!
HAD to have a Ducati, but not a sports, after bending my 6'3" into the seat.

He said "you'll need a Monster then."

Bought my '96 3 months before I even passed my test in November 2006 when I was 38.
Such a waste of all those biking years!! :banghead:

[Blah blah]

Always loved Ducatis and desparately wanted a 748SPS in yellow, but some how always managed to buy a Jap 4.

Loved the Monster when I saw one, and the hooligan in me said I should have one, but lots of points in not many months resulted in not being on the road for a while... I also remember an old Performance Bike article where they bought used bikes for £2k, one was a m600 on open cans, another was an RG500 (for £2k ! :eek:)

Finding myself bike-less having sold my chop, I thought if not now, then when? Found a 750 on here, bought it and loved it to bit - discovering that the throttle turned another quarter of a turn turned a belting bike into a err monster ! Only sold it as I moved from Stafford to Cornwall, and shortly after buying a house I bought a M900 (should have looked a bit longer perhaps, but hey ho)

[MrsC_772]

Having been alerted to the existence of Ducati by magazine pictures of the gorgeous 916 in around 1998, I found myself reading all the articles about Ducati bikes, and spotted the Monster. I knew I wasn't cut out for a sportsbike, however gorgeous, and liked the idea of a naked Ducati (no big expensive plastic panels to replace if I dropped it).

I further pondered getting a Monster when I decided to buy a big bike instead of my 125 in around 2003. Sat on one at Ducati Aylesbury but thought the clutch felt a bit heavy and was concerned about reliability of an Italian bike and frankly, no-one at the dealership made any effort to attract my custom. Ended up with my grey import 400 Bandit instead (on which I replaced most of the electrics).

Just over 3 years ago, after the infamous day when I dropped my Bandit and Paivi rode to my rescue, a chat while perched on the back of her Vespa started planting monstery seeds in my mind again. When Andy passed his test, we ended up in Snells looking at bikes for him. He wasn't that taken with the 696, but I was, and nearly 23,000 miles later, the rest is history!

[uksurfer]

when i was younger, i used to go past the Aston Martin service garage on the A348 Ringwood Road near Ferndown, there was a red one parked in the window for a few years, always hoped we'd go that way and i could have a sneeky peak

[Char]

when i was younger, i used to go past the Aston Martin service garage on the A348 Ringwood Road near Ferndown, there was a red one parked in the window for a few years, always hoped we'd go that way and i could have a sneeky peak

Yes but the question was what was your first 'Monster' memory
Not when did you first realise you wanted to be 007 :rolleyes:

[Steve Willmott]

Bike show 93 or 94 can't remember exactly, it was the one the 916 was first shown at. The 916 is gorgeous & my mate was literally dribbling over it, but for me I just WANTED the Monster. Had to wait until 97 to get mine & still got it :mand:

[uksurfer]

Yes but the question was what was your first 'Monster' memory
Not when did you first realise you wanted to be 007 :rolleyes:

it was a red monster....

[JerryT]

Back in my youth I was banned from having a bike by my father. In my 20s I got my license anyway and flirted with a couple of Japanese babes, the Italians were gorgeous but out of my league as I thought. One day in about 1997 a friend who was emigrating offered me first dibs on his Red Ducati 750SS which must have had Termis on as he used to set car alarms off with it. I never took him up on it but wished later on that I had. Even Nicky told me I should have got it. However, it caught up with me eventually, so in 2010 the dream finally arrived in thre form of my lovely little Italian. In Yellow. Scrummy.

[Pomp1]

1994, a guy pulled up at the local bar in Italy with a red 900. Drooled over it and when he went to leave the thing didn't start. Lucky enough my village is at the top of a very steep hill. Wanted one immediately.

[NattyBoy]

Reding about nick Faldo getting one of the first M900 bikes. He's still got it I think. First ownership memory buying a tatty old Yellow M600 and doing it up over winter with my fisher price tool kit. Then snapping a throttle cable on the first weekender and Lynn (the old Skool mob will remember!) getting me home by bodging it with a tesco carrier bag. And persuading Pedro to let me have a go on his M900 while he had an ice cream with the clan on one of our early IOW runs and then seeing his face as I mono wheeled it along the sea front !! Memories. Great ones. I could go on all night. But then I have had a little drinks tonight !!:booze:

[Qba]

I was about 14 when spotted one in some magazine and that was it.
20 years later, 2 weeks after DAC I was going from London to Swindon, to Blade Group to get one…
and I didn't even sit on it.

Then torrential rain, got lost, run out of petrol…

After 3 years my S2R is still with me :mand:

[Wasta]

Never had a wish for one, didn't appeal at all for years. Then one day I was looking at some of the Radical bikes in PB and it clicked what all the fuss was about. Being in the Middle East working I have plenty of time to trawl ebay, pistonheads etc.
There was one advertised in Ripon that fitted the criteria I wanted filling while I was home, so I jumped on the R1 and had a blast down to see it. Took it for a spin and knew it was for me, I couldn't stop grinning after the demo ride. Came back with the cash and rode her home.
I kick myself now for not trying one years ago, love to ride it and fiddle with it.

I still love the R1 but in a thrash it everywhere sort of way, the Duc is a more sedate ride but just as enjoyable.

[Thirdway]

I always liked Ducatis but not the Monster. The first time was when the new model came out because it looked finished and well made. The light weight and super slim design with red frame and paint has me hooked.

[Scott1]

I had just had my CBR400 stolen and was wondering what to get next, saw a red one outside where I work around 2006, the second I clapped eyes on it, I knew I had to have one, knew nothing about them but went on ebay that weekened whilst a tad tipsy and bought a 95 600 and loved it, had four since then and hopefully I'll have more in the future.

[J.P]

I hopped on, wound it open to a wheelie, touched the peg on the next roundabout and then turned back round again, I thought this is what I want! The rest is now history, i'm now on my 5th Monster. :D

I'm not surprised it's your fifth given the way you ride 'em... :)

[J.P]

My first memory is doing my Direct Access Couorse through Metropolis in Vauxhall, London back in 2006 and having to walk through the showroom to get to sign-in every day. The Ducati's just looked so much better than anything else and I fell in love with the 695 that was there. So after 5 days training & passing my test I put my deposit down when I got back to the showroom.

[pegboy]

As a kid I always loved the Italian cars and bikes, and dreamed that one day i would own a 916. I went to a dealer with a friend, as he was buying the ST2, would of been around 1996, I was looking around the showroom and couldn't drag myself away from the superbikes, in particular the 916. Then my mate went for a test ride and i started chatting to the salesman. I told him i had only ridden Motocross bikes and was keen on a road bike. Sensibly he told me to start out on something smaller and then progress up to the superbike, and he showed me a Monster, cannot remember which one really as mentioned I only wanted a 916, and not too interested in anything else. So fast forward about 10 years I took his advice and brought a 1998 M600 Dark, and a few more years on S2R 1000 and a few more years 749s, the 916 not that appealing anymore, I love my Monsters.:mand:

[binky]

1996 M900 saw bought. rode to the south of france with luggage music and saxophone for two weeks. Will always have a place in my heart. That was written off running over a copper, but thats another story. Now on a S2R 1000 for the last 5 years. :)

[Nottsbiker]

Whilst (unfortunately) working for Colchester Motorcycles I was told to get some log books up to the DVLA at Chlemsford to enable a batch of paralell imported R6's to be registered in the UK I needed a bike to ride up on. Took a customers M900 that had been in for some kind of repair work and needed a road test.

Ended up having a very pleasant ride up to Chelmsford in the sunshine at 65mph. Dom dom dom went the engine as I tootled around in the sun.

Pulled a few stonking wheelies in Chelmsford too for the benefit of a few laydeez ;)

[Rally]

I'm not surprised it's your fifth given the way you ride 'em... :)

That's what they are for J.P! No point having good brakes or power and not using it all. :D

[He11cat]

I used to bomb about on my two Jap bikes .
Namely a Matt black Gsx400e cut down.
My best friend was taking her test and her newish bf was a biker as well.
She fell in love with a Monster Dark.
I thought it was lovely but I shook my head and said expensive to fix and dreadful electrics.

The really sad thing was she took loads of lessons then something happened and she couldn't take her test.
I feel really guilty now as I have monsters.