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LeMarsu
24-01-2004, 06:26 PM
Originally posted by spacemonkey on 13-07-2003


It was back in the summer of 2001. Divorce pending, new girlfriend, weather nice, the RG was sick (as usual) and some inheritance money appeared. Time to shop!!!
I was thinking of a Firestorm cos of the reliability issues. I wanted a 916 but the insurance (central London and no garage) wouldn't allow that one. But there were no Firestorms around at the time.
That's when the advert for the Monster appeared in London Loot. The odd thing was I recognised the area code as being back home in the New Forest and couldn't work out why it was in Loot. But it sounded better for it so I rang the number. It was in Fordinbridge, a 900 '93, low miles, well looked after, loud cans and I was on the way that night to check it out...
Tried to remain cool as the old boy wheeled it out but as soon as he fired the old clanker up the noise hit me. "Mamma mia!" SOLD. Took it for a little test ride for the hell of it and I was in Nirvanna. Feet back and up like a sportsbike, legs locked into the tank and arms spread out on the wide, flat, forward bars, crucified for all the world to see (copyright Performance Bikes '93 ish..) and hear.
Did the nescessary and got him to ride it back to my mums, 15 miles away. After I dropped him off I drove home to the Big Smog with a tired smile on my face; I'd done it!! It was one of the bikes 'I'd always wanted' and sod the reliability bull****. I'll prove 'em wrong!
It was one month before I could return and pick it up. Naturally, I was nervous; it was my first big bike after 12 years of 125's and a DA test later. After a few blasts around the Forest and the usual riding around mates houses to show off, it was time to return to London. By the time I reached the end of the M3 I was at one with the Monster and was riding the white lines between the cars at 80mph....
The bike was used for getting to work through Central London and general riding around and it was then I learned that all bike journos are namby-pamby-limp-wristed-butt-monkeys. They all whine about heavy clutches, poor turning circle, lumpy engine, crap town bikes, crap out of town bikes etc. Bollards. As in the type of bollards you keep in your trousers. The sheer torque of the 900 ( I mean, anything less misses the point don't it?!!:p ) is like being attached to the horizon by a huge elastic band and perfect for slicing thru London traffic. The upright position helps too as do the fearsome, yet controllable brakes which are essential when some **** asleep in his/her Toyota pulls out... The Michelin AM89's were utter ****e and had to go. A puncture and long push merely sped this decision into action, and some Hi Sports were promptly put on. HUGE improvement especially in braking grip. Faultless when riding the winter slime too. They do wear out too quick for me though so I now have Avon Azaro3 sp's fitted now which after 2000 miles appear barely worn at all! And the grip etc is exemplary even in the wet. I fitted my Acumen 911 alarm and this was simple and attached under the seat. No false alarms, yet works well as it should. I can't see the point of more expensive alarms. You get maybe £2 off your insurance premium and it costs £300 fitted!!! An alarm is only for YOU to hear. Nobody else gives a rat's arse. Pros will just pick the bike up and into a van, so an immobiliser is a waste of time, and the horrors of what would happen if it malfunctions and kicks in mid turn...
I've done 16000 miles in the last 2 years and still love it! I use it for my work rounds and taking the girlfriend out for trips. She loves the vibes(!) and she's so light it doesn't upset the performance or handling too much. The only things to go wrong were due to wearing out consumables and due to the previous owners. The loud pipes didn't come with a dynojet adjustment (just the needles were raised thus making it lean at low revs then rich) so the 12000 miles or more that had been while running rich and washing the oil off the bores had worn the rings, so that now it smokes on the over run and uses 1 litre /1000 miles of oil! Since dynojetting and K&N ing I have no longer got oiled plugs and carb icing problems. But the damage was done already. Next month brings the top end rebuild. Oooer...

spacemonkey
05-09-2004, 05:28 PM
Thanks for digging that out! I'm glad I don't have to write it all again!
The top end rebuild went well and cured the oil consumption to more reasonable levels. Big twins are always gonna use more oil anyway. After 3 years ownership, I'm never going to sell it, despite any problems I've had. Still want to add a 916 to the collection...

spacemonkey
29-02-2008, 12:46 AM
UPDATE..

Well, roll on to 2008 and all that. Il Mostro is still going strong and I'm still loving it.. The Azaros were snookered after 10000 miles or so, and so were the next set. Curiosity led me to the new Bridgestone 021 sports tourers last year.. Cor blimey guvnor! Talk about a radical improvement!! Ok, the Azaros had a very receding tread line and had a Rubik's profile, but these are definitely better than the Azaros when new.
Other improvements appeared in 2007 in the shape of a new shock from Nattyboy's Independent Traders leached off his 888. Nice, but had to be rebuilt after a fitting mishap. The spring is too hard for my 10.5 stone, but after my weight training regime I have risen to the lean giddy heights of 12 stone and so it has calmed down- or I have just got used to it...
The DYNOJET needles and jets have worn enough to upset things, but not bad after about 20000 miles. Now I have the perfect excuse for those Keihin FCR Flatslides.. Of course the old girl still has relapsed into her drinking and smoking habit so a new set of rings is in order. Again. With the price of Ducati rings, I might as well buy the high comp piston set from the same shop... Yeah, like i needed an excuse..
The cans had decored themselves so a set of Remus Grand Prixs were grafted on. Just the job to keep Swindonistan awake at night.

This year I might even wash the bike more than once every 6 months...

JerryXt
29-02-2008, 08:15 AM
thanks for that mate - nicely written

spacemonkey
29-02-2008, 11:32 PM
No probs.. it's one of the oldest bikes in the club too...

Nonnie
01-03-2008, 08:35 AM
It's been ages Mr Mortuary.

How are you?

spacemonkey
01-03-2008, 12:03 PM
Still alive my dear- unlike my neighbours..

How's your Best Man's wife...?:woot: ;)

Nonnie
01-03-2008, 12:22 PM
Not asking after you!

giler
01-03-2008, 01:59 PM
UPDATE..
Just the job to keep Swindonistan awake at night.


You mean the Swindonisti!

banditloon
01-03-2008, 02:57 PM
The original ones are always the best ;)

spacemonkey
02-03-2008, 07:47 PM
Not asking after you!

:scratch: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:

Anyway, some pics (how can I get these to actually display rather than as links?)...

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/DSC00108.jpg


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/DSC00110.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/KV7T9152.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/KV7T9127.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/KV7T9104.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/KV7T9156.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/KV7T8996small.jpg

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/Videos/?action=view&current=Monster1.flv

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/Videos/?action=view&current=Monster2.flv

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/spacemonkey_mk1/Videos/?action=view&current=Monster3.flv

Nonnie
03-03-2008, 07:06 AM
You'll have to edit your post, then there is a button that looks like the world wearing some sunglasses (of if you're very unimaginitive, it's the 11th button under the fonts box line along) , press that and you get a box where you can copy the link of your original picture to. So take a copy of the link you've already posted, one at a time then edit, press button and then go back and edit for the next picture. I don't know if it's possible to do more than one at the same time. This will make your picture show up on the original thread without you having to click it.

Did that make sense? I'm exhausted.

Nice pictures, where were they taken?

spacemonkey
03-03-2008, 01:54 PM
Dammit.. tried that but it didn;t change- just gave me the links again.. Thanks for helping though. Can a mod fix this for me as it would look much more spiffing with pics..

Nonnie- the pics were taken somewhere norf of Londonistan a few summers ago for an article in Used Bike Guide comparing my old original clunker and the new S2R. Julie should know as she was there too. Then there was a change of Eds and it got canned AFAIK. I never got paid either. Typical..
The vids are somewhere in the New Forest about the same time.

Swindeg
13-05-2009, 01:34 PM
agree totally mines as it was born!

Swindeg
13-05-2009, 01:34 PM
The original ones are always the best ;)

Defo mines just as it was born!

banditloon
18-05-2009, 10:28 PM
Defo mines just as it was born!

Mine is slowly disappearing into filing boxes. Frame to be cleaned and engine to be fixed (once I've fixed my car that spontaneously combusts)

spacemonkey
18-03-2010, 01:27 AM
Mine's in the garage after an unreasonably long winter. Last summer's flies are mouldy summits on the red plateau of Ducati. It appears my new garage gets rather damp in winter..

Carb icing is worse than ever and it won't run much under 10C so no point trying. Needs a new needle/jet kit as can't afford the FCRs and hi comp pistons yet due to starting new business.

Still no sign of me ever getting rid of it...

spacemonkey
10-04-2012, 12:35 AM
Well, it's been in the garage all this time... Just had to renew my insurance or I'd loose my zillion years NCB as it has been 2 years since renewal was due. Good news is that I am leaving Swindonia at long bleedin' last in a month's time and heading back home down south to Darzet. Last time I was in my Darzet house I rebuilt two Yammy 125 engines on my kitchen table, so first job is to get the Monster sorted and get it's heart beating again after some open surgery on the same kitchen table. That'll please the missus. I'm going to do the valve guide oil seals and the damned pesky o-ring that sits between head and barrel on the rear, unlike Two-Four Italia when they had them off years ago. Then repaint engine with new belts, and shim job, new chain and sprockets, and a Factory Pro jet kit in the carbs. Reassemble, buy a new Schubey lid and tear-arse around Cowshiit Land once more. Progress reports will resume once work commences...