24-01-2004, 05:26 PM
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#1
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Guest
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M900
Originally posted by spacemonkey on 13-07-2003
Quote:
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?!! ) 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...
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