M900

24-01-2004, 05:26 PM

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 Â£2 off your insurance premium and it costs Â£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, 04:28 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 · 28-02-2008, 11:46 PM

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, 07:15 AM

thanks for that mate - nicely written

spacemonkey · 29-02-2008, 10:32 PM

No probs.. it's one of the oldest bikes in the club too...

Nonnie · 01-03-2008, 07:35 AM

It's been ages Mr Mortuary.

How are you?

spacemonkey · 01-03-2008, 11:03 AM

Still alive my dear- unlike my neighbours..

How's your Best Man's wife...?

Nonnie · 01-03-2008, 11:22 AM

Not asking after you!

01-03-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemonkey

UPDATE..
Just the job to keep Swindonistan awake at night.

You mean the Swindonisti!

01-03-2008, 01:57 PM

The original ones are always the best

spacemonkey · 02-03-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nonnie

Not asking after you!

Nonnie · 03-03-2008, 06:06 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, 12:54 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.

13-05-2009, 12:34 PM

agree totally mines as it was born!

13-05-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditloon

The original ones are always the best

Defo mines just as it was born!

05-09-2004, 04:28 PM	#2
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	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... __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

28-02-2008, 11:46 PM	#3
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	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... __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

29-02-2008, 07:15 AM	#4
JerryXt everyone gets home safe Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London Bike: S4Rs Posts: 933	thanks for that mate - nicely written __________________ There is no depth to that mans talent... Sorry, there is no END to the depth of that mans talent.

29-02-2008, 10:32 PM	#5
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	No probs.. it's one of the oldest bikes in the club too... __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

01-03-2008, 07:35 AM	#6
Nonnie Dipstick! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Norfolk Bike: M620ie Posts: 1,804	It's been ages Mr Mortuary. How are you? __________________ Behave like a twat? There's an app for that! http://www.think.norfolk.gov.uk/content.asp?pid=6

01-03-2008, 11:03 AM	#7
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	Still alive my dear- unlike my neighbours.. How's your Best Man's wife...? __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

01-03-2008, 11:22 AM	#8
Nonnie Dipstick! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Norfolk Bike: M620ie Posts: 1,804	Not asking after you! __________________ Behave like a twat? There's an app for that! http://www.think.norfolk.gov.uk/content.asp?pid=6

01-03-2008, 01:57 PM	#10
banditloon Guest Posts: n/a	The original ones are always the best

03-03-2008, 06:06 AM	#12
Nonnie Dipstick! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Norfolk Bike: M620ie Posts: 1,804	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? __________________ Behave like a twat? There's an app for that! http://www.think.norfolk.gov.uk/content.asp?pid=6 Last edited by Nonnie; 03-03-2008 at 06:12 AM..

03-03-2008, 12:54 PM	#13
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	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. __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

13-05-2009, 12:34 PM	#14
Swindeg Guest Posts: n/a	agree totally mines as it was born!