Hello all,
I apologize for the long story/introduction!
Recently got back into riding after going "bike free" for a number of years (the first wife banned the bikes). Lucky for me, the second wife is bike friendly and set the only condition of my return to motorcycles as "it just has to have a passenger seat". So in February, I picked up a "brand new" 2007 Moto Guzzi Griso "crate back bike"....I have a thing for Guzzi's [roll]. Fast forward a couple of months and the wife is now asking about rider training/rider refresher schools (she grew up riding dirt bikes). She also started spending lots of time on the internet researching and comparing various bikes. [thumbsup]
She narrowed down her desired potential first street bike list to either the Monster 696 or an Aprillia Shiver 750. It didn't take long for her to decide that she wanted the Monster. She is thinking that maybe in the next year or so, we will get her that Monster.
For a gear head enabler like me, that just wouldn't do, so towards the end of May, I make sure she is scheduled for a 3 day rider refresher course (that gets you your motorcycle license), then I secretly buy an 09 696 on eBay, take a day off work and find a way to drive from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach and back to pick it up without her finding out. I have a friend that lives close to work that let me "store" and work on the bike at his place. My plan went off without a hitch and so last week, this was my wife's birthday surprise:
(http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b427/kmacpt33/Ducati%20Monster/Monster696.jpg)
(http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b427/kmacpt33/Ducati%20Monster/Monster696A.jpg)
I don't keep any vehicle stock, and the Monster isn't an exception. Before surprising her with "the best birthday present ever!!" I had a good friend that owns a motorcycle body shop put on the paint scheme. My wife had fallen in love with the Mach 1 Art Kit from her research on the web, so I had my friend use that as the inspiration. Also replaced the stock tank cover center sections with carbon fiber. I replaced the stock cans with the Arrow slip-ons (db killers removed of course ;)). Replaced the stock bars with Rizoma's with Rizoma bar ends and fully serviced the bike. Plenty of additional mods are planned once the checking account recovers!
The wife is riding it almost non-stop [thumbsup]. Only had 1850 miles on it when I bought it for her, and in a little over a week, she has already put close to 800 miles on her new baby.
Kevin
welcome!
Welcome. I've seen you guys at Twain's on Thursday night a couple time. Everyone really likes her bike and your Griso is sweet.
Thanks for the nice comments Steve! I'm sure that the Twain's Bike Night "influence" is what gave Wanda the fever to get her own bike way ahead of her original schedule. Always a good, friendly crowd.