Hey everyone, I have been watching this site for a while now.  I have been a rider for about 6 years now and have always wanted a Monster.  I opted for a Victory Vegas 8 ball last year.  I do love my bike BUT, when i ride, i feel like an old man.  I am not a kid (28) but maybe I just feel younger.  I have a buddy that has a Duc and I always think "maybe i should have gone that route".  I have yet to ride a Monster.  So, I figured i would ask you guys what you think.  Obviously knowing you will be impartial.   

I live an hour north of Detroit, MI and there is only one Ducati dealer in the entire state.  This was one of my concerns.  The other thing my friend was telling me is that the maintenance costs were very high (which i already assumed).  All of those thoughts went out the window when i sat on the 2012 Monster 1100EVO last spring.     I absolutley fell in love, without even riding it! I will take a test ride on one this spring once it warms up here.

Hope to learn a lot from my stay here.  Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

Wisdom? 

If you're already in love, job done

Welcome to the pleasure dome!

Thanks.........wisdom, opinions, knowledge, whatever you call it.....haha.

I think its the fact that i love my bike, but dont know if im IN LOVE with my bike.  Sounds dumb i know.

Monsters, and Ducati in general, definitely have a character all their own. I don't know anyone that has one, or had one at one time, that was ever disappointed. Be prepared to want to trade in that Victory right after you test ride the Monster

Why is only one dealer a concern for you?

Personally, I don't think maintenance costs are that high. Especially if you can do any of the maintenance yourself.

There's another person who just joined, who also has a Victory (Vegas) and recently picked up a monster     
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=61541.0

Might ask them for their thoughts.

Regarding maintenance - really it's not higher if you keep the bike a while. The Ducs are spec'd for more frequent valve checks than your average Japanese made i4 - that is true. But the cost of each check/adjust is lower. Digging in and doing on the check on a 4 valve, 4 cylinder engine is no joke. Yeah you don't need to do it as often.... But I can bang out the valve check on my 900 in a couple hours start to finish. One will spend a couple hours just getting to the point where you can think about opening the engine on many i4s. So, you take your pain in different ways.

I like torque, it's the fun number. You can have have 120 horsepower in a gixer 600, but it's got less torque than an SV650. If you're not in the power band it feels like an anemic POS... but I am biased. With the torque you get in the twins, you've got grunt pretty much any place in the band. Twist n go!

Plenty of info on here for your consumption in the mean time.

Thanks guys!

I will be test riding both the 796 and 1100EVO in the spring.  If the difference in price does not matter, and most of my riding is down around town, should i lean more towards the 796 or the 1100?  I will be coming from 1731cc, obviously a different style.  Just wanted to see what your guys thought.

Take a closer look at the specs sheets. Besides the bigger engine the 1100 does boast some nicer items - like better suspension and some other farkles. Both have plenty of power for around town scoots - but nice suspension, is well, nice.

Mmmmmm, i like suspension!     

Michigan weather sucks!!! My fiance and I actually talked today about moving somewhere we could ride our bikes year round.
Would be so nice.

welcome!

there are at least 3 (that i am aware of) Ducati dealers in Michigan:

TT Motorcycles - Clinton Twp (highly reccomend)

Rosenau Powersports - Dearborn (no experience)

Life Cycle - Kalamazoo (no experience)

if you and your fiance are up for a move RUN!!! michigan is bad for riding, at least in the south east part of the state as far as roads are concerned. then of course the winter months dont help much either 

Yeah, we are from waterford so we are about an hour north of Detroit.  We are thinking of moving to Apex, North Carolina (beatiful town).  The roads are so much better there and we would definitely get to ride A LOT more.  TT's is the only dealer that I knew of that had Duc's and actually the only dealer of the 3 that we have been in. Did you get your bike from there?  What part of the state are you from?

Well guys I sold the 8 ball to a family friend that was in the market for a bigger, faster cruiser.  I got super lucky, didn't have to list it at all!

Now on to sportier and sexier bikes...

I sat on a 2013 black and gray Monster 1100EVO.  So awesome, i also sat on a yellow Streetfighter 848 and really liked that too.  I dont really need the extra power of the streetfighter but i did LOVE that yellow pearl paint.  Reminded me of the pearl tri-coat they use on the Lamborghini Gallardo.

Man I am EXCITED!!!!! 

Bought a new Alpinestars T-GP-R Jacket today.  Going to upgrade to back and chest bio armor soon.
Just waiting on the cold weather to pass in MI!!