Greetings readers,

I just bought and registered a new Monster. I have been a BMW Sports Touring rider for many years but have greatly admired the Ducati marque and promised myself that I would some day own a Ducati, but the ST3 and ST4 are no longer available. I recently tired of riding dirt trails and roads and sold my KLR650 dual sport.

Then I had a chance to buy a Tricolore. It was lust at first sight (although I am aware of the "Italian Supermodel with a soft drug habit" observations by many beemer pilots). I decided to replace the KLR with a Tricolore for day trips on pavement. I am keeping my aging  '04 BMW K12RS since subsequent years of the BMW product have had their own problems, and will use it for longer rides.

I live in West Texas (Lubbock) and most of my trips are long weekends to destinations within 1,000 miles.  I have been active in the Dust Bowl Beemers Club for many years and look forward to hearing their comments about my new ride. Jealousy will, no doubt, prompt a variety of caustic critiques.

I have little to add or contribute to this forum on the subject of the S4Rs and a great deal to learn so I will probably be more of a reader than a poster on this forum (and I do know how to use the search function). Hopefully I will not be moved to post photos of my new grand daughter even though she is the most beautiful child you will ever see.

My user name is "Carstarphen," the name of a village from which my surname family originated a couple of centuries ago.

Mike Millsap
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Lubbock, TX

"It was lust at first sight"

Says it all (for now) 

By signing up here you have automatically gotten the mod virus - which combined with riding it, will transform lust to love - once you make the bike yours.

Pictures are welcome, when you get around to posting some.

Welcome Mike, congrats on your S4RS. 

Pictures of your bike are always welcome, and pictures of your granddaughter would be welcome in NMC (No Moto Content).

Welcome Mike. Where is Carstarphen, Northumbria?

Quote from: swampduc on December 11, 2008, 06:58:59 AM
Welcome Mike. Where is Carstarphen, Northumbria?

"Carstarhen is an altered spelling of Scottish Corstorphine, Corstorphan, a habitational name from a village in Midlothian, now a suburb of Edinburgh. Carstarphen is also a family name or surname. You will recall that surnames did not really exist untill the 15th Century, and were then frequently based on residence, occupation, appearance, etc.