Bought a Monster, Moving to Italy

[jlgelinas]

Hey all, I'm Louis and I'm currently doing some training at Fort Benning, GA. After I finish I'll be moving to Italy to serve with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Once I heard about my duty station, I decided to take a motorcycle safety course and bought a Monster =) 2007 Monster S2R800. Looking to do some detail work and a tail chop on my own, so any technical advice (or hookups for good second-hand bike gear) would be awesome!

Thanks!

[ManaloEA]

Welcome to the DMF. If you are looking for tech info, this is definitely the place to be. Also check out the Flea Market section (links on the lower left of your screen) for some good deals. And thank you for your military service.

[bikepilot]

Congrats, it'll be awesome riding the monster in its homeland 

FWIW I'd suggest not doing the tail chop.  It makes the bike miserable on a wet road or in the rain (it is pretty though).

[ducatiz]

Alternatively, you can leave your bike here in the states and buy one from the factory and have DoD ship it home for you.  You can order one with a US VIN and required DOT features and have no hassles when you get back.

And it's cheaper.

[take risks]

Alternatively, you can leave your bike here in the states and buy one from the factory and have DoD ship it home for you.  You can order one with a US VIN and required DOT features and have no hassles when you get back.

And it's cheaper.

+1 This all day. All damn day!


I live in Seattle and chopped the tail. Put the license plate the spot to do the same thing, you'll be fine.

[jlgelinas]

Alternatively, you can leave your bike here in the states and buy one from the factory and have DoD ship it home for you.  You can order one with a US VIN and required DOT features and have no hassles when you get back.

And it's cheaper.

That was the original plan, but one from the factory costs 10,000 Euros and one here cost 10,000 USD... Figured why not buy it here for cheaper and have DoD ship it there?

Thanks for the welcome all =)

[ducatiz]

That was the original plan, but one from the factory costs 10,000 Euros and one here cost 10,000 USD... Figured why not buy it here for cheaper and have DoD ship it there?

Thanks for the welcome all =)

Subtract 19% from that when you leave since you get VAT rebated.

However, you make a good point.  They are definitely keeping the prices of the US models down. 

It used to be you could rent one from the factory and then buy it when you left.  You did not pay VAT on it and as a used bike, duty was much lower. 

[Raux]

I tired to buy from the factory but the said no