Hi ladies! I'm a new rider with a beautiful 696!

[Ducgirl]

Hi there..I've only been riding for a few months and I love it! My hubby bought me a beautiful red 696 to learn on and it has been quite an adventure for me. I took the MSF course and was surprised at how challenging learning to ride can be.Anyway, I have been reading all the tips on the DMF and it has been really helpful. My son also has a Monster and he has been giving me tips on riding. Anyway, I'm excited to be part of the DMF and riding a Duc! 

[ro-monster]

Welcome!

[somegirl]

Welcome, glad you're enjoying your new bike. [moto]

Feel free to ask questions if you have any, we're a friendly bunch.

[TiNi]

i'll agree with msinc.
we ARE a friendly bunch...
and talkative too

welcome to the dmf & enjoy your 696  [moto]

[NekkedChic]

WELCOME!!!!   

[Stella]

Welcome ducgirl!
Congrats on the new bike!   I rode the 696 at Femmoto last month and loved it!  (shhh....can't let my 620 hear that).
Have fun!

[Ducgirl]

Hi.. thanks for all the nice welcoming replies! We live in the mountains so unfortunately my little Duc has been put to bed for the winter. :(Hopefully we will have an early spring next year! I guess I can go to the garage and sit on her...

[Sump]

Putting it in the garage would suck. You have my sympathies. I've just bought a new M696, too (one week old), and I doubt I could handle leaving it in the garage. Sympathies!

/Off-topic

I've seen people refer to '09 M696s. How can that be? Is this an American marketing label?

/back on topic.

[Ducgirl]

Congratulations! Isn't it fun?? How long have you been riding?? Yes, I think it could be a U.S. marketing ploy but don't know.  I know, I wish I could ride now but have to wait. Going skiing instead for a few months as we live in a  ski town.

[lytehouse]

Welcome ducgirl........have fun & ride safe

So where are you from?   Ski town in Colorado maybe?

Brenda
(Colorado Springs,CO)

[Ducgirl]

Welcome ducgirl........have fun & ride safe

So where are you from?   Ski town in Colorado maybe?

Brenda
(Colorado Springs,CO)

Hii Brenda...
Thanks for the welcome, I am really enjoying this forum. I'm from Idaho, Ketchum to be exact.  I'm new at this.. have you been riding for a while???

[DesmoDiva]

Hi Ducgirl.

Welcome to the forum.   

I hear the 696 is a great ride.   [moto]

I loved learning on my 695. 

[lytehouse]

Hii Brenda...
Thanks for the welcome, I am really enjoying this forum. I'm from Idaho, Ketchum to be exact.  I'm new at this.. have you been riding for a while???

For a year this month! Did the MSF in Oct. '07, purchased my Yamaha FZ6 last Nov. Love It!
I'm going to do a Womens Motorcycling Conference in August '09 in Keystone CO. Looking foward to learning more stuff and being able to demo some bikes too.

[Ducgirl]

Hi Ducgirl.

Welcome to the forum.   

I hear the 696 is a great ride.   [moto]

I loved learning on my 695. 

Hi... thanks for the welcome! You have some really nice bikes...the 696 is a little easier for me. I started out with a 695 and loved it but I think the 696 fits me a little better.

[Sump]

Congratulations! Isn't it fun?? How long have you been riding?? Yes, I think it could be a U.S. marketing ploy but don't know.  I know, I wish I could ride now but have to wait. Going skiing instead for a few months as we live in a  ski town.

Don't break a leg and be unable to get on the 696 when spring comes. 

Yeah, my 696 is da bomb.

I rode my first bike when I was a kid. I progressed to larger machines whenever the (tiny) budget allowed. Then I made the mistake of giving up riding because of an SO who didn't like the idea of me on a bike. (Has any other woman done that?) That was over 10 years ago. That SO is history--happily. Current Spousal Unit sat me down for a talk a few weeks ago. A colleague was selling his bike. SU wanted to me to consider whether or not I'd like to buy it. (This was pretty much out of the blue.) I mull it over, then take the bike for a test ride. It's a 250 Eliminator. Cruiser style is not me at all. A bit underpowered, too. But, wow! Was it GREAT to be on two wheels again. My confidence at low-speed cornering was shot, but... So, with SU's full encouragement, I seriously start thinking about a bike. I visit dealerships. Each test ride confirms how much I enjoy riding and how I'd like to get a bike again. Anyway, the day comes when I sit down with SU at the computer and we visit bike websites where I can highlight which models I've been looking at. SU is utterly cool with the concept that I have rocketed past getting the 250 and want a bigger bike! Then comes this surreal moment:

SU: What is your dream bike?
Me (without hesitation): A Ducati.
SU: What's that?
Me: You've not heard of them?
SU: No.

So, I immediately visit the Ducati webpage. Lo and behold, I see that they've just done a complete re-design of the monster. The 696 looks incredible. First thing: check the specs for seat height. Wow!

Then comes an even more surreal moment:

SU: Why don't you buy that one, then?

(I think I may have fallen out of my chair in response to that, or said something dorky like: are you kidding?)

A couple of weeks later I am taking a 696 for a test ride. The bike feels like it was made just for me. SU gives me the green light to buy it. So, I do. (I have this nasty suspicion that I am going to wake up at any moment and discover it's all a dream.)

(As a postscript, we end up buying the Eliminator for SU, whom I am teaching to ride. NZ law has an upper cc limit of 250 for learners, so that worked out perfectly well. Moral of this story: dreams can come true. --I mean about finding the right SU, of course.    )

Ducgirl: how long were you on the 695? What made you decide to get a 696?