Monster Acquired!!!

[aaen]

Hey everyone!!  Long time lurker, decided to finally join up after I bought my 2012 monster 796 in white. Was originally going to buy the black but saw the white at the dealer and literally my jaw dropped.

Anyways, this puppy is an amazing lil beast, love it.  Handles great.  Only drawback, well not really a draw back is she hates low speeds, especially first gear and starting off, she gets a bit choppy until you get it up in speed.  Not a bad thing just a bit jerky when in parking lots doing low speed handling, well I find it is, compared to the cruisers and dirt bikes I have ridden.  Might be my fat arse though that is causing the issue!!

Already debadged her, well took the silver decals of the frame, they went as soon as I got her home, placed them under the seat on the gas tank, at least they are still affixed to the bike.  Next up will be the tail chop, just not sure which one to get>  Either comp weeks or eve tail tidy.   

One tank of gas through her already , and I can;t wait to feed her more. Out of curiosity what  are you guys averaging for gas mileage.  I'm getting about 46-47mpg(US gallons) or 5.1L/100km(Us Canadian folk).  Reason I am asking is that my file light comes on and I fill her up and I only get in 11.7l in here which means I sill have a gallon left, after riding 35kms on the reserve.  Just curious as to what type of range I can really expect to get from her, I have no intentions of pushing her into touring, I bought it as a commuter/fun to give me other things to do besides rebreather diving and working out.  Should have bought one years ago when I originally wanted to.  To many years of renting and riding dirt bikes, or borrowing others just not the same. 

Anyways, just wanted to say hello and I can 't wait to log some serious miles on her this summer!!!

Steve

[Curmudgeon]

Congrats!  Lots of new 796's lately.

Fit a 14T front sprocket at your earliest opportunity. The bikes are geared ridiculously high for EC drive-by sound testing. With a 14T you will also be able to use 6th gear occasionally.  It will also help with the low speed stuff a bit. The bike will also be a lot smoother after 900 - 1,200 miles.

You mileage sounds fine. Good thing you kept those stickers. You never know when you'll need them.

Tail chop? You don't mind a black stripe up you back? 

[phishhead1]

what he said  and enjoy it

[Slide Panda]

Yep change up the gearing per Curmudgeon and possibly give it a little more twist. The ducs are set up to rev higher. Great for sporty riding, but makes them a bit grumpy at the bottom.

[gmerri]

Welcome.

Tail tidy - I just put on the evo tech from monster parts. Worked well and fit and looks fine on my 12 796. Its built well.  Jeff at monster parts has a good link for reference with pics. Instructions are vague in the kit, but the link with pics -  it's pretty accurate.  Use a good torque on a hex bit for the noted 4 top screws said to be hard to pull off, wasn't to bad with mine if you have a hex bolt with a torque handle.  Hex bolt metric set you'll need.

Before you bolt on plug it in to ensure the blinkers are on the right wires. The exhaust motor is awkward and take pics as you disassemble. Also, before you clamp the tail light license  wires, make sure it is threaded through the hole. You'll understand, but those instructions were vague. It took me two hours and I'm okay mechanically at best.

15 t will be on my bike in two weeks. The chain gets loose in the break in.

Ride safe.

[aaen]

yeah I figured that just relocating the stickers would be the best versus junking them.  I've been reading a lot on the forums!!

The sprocket change I am debating, I don't mind the grumpiness, it is a bit of a quirk, but I kind of like it.  As for sixth gear?  What speeds do you need to get into that.  I haven;t been over 4 at 120km/hr and that is only max'ing out at about 4500-500 rpms.  Still in the break in period I'd like to run her more around 5500-6000 constantly but I am trying to vary the rpm's for the breaking period.  regardless I am loving this bike, just need to name her now. 

The black strip up the back, hmm, yeah that is the only thing that has me debating the tail chop.  On a side note are those stupid reflectors mandatory or the bike?  They look horrible, I'm probably going to pull them off or something, though, just trying to find out if it is illegal not have them but so afar I haven;t found any info about it. 

Tonight I took her out for her first night drive and I must say, the light needs a bit of an upgrade, not a fan of the yellow beam.  Been looking at a set from VME.  But not sure what to get, anyone got any recommendations? These are what I have been dealing, obviously I need to buy an h1 as well http://www.vvme.com/hid-headlights/single-beam-hid-conversion-kit/h7-hid-conversion-kit/digital-slim-h7-hid-conversion-kit/reviews.  I know no projectors but the cost is not much more then buying a pixaa light bulb to upgrade, maybe 15 bucks, so I figure why the heck not.  Also is there a set of detailed instructions on how to change the light bulb on her?  It looks like I have to take the entire instrument panel and light off to do it?  Probably need to mod the reflector a bit as I think the bulbs are a tab bit larger or different shaped. 

Anyways appreciate all the help!!!  Mods if you need to move this to another section of the forum feel free!!

Thanks

Steve

[phishhead1]

reflectors dumped the 1st hour i had her.   haven't got a ticket yet and if they don't ticket me it must be legal (at least by my logic)  but i also believe the faster you drive the less time you drive drunk (exception to that is never drink while on the scoot) so have fun and dump the reflectors! enjoy

[timeforpoptarts]

reflectors dumped the 1st hour i had her.   haven't got a ticket yet and if they don't ticket me it must be legal (at least by my logic)  but i also believe the faster you drive the less time you drive drunk (exception to that is never drink while on the scoot) so have fun and dump the reflectors! enjoy

I hope I am misunderstanding that statement.

[Slide Panda]

On a side note are those stupid reflectors mandatory or the bike?  They look horrible, I'm probably going to pull them off or something, though, just trying to find out if it is illegal not have them but so afar I haven;t found any info about it. 

Totally dependent on your local laws and now close the mounties follow them in Canuckistan 
- They are ugly, no doubt. On option that allows you to ditch the ugly reflectors, but retain some sort of reflectors on the side are reflective wheel tapes
http://www.tapeworks.com/Rimstripes/RimstripesHome.html#Reflectives anchor
- again check your local laws for the wording regarding side reflectors. But I had a set of black reflective stripes on the black wheels of my 620. In daylight you had to be very close to even see the tape on the wheel - but hit it with a directional light like a headlight, camera flash etc and there were bright white stripes on the perimeter of my wheels.

Some folks have gotten crafty during repaints and used reflectives to do the tank stripes and DUCATI tank badge even.

I've striped my helmets with reflective material from that same supplier as above. Takes some patience and practice (I've done lots of hobby and design work that fit the skill set) but you can get a factory look. I just aped the look of my tank stripes narrow-wide-narrow and got to it.

[aaen]

Yeah, I'm reading up on a lot of the laws here as much as I can, however it seems to be very vague with a a lot of it open to interpretation.  I see others riding around without them so I can't see them being cracked down on to hard.  And if it does happen I just re-stick them on the bike, is my thought.

Appreciate the feedback!!

Thanks

Steve

[Slide Panda]

yeah there's lots of grey area. Here (Virginia) one is required to have an annual safety inspection. There's detailed regs regarding what needs to be what. For example one must have a minimum separation between directional indicators. Under this provision bikes with integrated tail lights would not pass... BUT! One can get a moto inspected at any state certified inspection station ie Bobs Gas Station. Bob, as a general rule doesn't know the minutia like that and one can get a legal inspection sticker with the aforementioned tail light set up.

There's always the put it on for inspection, take it off again route too.

Just be aware that if you encounter a LEO who know's the details of the regs you could get a ticket if they aren't feeling so friendly to you. But in my experience, mercifully limited, if you have a valid stocker, or proof of inspection they don't look further.
- I hear stories to the contrary of people getting picked over and ticketed for every little thing. But usually they are coming from people with authority issues who got busted doing something stupid and then acted the jerk to the LEO who pulled them over.

[aaen]

From what I am reading here in BC it is mandatory to have reflectors on the front(amber) and rear(red) regardless there coming off here shortly, would take a prick to give someone a ticket for that. 

Now the integrated rear signal is alright provided that when the turn indicator is on the brake light turns off.  Which is fine as the one  I am looking at shuts that side off as the indicator.    Which means evo tail tidy here we come!!..

Thanks again for all the help. 

[phishhead1]

I hope I am misunderstanding that statement.

only in the cage ;)sarcasm some people just don't get it