[paachi]

Hi Guys,

My first post here. I am a Guzzi rider. Bought a Guzzi Breva v1100 four months ago..1400 miles later I feel I need more. I have prior experience with bikes. I have ridden for nearly 12 years, mostly on a Royal Enfield in India.

I want to get a Duc..but am undecided. I love naked bikes and the Monster has caught my fancy.

My local dealer has a 2012 Monster 1100 evo avbl. It comes with 1300 miles, Termi slip ons, ecu upgrade, tooth mod and a vstream windshield :O. He is a giving me a good deal on the trade in.

My riding needs are mainly 90% commuting and 10% touring solo. My commute to work is 35 miles of interstate one way.

My question is should I trade my Guzzi in for the Monster or should I stick with the Guzzi for a while and then swap for a StreetFighter?? Both being air cooled twins, will I see a great performance difference?? I understand that these are chalk and cheese but, the Guzzi has shitloads of low end torque, right from 2000 rpm..handles reasonably well and has a lot of character. The Monster is equally charismatic, more torque and power but in a limited rev band. The Guzzi being heavier might be better suited for interstates..I don't know about the Monster. Since its a used bike I haven't had a chance to ride it. The dealer said if I have made up my mind then he doesn't mind me riding it thoroughly before buying.

I don't know if it's polite to discuss price here but if it's okay I would love to get feedback on what's a good price given the specs of the Monster.

Finally, can the Monster do any two up riding with heavier rider and pillion (tipping scales at 440lbs)??

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Best,
PK.


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[op48no1]

I'm a new Monster 1100 Evo owner, with a bit more than 1000 miles on the bike now in the past month. My gut tells me the Evo is not the right choice for you.

I'm back into riding after about twenty years. When I was young and single living in California I was a big BMW twin fan. My favorite bike of all time was a 1985 BMW R80 with an 'S' fairing, 1000cc cylinders, a sport cam, Dellorto carbs, and upgraded suspension. Sporty and light, powerful enough, supple over bumps, great luggage, good for two-up, and comfortable for sport touring.

The Evo is a fantastic bike. Back in the early eighties this would probably have been characterized as a full-on supersport bike. Nowadays, IMHO, the main reason the Monster is marketed as a "general purpose" bike is because the sport bike segment has become so highly evolved toward the track.

The Monster is a blast to ride in the twisties. It is light and quick steering and very confidence inspiring. That said, it is not relaxing to ride the way my BMW was. The suspension is relatively stiff and in city riding the leaned-forward riding position puts some strain on the wrists. I can think of a lot better commute/tourers. Like your Guzzi, for instance!

I recommend you take a little more time and do some more thinking and research before making a switch.

Just my humble opinion...

-Henry


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[romancommander]

Go take it for a test ride and see how it feels. That's how I decided on mine.

 

[mindfulness]

Go take it for a test ride and see how it feels. That's how I decided on mine.

+1

this is the only real way for you to know...

 

[paachi]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am going to another dealer today to test ride the Monster and a SF while I am at it. I will post back with updates

@op48no1: I understand where you are coming from. The Guzzi is great..but it doesnt - to quote His Clarksoness - put a hand down my trousers and have a rummage

As a tourer it is perfectly capable but I am looking for a little more excitement in my ride. The other factor is, I am moving apartments to live downtown and I have very little parking space, which means I need a compact motorcycle. A long wheelbase tourer like the BMW is totally out of question

 

[op48no1]

@op48no1: I understand where you are coming from. The Guzzi is great..but it doesnt - to quote His Clarksoness - put a hand down my trousers and have a rummage

As a tourer it is perfectly capable but I am looking for a little more excitement in my ride. The other factor is, I am moving apartments to live downtown and I have very little parking space, which means I need a compact motorcycle. A long wheelbase tourer like the BMW is totally out of question

I agree. Recent BMWs just don't appeal to me the way the older bikes did. The Ducati is light, compact, simple, and has loads of character. The only thing I would consider changing is putting on slightly higher bars to give my hands a break from the battering they get on bumpy city streets.

Engine-wise, it's very strong but the power band is very linear so you don't get that sense of rocket ship acceleration. I haven't ridden the SF, but it would probably be worth your while, as you say, to consider that one as well.

-Henry