1998 Ducati Monster M750

Summary:

Buy something else

Faults:

Unidentified electrical faults.

Rear light failure.

General Comments:

I really wanted to love this. I'd pined after a Monster for years. Beautiful, noisy, naked... Finally found an immaculate silver 750 and snapped it up. Bought with heart not head.

It was cripplingly uncomfortable. I'm 6ft, so nothing freakish. Yet the crouched-over riding stance meant that half an hour on the thing was enough. It's a small bike - I knew that - but there's something evil about the shape it makes you adopt as you ride. If you are considering one, please ensure you go for an extended test ride. Unless you are a hobbit or a teeny girl - then you should be fine.

After my scooter, performance seemed pretty pleasing. But compared to anything sporty, the gears are short and the power disappointing. Get a M900 if you can. I drove the 600 before buying the 750. Oh dear. It barely moved.

Handling was lovely. Torque impressive too. The most fun on this silly toy was pootling through London in the sun in second and periodically cracking back the throttle to skim past cars.

After a month it stopped starting. The specialist garage - conveniently placed half a mile away - said there was nothing wrong and blamed the cold weather. New to bikes I took their advice and used a trickle charger. This seemed to help, but still it didn't start sometimes. Eventually the muppets realised it needed a new battery. But by that time, I'd grown to hate the Ducati. Sorry, I tried.

I have now left biking entirely and am ecstatic with my Jaguar XJR. It has leather seats, a roof and a ten CD stack in the boot. Friends can come with me and the likelihood of my next mode of transport being a wheelchair has decreased.

Finally, my mouth still waters when I hear a Monster grumble by. Funny, life. Buy one if you must - but only if you are short of stature and blind to the vastly preferable alternatives.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 17th November, 2004

19th Nov 2004, 14:26

Lovely as the Jaguar XJR is, if you consider it an suitable alternative to any big capacity bike then maybe you were wasting your time with bikes in the first place.

31st May 2005, 09:55

Don't give up.

Try something like a Honda CB600 Hornet.

I had one and it's a Honda so it won't go wrong.

10th Sep 2006, 13:44

Just bought a KTM Duke II. I'll follow up with some comments...

5th Oct 2006, 12:01

Now THAT'S more like it! KTM good.

30th Apr 2008, 12:12

I had one, And I was happy with it, however I was happier to get rid of it. Great bike overall, but fell far short of my expectations.