Monsters, MINIs and life: Five years in the making

I see in nearly five years the sign has changed as well!

And a few headaches along the way!

2006, it was cold, I was wet, 200 miles covered on a bike that I later found out shouldn't have made it out of Devon, let alone get back to Surrey, and then to East London for a service! Those good old days! When I was daft, slightly slimmer, slightly more in control of my sanity and just about had some hair! The Monster was bought with one aim in mind; "get me to the Isle of Wight for a holiday and last the two weeks I'm there for!" It was a strange idea, one born out of madness probably! I owned a 1997 Alfa Romeo GTV at the time and working out the cost of getting the car over to the island nearly scared me, so I decided to buy a bike! Save on the ferry crossing, and try to have some fun!

Looking back at that idea now... God what was I thinking! To save about £100 on a ferry crossing, I spent out (in the first few months) £1300 for the bike, then another £2000 on getting it repaired!! I must have been working for a bank at this time!! Would I go back in time and change that idea? No!

As the magazines are having an Il Mostro revival (The Monster for those not knowing Italian speak), and especially when you think the Ducati Monster has now been around for 18 years! Nearly as long as the Fireblade! Nowhere near as long as the Gixer, but the Monster invented a whole new style of motorcycle.

A parts bin special, the Monster was bit from bits of Supersports, Superlights and any other bits and pieces in boxes at Borgo Panigale. 18 years on, it is still Ducatis best selling bike! Back to my old, and not forgetting original Monster.

I've now owned her for nearly five years. Yes five years of riding, abusing, blowing it up, rebuilding, and more abusing! In the five years, I've done about 20,000 miles on her, and apart from breaking two of the four rear cylinder studs, and a few other temperamental Ducati problems, she has been fun! A bike that in five years, still is a pleasure to ride. Still feels like part of me, still puts a big grin on my face and not forgetting, sounds like the Apocalypse is arriving into a town near you, just on tickover!

Now I've spent over £7500 on her, and she is slowly becoming the Monster I want. There are some more jobs on the horizon, getting a full respray for the tank and seat hump, wheels to be finished off, a bit of tidying up on the wiring, new seat cover and then she'll be close to completion!

Would I sell her? No! She is part of me, she is too precious to sell now! A 1993 904cc Monster, a classic, the best of the Monsters as she is the original that sparked the rest of the "Il Mostro" clan!

Don't forget, they also saved Ducati!