This Is What I Ride Now

I returned to riding last year when I bought this 2002 US model Ducati Monster 620ie Dark it's an early 5 speed model with single front disc and had 7,677 miles on the clock and yes it needed attention and re-registering the tyres were well worn on the rear and just plain old on the front so a new set of Dunlop Sportmax GPR300 were purchased and fitted the handlebars were also changed, it had non original bars fitted that I found uncomfortable, it now has chrome touring bars which required new hydraulic lines for clutch and brake that were a real bitch to bleed though I have now sussed a much easier way to do this. I also removed the vapour cannister and will be getting a European side cover that does not have the bulge for it the right side cover is missing now as it flew off when I down the road when I was chasing some japsports bike up the hill from the next town/village ......... Whoops!

The 1st is with the new chrome touring bars fitted had not got new correct size bar end plugs yet. The 2nd is at the techical testing place for it's re-registration you can see with black wide low bars. 3rd as it arrived here the 4th photo was taken below the fortress in Veliko Tarnovo after it had been re-registered of course!

 

Yes well as mentioned it's OK for blatting around on but if I want to ride longer and further it's just Damned uncomfortable partly due to my much older age now but manufacturers seem to have forgotten that comfort of their customers while riding is important and style wile also important they will lose customers if the bike it too uncomfortable to ride and yes I realise the Monster is really a town/city bike but I am not a town/city person



This was my last/previous bike and even with that small Arrow Head seat it was comfortable even with no rear suspension but I was a lot younger then. As shown in the next photo it was stripped down and painted properly.



This was my pride and joy bought new in September 79 from Read Bros Leytonstone HIgh Road London T140E UK spec and yes I swapped the awful US emmission control silencers for some 50's patter resonator mufflers that only weighed about 1 1/2lbs each instead of the 10-15lbs each of the originals had to upjet the Mk2 Amals of course. Sadly it was stolen in Feb 83 and never recovered..

There was never any plans to "tune" the Ducati only altering enough to make it more pleasureable for me to ride like fitting taller bars.

 

Ahhhhh well I doubt the "cans" would be a problem at the bi-annual "Preglet" (MOT) here. If you look at the photo of the black/red chop/streetfighter you will see that it's running straight through drag pipes but that was a couple of decades ago now it did howl on full song that's for sure motor was a 1983 Honda 750FB DOHC with the gearing it ran 70mph was achievable in 1st . The Bonnie sounde epic with those resonator mufflers fitted no baffles as such inside them just an angled plate full og holes and a disc held by a tripod to stop PC Plod shoving his trucheon up the tail pipe.