Bikes! Ducati M900

With Jack Walshe on His M900
August 1999
Photo by Brian Poppe

It started last summer. In August.

At the beginning of the month, I took a trip down to Trinity Lake in Northern California - the WetLeather Gather.

Jack "The Crazy Irishman" Walshe agrees to give me a ride 'round the campground. Vrroom! Vroom! We wheelie (and stoppie), hooligans racing about in first gear (for the sound effect). It was my first time on a moving Monster (I had test 'sat' one at the Moto Show in January).

Then, at the end of the month, the clincher. I was on my way to work at AT&T Wireless. The R65 "felt funny" as I rounded the exit from I-405N to SR-520-E. I pulled off at the 148th Street exit, into a gas station.

Front tire looks ok, air pressure is fine. What about the back? Kneel to find the valve stem and start laughing. There's a nail sticking out of the sidewall!

The closest dealer with another Metzeler was Bellevue Suzuki-Ducati. They gave me their 1999 Monster 900 demo to ride while they fixed my tire.

The hook was set! However, it took a while to reel me in.

Emotionally blocked from paying $10K (more in Y2K) for a motorcycle, I considered the M750, even though I hadn't ridden the bike. (Hey, it worked for the R65!) I found a couple '99s, good deals, but couldn't convince myself to buy.

Perhaps I just needed the proper (9 month!) gestation period. In any case, at its close, I discovered that it was the price that was pushing me towards the M750; my heart (or some other part of my body!) really wanted the M900.

After discussions with Atlanta Ducati about a leftover '99, fate intervened and I wound up with a Y2K model from Ducati Seattle.

2000 Ducati M900

Day One : 6 May 2000 : 198 miles
After picking up the bike, I ran over to Renton to the Vintage Japanese Moto Swap Meet, to pick up a taillight for the CT90. Then up to Cascade BMW to "show off" and check on the status of a new jacket (back ordered - boo).

Paul Baker and I decided to have lunch -- then ran Fales Road and Ben Howard Road. He was on his Aprilia Falco, me on the Duc - an Italian kinda day! We lucked out on our way back -- met a local cop just west of the dairy. He hit his lights; we slowed down; and -- bless him -- he didn't do a u-turn and cite us!

Over to Ride West BMW for their swap meet. What a Great New Store! It's spacious and very very nice inside. Plus, they have a Ton of bikes - the new blue for the Roadster is drop-dead gorgeous.

Back home to shower and get ready for a friend's 40th birthday party. Riding without a fairing is Chilly, as I discovered on the midnight ride back home!

Next Steps
Dave Roosevelt is ordering me the teeny fairing that's on the M900S (and the picture at the top of this page). In the meantime, he's found a small windshield that should fit. Hope to get it installed next week.

Also, next week I'll schedule my visit with Rich to get the seat customized. I'd like it a little 'scooped' and narrower, if possible - and boy do I want a gel pad! He put two pads in the R65 seat, we'll see what he wants to do with this one.

Then, of course, there's luggage if the bike is going to be used for anything other than day trips. BB (from WetLeather) has Ventura, and that's what Ducati Seattle recommends also.

Ducati M900
Introduction
First Photos
Stuff: Trips, Service, Other Pix, Etc.
Ducati Monster Links

[ Next Site ] [ Previous ] [ Random ] [ Skip Next ] [ Next 5 ] [ List Sites ]

This Ducati Webring site is owned by Kathy Gill
For details on adding your site to the ring, go to the Ducati Webring Home Page.