provide what are effectively primer-finish bikes to their clients ready for the‘ treatment’. The bikes are therefore cheaper to produce and buy. Conversely, the Dark created a whole new look for the Euros, one we’ ve now seen replicated by MV with their matt-black‘ stealth’ F4S. That’ s not to say the Dark is a bare-bones item. It’ s still seen some significant revisions for 2001, namely fuel injection and an update to the ergonomics, including a revised tank shape, that make the bike just that little more appealing, comfortable and useful. Our test bike, kindly supplied by Brilliant Bob and his V2 Motorcycles outfit( in Brisbane), wasn’ t exactly stock. Which is probably true of 95 per cent of all Monsters on the road. This one came with Termignoni mufflers and a computer chip to adjust the fuelling to the now free-flow exhausts. And boy did it make music. It may be just an air and oil cooled SOHC two-valve 904cc vee-twin, but the pipes make it sound like Troy’ s own. Very nice, and probably very illegal – but some laws are made to be broken …
FEEL THE FORCE LUKE Where the Monster scores, immediately, is its useability. Even the 900SS requires a modicum of adjustment from the rider. But the Monster offers a very manageable seat height( not crazy-low like the Raptor, just nicely), a comfortably neutral ride position with a medium height handlebar position( attacking but not committing), a firm but compliant seat, light throttle, brake and clutch controls, and a fuss-free gearbox. The clutch still feels more than a touch fragile – slip it too aggressively and you’ ll regret it – but it’ s still a Ducati, so go
easy there. Quite how well it carburates, as a fuel injected bike,( on our experiences) it would be hard to say. No doubt as stock it’ ll be good and clean. Ours, with the pipe and chip, had picked up some race-like mannerisms at low speed, sort of growling, spitting and carrying on in a bad-ass way. With the noise coming from the pipes the bike was excellent fun, man I loved it, but for a novice rider it might initially be distracting. Mid-range is real nice though. We’ re talking 3500 to 6500rpm here. There you’ ll find a wonderfully pleasing swathe of torque and power that’ s relatively linear. No step-ups, no holes, no surprises. Just that easy to use, easy to appreciate woof of motive force that you yearn
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