M900 Monster (1994 - 2002) review
900SS powered street-fighter struggled with lack of ground clearance and performance
The 900 Monster's extra kilos do give it a slightly more reassuring feel, and paying the price of marginally reduced agility is more than made up for by this.
But the big gains, in not just speed but enjoyment, come from the extra power of the motor. An 80% boost in power is, unsurprisingly, easy to detect as soon as the throttle is twisted. There's just so much more stomp and response from the motor, you could never go back to a 600.
Route planning is nowhere near as essential on the 900 as it is on the smaller Monster. The extra speed means it's 'competitive' on all sorts of roads, and makes for quite a good all-rounder. Don't think for a minute it's a racer that can take on focused sporting tackle, because it's not quite fast enough for that. But it is rapid enough to give thrills, and if you want to lose your wheelie virginity, the 900 Monster is the business.
Life at continual high speed gets a bit unpleasant without a fairing as it does to a slightly lesser extent on the 600. And like that version, pillion provision hasn't been on the top of the designer's agenda. Passengers will survive OK for a while, but the slim seat doesn't give enough support for longer rides.
Practicality didn't get too much consideration either. There are a couple of grabrails for the pillion, but they're better used as bungee loops. There's no centrestand and the instrumentation is basic and doesn't feature a clock. Underseat storage can't accommodate much more than a credit card. If you want to carry any odd and sods on a Monster, then wear a jacket with deep pockets or a backpack.
Choosing which Monster suits you best is very much down to your need for speed and how important having a bike with an appreciably greater amount of grunt is to you. It does, after all, affect every aspect of your riding experience.
The 900 Monster's extra kilos do give it a slightly more reassuring feel, and paying the price of marginally reduced agility is more than made up for by this.
But the big gains, in not just speed but enjoyment, come from the extra power of the motor. An 80% boost in power is, unsurprisingly, easy to detect as soon as the throttle is twisted. There's just so much more stomp and response from the motor, you could never go back to a 600.
Route planning is nowhere near as essential on the 900 as it is on the smaller Monster. The extra speed means it's 'competitive' on all sorts of roads, and makes for quite a good all-rounder. Don't think for a minute it's a racer that can take on focused sporting tackle, because it's not quite fast enough for that. But it is rapid enough to give thrills, and if you want to lose your wheelie virginity, the 900 Monster is the business.
Life at continual high speed gets a bit unpleasant without a fairing as it does to a slightly lesser extent on the 600. And like that version, pillion provision hasn't been on the top of the designer's agenda. Passengers will survive OK for a while, but the slim seat doesn't give enough support for longer rides.
Practicality didn't get too much consideration either. There are a couple of grabrails for the pillion, but they're better used as bungee loops. There's no centrestand and the instrumentation is basic and doesn't feature a clock. Underseat storage can't accommodate much more than a credit card. If you want to carry any odd and sods on a Monster, then wear a jacket with deep pockets or a backpack.
Choosing which Monster suits you best is very much down to your need for speed and how important having a bike with an appreciably greater amount of grunt is to you. It does, after all, affect every aspect of your riding experience.
