I think it was previously mentioned but I would check your insurance first. I bought a GSX750X as my first bike as it was cheap to buy and cheap to insure, I didn't get board of it because it is still a quick bike at 750cc and due to that I got a few years no claims built up which made buying my 1098 easier. I no longer think my 750 is a quick bike as the 1098 seen to that concept.
Power is not critical, but as a first bike I would look at weight even more as that will make a big difference in handling, a lighter bike is so much easier , have fun!
I think you will be fine with the monster Powerful enough to start with and fun to ride My first bike at 40 was a 600SS Plenty of power in that little motor more than I needed Make sure it’s a red one as they are best and we like a bin shot too
As others have said, get what you want. Why put it off. I did my Direct access and picked up a brand new 848 back in 2006. The one thing I did do is get some training though. California Superbike School kept me alive, and Bikesafe was also worthwhile. A V4 will go as slowly as a scrambler if you tell it to....
Some good advice above. Buy, read, digest and put into action Roadcraft, it is full of little gems that will help keep you safe.
A 797 will be an excellent first bike but I would do a couple of things before committing. We all like different things on bikes, riding position, power delivery etc, try a twin , a triple and an IL4 even if just for an hour on each to see which scratches your itch the most. Whatever you choose I`d also be very tempted to go for a secondhand possibly slightly tatty bike even if just for a month as that is when you are most likely to drop it. I know that sounds pessimistic but I`d be less upset dropping a 5 year old 796 monster that cost £4k for example than a shiny new one. Good luck whatever you do.
Go with your heart not your head. Just treat it with the respect it deserves I use to ride a 125 when I was a teen, then had a break for 20 or so years. Done my direct access and then jumped straight onto a Aprillia RSV Millie, that was a few years ago now and I’m still here to tell the tale....... just Insurance could be the deciding factor although I remember the Millie only being £130 a year at the time with no NCD. Good luck
IMO your tastes will probably change, no bike is perfect. Get a nice one now, not a mental one. Then you'll use it without scaring yourself everytime it's wet out... Can always upgrade when you're more certain/confident
797 is not a slow bike - the little lady had a 696 for all of 10 mins the upgraded to the 796 totally different bike - she’s now on the SF 848 and a 848, but the 796 was a good step and she ended up ringing its neck. Not just getting on an 848 and being frighten of it. My two pennies for what they’re worth.
i bought an 821 as a first bike, less than a year in (i love it) but there are times (only a few so far: motorways mainly) when I wish I had a bit more. I found the 797 a bit lacking in comparison (noise and power) when i had a lend of one for the day, it was still fun though, only you will know if you'd get bored of it quickly.. The monster is dead easy to ride and throw about, Insurance through ducati came in at 400 for the first year with zero year no claims; renewal just came through at 300. if you are planning on upgrading in a couple of years you might be better off buying 2nd hand so you dont get spanked on depreciation.. test ride a few and see how you feel. the 821 is staying for a while but i'll be building up to a 3 bike garage over the next 5 years i think. xdiavel and a panigale?
I had a 696 as a first bike and enjoyed learning on it. Remember that you'll keep learning with every twist of the wrist for the rest of your life. This won't be your only bike if you're anything like most bikers on this planet. So don't feel like you have to buy the higher capacity to suit the years ahead. Personally I would get the 797, (it aint slow) enjoy learning, master it, then enjoy getting something beefy later to move on to. It has been said, the insurance will be a factor so do your research. I had 2 large insurers refuse me cover on a V4, that I was an existing customer with on other bikes, because I didn't have a panigale before, despite a decade of experience and other litre bikes and 8yrs NCB. You 'may' encounter such madness if they say a litre bike as your first ride yadayada. Just a thought although slim. In either case, congrats, safe riding, and you'll enjoy ANY bike that comes out of Borgo Panigale.
Good morning and welcome to the forum... I'm a little later than many coming to share some thoughts with you by yhe looks of it... However, Mrs M was in exactly the same situation as yourself this time last year and we opted for a 796 for her first bike. The thought process behind this... This was due to the fact it was going to be her first bike and I really didn't want her to scare herself silly at the first twist of the throttle after passing her Module 2 test, secondly I didn't want her to end up with something that she would get bored of within the first 18 months. I'm in the camp that the feeling of opening the garage door and seeing your steed needs to get the pulse rate raised and Mrs M loves single sided swingarm Ducati's which the 796 has (the 797 & 821's don't have this far better looking rear end) and lastly, the 796's seem to have taken the worst of the depreciation curve and levelled out somewhat which is also a bonus! Personally I think we arrived at the right bike by following a criteria that needed to be filled and letting the heart also have a say in the final bike. Mrs M loves her Monster and has developed her riding skills fantastically over the past 12 months on it. She's already stated that 'Dorothy' is a keeper and she can't see it ever leaving the steadily growing stable of Ducati's that we're building together. Go with your heart and enjoy whatever you end up with Dude, they really are a fantastic bike the Monsters
The 797 Monster is very similar to the Scrambler. I enjoyed mine a lot. Great, fun engine and the Monster will be a good physical size to build your confidence on. If you are sensible enough, engine size doesn't matter much on a first bike but a heavy or cumbersome bike could be a bit off putting. Learning to make the most of something with gobs of power when you have little to no experience is likely just going to slow your progress. I'd say the 797 is an excellent first bike but only buy one if you actually like it! If you want to save a few pennies, an older 796 Monster is very similar. Looks slightly nicer to my eyes and sounds better in stock form too. There are plenty around for next to nothing.
