Monkeystrada

Mr Silvercub - I am honoured and humbled by your salutations towards my steed. To be mentioned in the same sentence as the Cechie is praise indeed. I am not sure how good they would be in the snow though.

I must concur that the Monkeystrada (thanks for that, I shall use this moniker from now on)does all and more than Ducati's, quite frankly, inferior copy. Sport, Urban and Touring modes are thought activated - I simply change my mind as to what I am doing and voila there I am in any of the three. No Magneti Marelli nonsense. Wind noise is not an issue as the screen is infinitely multi adjustable. A pull or a push on the top of it lets you move it where you want, no problem or special tools required. The comprehensive on board electrical system includes a cable for exo2 heated gloves. The SatNav is as much for show as anything else, though it was bloody useful in the snow storms on the way to the Elefantentreffen. A Scottoiler (reservoir mounted on the left handlebar) ensures miniscule friction loss drive and the Airhawk provides a pile friendly ride. Fuel surging is not an issue apart from when the gerry can on the right hand side is half full as it tends to slosh about a bit.

Since this picture was taken it has been the recipient of the Monkey Strada Corse engine upgrade to a heady 140cc which means I can barely hang to the bugger.

I can say in all honesty that, even as a dedicated Ducati man, I would bet I have every bit as much enjoyment and quite probably more with this bike than I would have if I had bought a new Multistrada.

You flatter me sir.

Who knows where it shall go next - I have many moments of quiet time that set the mond wandering with what could be done to it. You have inspired me though, I wonder if I could rig up something to make it look more "Monkeystrada" - in bannana yellow of course.

Silvercub - sorry for delay in answering. I have been away for a few days and all hell has broken loose as a new wee girl arrived in the Mac household last Monday!.

The short answer is no to all at the moment. I have had to use the car recently with the missis being heavily pregnant so for a couple of weeks up to splashdown I was a taxi driver.

I used the Monkeystrada on Sunday to go into Prague and it died on me at a very inopportune moment. It is now languishing in a friends garage until I can go and rescue it. I have the snow tyres though and hope I can get it up an running before the Elefantentreffen comes around. Not sure what is wrong with it but it just cut out and then became a bitch to start again. Upon eventually re-starting, putting it under any load at all had it cut out again. I could slip the clutch and it would stay alive a bit longer but not enough to get me anywhere and eventually it expired. Any ideas?

As to the cardboard police girls. I did see that in the press here too but they are not in Prague and anyway they could have found a better looking girl.

Hello there Sir Cub - the good news is that the Monkeystrada is running again. It looks like it was most likely water that had been sucked back up the carb overflow/breather tubes and frozen which then caused the issues.

I tried fitting the snow tyres yesterday and I need to get some longer drive chain now, due to the increase in diameter and different gearing. I have thus not yet tested them but I think I can get it to fit. So it looks like the Elefenatentreffen is back on Monkeystrada wise. In the event that the bike does not make it then there is hope of borrowing a scooter for the trip.

"I wonder if I could rig up something to make it look more "Monkeystrada" - in bannana yellow of course"
... now it is famous, how about a 'monkeystrada' monikered spray job?

"a new wee girl arrived"
... I hope this is a size reference, rather than alluding to more deviate practices? ;-D (congrats!)

Good sir Cub - the Elefantentreffen did indeed happen and it was well and trul Monkeyed. I am a bit cream crackered right now but will post up some photos and a report over the weekend. suffice to say it was chuffing cold. It was -9/-10 inside the tent before attemting sleep so what it got down to by 3 or 4 in the morning I have no idea. Anyway more to follow.

For Silvercub at special request.

Please see attached as evidence of this years Elefantentreffen. As you can see I ditched the spare wheel and fuel can this time in favour of two home assembled panniers with spare batteries in them with the idea of using them to power heated gloves and jacket. The Monkeystrada electric system struggles to power everything and I figured that I would be better to save the onboard juice for lights and GPS. It was only a partial success as the bitter cold did for the batteries but it was worth a go and the journey there was at least warm. It was -10 or so inside the tent at night when heading off for kip and of course the inside was thus a sheet of ice upon waking up. It was a great weekend though, with some incredible contraptions to be seen. The best, to my mind, being a home made three wheel drive CX500 sidecar outfit. Yes that's right, three wheel drive. If anyone is interested I will post some pictures.
This first picture was the Monkeystrada on the morning of the return departure and all around where many machines that were reluctantly coughing into life, if at all. I was crapping myself as to if the beast would fire up, as it attracted a fair amount of attention and I was sure I was going to make a prat of myself. It didn't let me down.
The second and third pics are the machine in all its glory before the start, still clean and with its nice new Sava winter tyres, which are brilliant by the way.

Shuggiemac: You are a man of Iron, minus 10 in a tent! on a bike! Your Monkestrada looks the biz and those tyres would be good for the desert also. Can't see Obi Wan and Yoda following in your tyre tracks. Adventure biking ha...... sponsorship, free bikes and 36 truck backup crew..... not needed with a Monkeystrada.

Photos are great. What was it like riding to the elephant meeting? Were the roads clear enough? I'd like to go next year.

I take it those beers were nicely chilled.

The official anniversary Monkey's are fetching silly money. I would love to get my mitts on one though.

Aha - you may have just given me some inspiration for a project! I have two PAV bike trailers in the garage, I may well start to look at one of those a bit closer now and see what damage could be done to it with a hacksaw!

Excellent - many thanks, as usual.