Ducati Monster Forum

There I was, riding along on the 696 I picked up yesterday, when I decided to inspect my elbows as I've been used to doing on my 620. I looked in the mirrors and was disappointed to note that I could barely even see my elbows and instead had to be satisfied with a view of the traffic behind and beside me.

This is un-Monster-like! Both my 620 stock mirrors and the DP Touring Mirrors I got are perfect at doing what a Monster mirror is apparently designed to do - provide a lovely view of the elbows - without distracting the rider with traffic or other extraneous information.

The experience was frightening, both because I couldn't really be sure if my elbows were really still there and because I kept seeing cars, trucks, and other stuff behind me that's never been there before.

What do other 696 and 1100 owners think? Should we start a petition to bring back our elbow mirrors, or is it time for a class-action suit?

Heresy! Mirrors that actually work? on a duc? say it ain't so!

Get yourself a set of CRG Hindsight LS bar end mirrors.  They are really good, and make a huge difference.  The CRGs made riding the bike much easier, as do my Pazzo levers.

couple of things i've done. one.. move them forward a bit. then i use the left to view more of the lane outside my left elbow and use the right to see more behind me. rare someone comes on my right rear since no one passes on the right in europe.

Agreed with RC Fan, just did it myself, same set-up.  Totally easy do it yourself mod.

Actually, my point is that the stock mirrors work perfectly for me. No need in my case to move them around or to add bar-end mirrors.

Now that I re-read your post I see that.  I have read so many posts about people who didn't like the stock mirrors, that I guess I really wasn't paying attention.

Have you considered putting elbowpads under your jacket? This might solve the problem of lack of elbow awareness, as they would make them stick out into the mirrors field of view.

You have them adjusted incorrectly then.   :P

I saw my elbows just fine... All elbow, no traffic

Look down at your forearms - while they remain horizontal, your elbows are still there.  [thumbsup]

You could get a Parrot and train it to sit on your shoulder ............or like I have had to do for all the years I have owned my Ducatis.

Since I'm 6'4" I just raise my Elbow a bit and look under my Arm pit. Then I can see behind me . Even the Rizoma Radials on the S4Rs don't extend far enough for me to not see my Shoulders at a glance.

It's easy, just 1 second before you are going to sneak a peak, raise that Elbow to horizonal then peak under your Armpit and there you will see the road behind you.

Dolph     :)

I love how half the people responding do not get the humour in the original post.

except they look like mickey mouse ears.

Hmm. The original Monster mirrors certainly looked like Mickey Mouse ears, but the ones that came on my '05 620 certainly did not. At least they gave me a great view of my elbows.

Your .sig line says you had a 696 and now have an 1100. Do you honestly think the mirrors look at all like Mickey Mouse ears? Really?!

Maybe my problem was that when the Mickey Mouse Club was being broadcast I was too young for acid. That's the only way I can imagine equating those mirrors and those ears.

Yeah, I finally realized that and was able to fend off a panic attack. It's still unnerving to see all that road instead of my own anatomy but I'm slowly getting used to it.

Just shows that most people read about 25% of what is posted. [roll]

Oh, and mstevens -  [laugh] [clap]

you know, the first thing I thought about changing on my 696 were the mirrors... They look so.. Mickey Mouse. But realizing they actually do a good job at saving my hide in traffic.... they dont look like mickey mouse ears any more.  I now totally accept them as good design on Ducati's part...

i had a BMW rider ask me if my stock mirrors were Rizoma... hmmm maybe that should be in the cool things people said about your bike.

I agree, and I think the bike looks far better without them. 

Yep. I removed them immediately. CRG LS.

I think they look like donkey ears...
The old series had the Mickey look.
But I really have to agree , they are fantastic designed and function follows form.
Turning japanese, they are...turning japanse....hehe
I just question the hapting feeling of the material...thats all

mine are a great rear view. had dp on s4 and they required moving elbows in. the m1100s ones i cannot fault as 3 way adjustable. looks like you need to set them up better unless you havearms like trees  ;D

I've one left broken mirror on my 696 last week. Found crashed off. And one this week... They not designed for burtal force, ha?

The first post by MStevens is hilarious.  Funny some people didn't get the sarcasim.  I thought he had down laid the sarcasim thick and heavy.  Apparently it's still not enough for some.  LOL

Yes, my original Mickey Mouse mirrors were useless.  I am glad Ducati heard the general reaction and corrected the mirror issue with the new M696/1100, or so it seems.

If you think that's sarcastic, you haven't heard me rant on about the state of the healthcare system...

Maybe you'll get lucky and they'll start to droop like my 900SS

For guys my age "lucky" and "droop" never really belong in the same sentence.

Now that you've mentioned the 696 elbow mirrors are poorly designed, I want to find out if the 696 has continued on with the crotch searing tradition.  I rode home yesterday in near record heat in Seattle.  Riding my 620 has turned into the ESPN's Hot Seat.  I wasn't sure if my head was sweating more or my thighs. 

I would like to know if the 696 has kept that feature going, especially for those of you in year-round warm weather.

I think the crotch-searing may even have improved!

I never noticed any heat at all with the 620, but the 696's higher pipes and different routing do seem to have improved heat delivery to the seating area. I definitely noticed some heat on the ride home last night on my wife's new 696. Should be useful in the winter, except I don't ride then.

I never hit much traffic where I live, but when I do have to stop for any amount of time my "fertile crescent" begins to warm quite rapidly on the 696.  Also I believe if I wore shorts, I'd probably suffer 2nd degree burns.  But I understand that that's just the bike telling me she wants to be flogged and gets pissed when she has to sit stlll.

ditto.  Don't ride in traffic much.  did get stuck in 5pm herk & jerk on Canal St, in Nashua.  Didn't take long to start roasting the parts.  Same for the one time I got caught on 101A heading towards Amherst at about 5:30.

under seat heat is worst on the 1100 than the 696 anyone else thats done the trade would agree or tell me theres something wrong with mine. SWEEEETTT!

I haven't switched but if I'm stuck in traffic the heat from the 1100 is BAD! I'm going to ceramic coat the exhaust and maybe get some of these exhaust guards from Bellisimoto
http://www.bellissimoto.com/Monster696Carbon.html (http://www.bellissimoto.com/Monster696Carbon.html)