Ducati Monster Forum

Ok, I was dumb and sold my monster.  I looooved that bike but I'm a big and tall dude so the bike was rather small.  With the nudgings of my wife I bought a sport touring bike.  I can't stand it.  700 lbs is just to much for a motorcycle. 

So here is where I need the help.  The reason I sold the Monster is because after about an hour it was just uncomfortable.. painful even.  I tried different seats, bar risers, ect.. Nothing seemed to help.  I really want to get one again, either the DSS version I had or the new 1100s. (granted I haven't fully warmed up to the new design yet)  What have the big and tall guys done to help make more room on the bike?   The reach to the bars isn't that big an issue.  It's more an issue with just position and leg room.  I thought about getting rearsets but I couldn't find any that folded and if I'm lowering the pegs they really do need to fold.

I want my monster back, nothing else compares in pure fun when riding.

have you thought about the new Multistrada?
150hp, taller bike, lighter than any other bike in its class.

I'm 6'4" and about 220 lbs.
8 hours rides, full track days - no issues.

I've been through many mods to make my bike fit me, and I'd be happy to help out.
First - can you tell me what/where/why you were most uncomfortable?

I'm a bit heaver than you but not quite as tall but my main issue was just leg position.  It's a comfortable arm reach to the bars but my legs are so scrunched up that I had a hard time using them for support. 

I need to increase the Ass to Feet distance.


And I thought about a multistrada but that's a lot of coin for a bike.  I spent that much on the sport tourer and I wish I didn't.   I'll still check it out though when the dealer gets one.

what sport tourer did you get for that much and weighs 700...
and how can anything that weighs that much be called sport

I didn't make the class definition and I'm rounding but all the sport tourers from all the major manufactures weigh close to 700 lbs when loaded up and ready to ride. 

OK - more or less same issue here. Mind you, I'm on a S2R and that's my reference.
If your feet can be positioned further back, it will open up your hip angle a lot. Gilles Tooling rearsets will adjust to accommodate just that. They will also allow the pegs to be lowered a little.

Folding pegs? You, I and other "grown up" riders need stiffer springs for our Monsters. We'll get back to that when you get closer to getting your new bike. Not very expensive though. Equipped with the right springs, there's no need for folding pegs.

There's more to come, but I'll leave you to research S2R bikes and Gilles Tooling first.
When I get back to my computer in about 6 hours I'll tell you more and try to answer your next questions.

FWIW when I sat on a M1100 and a M696 they both felt more suited to my body than a stock S2R. What I didn't like about their ergonomics was that the handle bars were too close to me.

How about chasing down a used ST? Bigger bike, not too spendy, and tones of performance. I followed one up a canyon a few times last season, he needed sliders and/or wheels on his hard bags as he just about had them on the ground when dragging knee

Or an older used Multi. I know they're ugly but I still have yet to meet an owner of one who regretted anything on that purchase. They are roomier, not 700lbs, and they hustle along just fine when it's required.

I think I felt the same about the M1100.  I couldn't put my finger on it as I only sat on one around a lot of people but something just didn't feel right about it.  Was it the bars, the slope of the seat?  I dunno. 

Was the geometry between the S2R and the DSS bikes that different? 

i'm 6'2" with a 36" inseam and do alright on the monster. i have ridden it way overloaded for 600mi a day. my ass was sore, and my knees were stiff, but that faded. but i also used it as my daily commuter year round. it might be getting a lot more seat time and finding what works for you.

i found that occasionally standing up on the pegs or folding down the rear pegs and stretching my feet back to them helped out a lot. i switch up my foot position on the pegs a lot as well.

my sport tourer (which i absolutely love) is listed at 474lbs dry. even overloaded it barely goes over 550lbs. my 230lbs puts it over 700, but after a little bit of riding it i learned to manage the weight and have no issues with it outside of my own fear of dropping it.
fwiw, that ST is much nicer on those really long days, lol.

Have you sat on a Hyper?

How about an ST?

I'm 6'3" 235. I was told on a few occasions during group rides I looked like a gorilla fvcking a fire hydrant while on my Monster.  [laugh]  

I found the bike to pretty comfortable but I have a long torso and shorter inseam for my size so I have the "perfect" body for spot bike ergos.  [moto]

I second the ST4S as a viable option and you can take your wife for a ride as well.

A bike with short reach to the bars (696/1100) will put your upper body in an upright position, which doesn't go well with the stock sloped seat. There are Ducati seats to fix that slope, if that's the route you're going. To mod around the 696/1100 short reach issue, you'd might want to look into clip on bars. They will actually put the grip of the bars closer to you, but it feels like a longer reach because of how much lower they will be. The downside of clip ons is that you won't get much of an opening of the hip joint angle - in fact the opposite. In most cases the 696/1100 already have enough forward weight to handle well.

Clip ons on a S*R or DSS will add the benefit of distributing weight forward, which is a good performance/control/safety mod.
This changed weight distribution is accomplished by leaning forward which, as in my case, is helped by positioning my feet further back. It's a more superbikey body position - it has worked great for me, but it might not be for everybody.

I don't know for sure about any ergonomic differences between DSS and SSS bikes.

There are numerous individual consideration to think about before you choose a bike, but trust me on the rearward foot position [thumbsup]