Ducati Monster Forum

Has anyone in Monsterdom ridden a Sport Classic 1000?  How do you think they compare to a Monster 696?  I realize the engines are totally different, so I'm more interested in the overall feel, handling, etc.  I looked at a biposto today that had clipons (it was the Sport model, not the GT1000).  I am considering this bike as for more usable 2-up riding and some touring.  Thoughts?

Talk to DRKWNG (currently Julie) in CAM. He's got one and loves it.

gt is more more comfy for the passenger, and a much better tourer than the sport

Sports are very stretched, and sporty in position, much less comfy

I got a Paul Smart last week and it feels nothing like the monster. In fact, I think it's the most uncomfortable bike I have ever ridden and the gearing is totally wrong for the city. But, it looks great and once you go over 70mph it glides.

They are gorgeous, but I've always heard they are torture racks to ride, the GT is ugly as sin

The GT is my dream bike (and my next bike), but the SC's more aggressive position feels awkward (to me). It's almost like the clip-ons are just too low and forward. I feel crucified stretched over the tank, and I'm not a small person.

If it feels good to you, go for it. I thought I'd like the SC more than the GT, but 20 seconds in the saddle and I knew I was wrong.

First off..don't listen to anything DORKWING tells you.    ;D

Second..you want a SPORT classic for 2 up riding?! Hope you have strong wrists.  Supporting yourself on that thing is enough but with a passenger?!

I rode one a couple times.  Once..for an extended period..in the rain..in the hill country of Northern Italy..not fun due to bars and seating position.  
Riding it short for distances around town with frequent stops..tolerable.

Cool looking bike and I would get one..as my backup..to a backup.

Deitrich has done a good job with his mods.

'06 SC1000 AMS Back in Black #2. [thumbsup] The taller DP "comfort" bars and DP gel seat make it much more tolerable. [moto]

http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x2/notacop01/?action=view&current=PICT0040.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x2/notacop01/?action=view&current=PICT0040.jpg)

yeah but his bike is so heavily modified im not sure if its even fair to still call it a SC   [drool] i love his bike and i dont even like SCs  [laugh]

I have several bikes and my SC gets negected a lot. Then I put it up for sale until I ride it.  But everytime I ride it I fall back in love and want to keep it forever.

For me, 6'3" 220lbs, the riding position is not terrible once I'm moving. I've ridden much worse. But after 80-100 miles, I'm ready to get off it. The motor and neutral handling work really well in that low position.  Mine is pretty much stock except for the suspension and on the local back roads I usually run a 75-90 mph pace and it's just pure fun.  . Once I get into the knee down speeds and try to run  up into triple digits it wants a steering dampner pretty bad and the lack of a fairing gives me a stiff neck.  Run it at the speeds it wants to run and it's one of the most fun bikes to ride I've ever owned.

Saying all that I just rode my friends Hyper Motard 20 minutes ago and now I want to sell the SC and get one of those.  [bang] [bang] [bang]

I refuse to demo the 'tard. They look like they could get you into a lot of trouble! ;D [evil] [leo]

Storz Performance makes a nice steering damper for the Sport Classics. Got one on the Back in Black. [thumbsup]

http://www.storzperf.com/jpgs/page17.html (http://www.storzperf.com/jpgs/page17.html)

Nope, never seen one.  


Watch it, Mini-Me.   ;D

OH CRAP! I've got one of those somewhere in my tool chest that I bought from Steve for my 94 M900! I wonder if it'll fit. Thx.

Meh...  Get one of the WASP kits from Greg, they're stupid nice and look perfect on the bike.

Bar risers improve the ride position.

(http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ducati-sportclassic.jpg)

The Sport Classic is a very fun bike if you set it up correctly. They are not that great stock.

http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-sport-1000?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Bikeexif+%28Bike+EXIF%29 (http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-sport-1000?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Bikeexif+%28Bike+EXIF%29)

-M

Nice scooter! Damn! [thumbsup]

Ok, I'll add a few things.  Yes, bar risers do help with the comfort aspect, as these bikes can be a bit of a bear to ride if you're not used to a very committed riding position.  But, and to me it's a big but, the aggressive position really allows you to get into the bike and pitch it into a turn like nobody's business.  Hell, I lowered the front end on mine by all the mods that were done and I LOVE the way it handles.  The key to being happy with these bikes is to really strengthen your lower back.  ;)

Glad to know I can now blame my lameness on my SC1000 on my weak ass lower back (and upper back/broken neck). [laugh] [laugh] Gee, I thought it was just my shitty riding skill all these years. God damn lower back is making me look bad!! ;D

Seriously, the taller bars really help folks (me included, 4 fused neck vertebrae need help :P) and the DP comfort seat is a luxury. They are great scooters for sure. Have a friend with a GT1000 and he had to do some suspension mods to get it to work right but he's happy now. Every bike needs to be "personalized" to make the rider happy. The Sport Classic bikes are no different. The mod-fest on all Ducatis wouldn't happen if that wasn't the case. [thumbsup]

I'm with you on the jacked up back issue, just that my problem IS my lower back (thanks to the IED that one of Kabul's friendly Al Qaida representatives used to toss around the land cruiser that I was in).  I'm just saying that the riding position on these things is committed at best, and that's even with raised bars.

If you are interested in  2-up riding, the 2006 model Sport Classics would not be for you.  They are monoposto only.  They also had the most intense riding position.  The 07s and 08s were bipostos, and they had slightly higher bars as well.  You might want to give the GT1000 some thought.  I thought they were a bit lame, till I started riding with a guy who has one.  He modded it all sorts of ways and it looks much better.  Really turns heads.  Don't know much about the Sport 1000 S.  I was wondering if it would be possible to get clip-on risers for those and not have your hand start to hit the front fairing.

Why Julie?  Are you his girlfriend?!   [cheeky]

Wow, thanks for all the info, guys!  As I said in my original post, I'm currently using a Monster 696 for 2-up riding and to me, it didn't seem like the SC's (an '07 SC Biposto) riding position was much more committed (if at all) than my Monster.  Granted, the bike was fitted with Speedy Moto tallboys, which probably improved the riding position over stock.

The riser bars that several of you mentioned, would they work with the clipons?

When I say 'touring', I'm thinking of the occasional short distance trip, say under 300 miles.  I want to dip my toe in the touring world without buying a touring bike like the MS1200.  Most of my 2-up riding will be no more 2 hours.

Perhaps most importantly, I still want a bike that is fun to ride and adds some flavor to my expanding stable of bikes.

I guess I should have been a bit more clear with my post, but when I said risers I meant elevated clip-ons, much like the SM Tall Boys.  I am currently running zero rise SM clip-ons, with the triples set a touch lower that stock on my '06, so it's pretty dedicated.  You might be able to get an idea from this pic:

(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z53/b_upton/Moto/DSC00185.jpg)

As much as I love this bike, I would highly advise you to look at the GT1000 if you have your heart set on an SC and want to get into some light touring.  Don't really think you'd be terribly happy with any of the S bikes if you bought one with touring as an intended purpose.

HELL NO!!  He's MY pregnant dog!   [cheeky]

LOVE those BST wheels!!! [thumbsup] Julie made a good statement regarding your riding intentions/bike choice. I'm sure that several SC1000 owners will chime in and disagree but my SC1000 wouldn't be my 1st choice for mild sport touring. I too would consider the GT1000 over the Paul Smarts/solo or bi-posto SC1000s for that purpose. My friend with the GT1000 went with stiffer fork springs and replaced the shocks (can't remember the brand??) on his GT and he was happy. He added some Staintune slip on mufflers and it sounds as sweet as any DS1000 can. [evil] Even with taller bars on a SC1000 I'm sure the GT would be more comfortable in the long haul. Let us know which way you go on this. [popcorn]

I test rode a new '09 SC after the first of the year................



I then bought a new '09 M1100.

Ok, there's a trend here that I want to address.  When one says Sport Classic, you are referring to the model line and not a specific bike.  The GT1000s, the PS and the Sport1000(S)s are all Sport Classics.