Ducati Monster Forum

My M620 isn't the best bike for two up riding so I'm looking for another bike to accommodate. It would be for around town or short jaunts with my wife or teenage kids. There will be no multi-day touring so I'm not interested in the ST. Any suggestions? I want to stay with Ducati. I'm thinking a Hyper or Muti but open to suggestions. Your thoughts?

what don't u like about the monster for 2up?  i ask b/c my wife actually loves it.  of course, after the R6, its a big step in comfort for her. 

but i sense this is just an excuse to buy a new bike.  i will gladly retract my question in that case.

is there anything the multi can't do well?

It's not so much that she doesn't like as it is that the bike is soft for two. If I set it up for two (rear suspension) I'm afraid it would be too firm. Maybe an adjustable suspension is the way to go... Maybe I just want another bike!

the multi 1200 is an AMAZING bike.

very comfortable for long tours at 2 up but sporty enough to enjoy a curvy road. it very much is a SBK dressed as touring bike.

previous gen multis arent bad either, they will definitely do the job you want. but that MTS1200 :o anyone who doesn't like it hasn't ridden it.

FWIW, my girlfriend prefers riding on the Monster over the Multistrada. She's feels too distant and disconnected on the MTS. It's a more comfortable ride for long distances (8 hour trips, etc) but the Monster is where it's at for street riding.

I say get an adjustable shock and dial it in for both single and passenger riding.

Just around town? I'd get the lil' Hyper, great for two up and very cool. The MS is overkill unless you plan on racking up big miles.

The suspension is definitely the weak point on the monster. As suggested, getting adjustable suspension is an option. Then after a few bumps you'll notice the front forks still suck and you want a sbk fork. after that, you'll notice the engine isnt as peppy when riding 2up and u need more power.

Save yourself the trouble and get a multistrada. It really is a great all around bike.  See if u can demo one 2up.

  Multistrada, awsome ride two up or solo. My wife and I have enjoyed many miles,and if You want to push it a bit that bike will do what is asked. whether on a short ride or 600mi., it is comfortable yet will keep up to a lot of the "fast" riders. They are not a 1198, but no slug either. Takes a bit to learn to push a MTS hard but it is there. My Wife and I really ride well together, and it is nice to not be beat to death after a days ride, check it out, You will be surprised..

just if the old MTS wasn't so ugly!

do what triple j did and make a monstrada

a visualization
(http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/BOMb/009/bomb005.jpg)

get an adjustable rear shock from an ST series bike and try it out...I have one that I think I might eventually put on my GF's 620...

My wife hates the pillion on my monster too.  When it gets warmer, we will see if she likes riding pillion on my hyper.  If she doesn't, I'll be in the market for a new wife.

I decided to skip the two up Bike. We went for the two seater convertible Saturn Sky. It's fun. Hopefully later I can get the GT1000 I want and then she can ride the 695.

I'm inclined to just say get the multi! get the multi! because I really want one, but if you really just want to put around town, that would be a sad life for a multi. Just adjust the suspension on the 620 - I've done some very spirited riding one one, both as rider and as pillion, and she was great!

My wife and I sat on a 1200, but didn't demo it.  It had reasonable passenger accommodations. Mostly she rides her own bike (monster 620), but eventually I'd like to get a good 2-up mount as well.  I'd really like to build a stripped down MTS1200 - maybe I can find a crashed one semi-cheap sooner or later  [evil]  Even a previous gen MTS stripped down like the monstrada above or this http://www.ducati-kaemna.de/pic/tuning/TN300_multijokisch_025.jpg (http://www.ducati-kaemna.de/pic/tuning/TN300_multijokisch_025.jpg) wouldn't be half bad.

Another option  I've thought about is a hyper with the big tank from CA cycleworks (and a SMT990 and a Ulysses...).

Just out of curiosity, why not the ST? Mine spends 95% of its time without the hard bags attached  (OK, probaby 98%) doing exactly what you're describing. If you don't like the look without the bags, the racks come off as well & the exhausts pivot up a few inches -- takes me an hour or so to do the switch, so I generally don't bother. It's a lot of fun solo, and comfy two up, with plenty of power for either mode even with the 2-valve motor. I ride it on the nearly unlimited dirt roads around here though it would hardly be my first choice for that, but that wasn't something you mentioned as a priority.

Oh, and most of the time when the hard bags ARE on, it's for mundane errands like grocery getting, not setting out for the far coast.

Not trying to sell you, but just wondering.

around town, two up, with MTS budget, why not the Diavel?

No first hand experienc but I was thinking of getting a GT 1000 for that mission.

The ST just seems like too much of a tourer for me. From the advice above it looks like I should check out the Hyper (my local dealer has a used one) or just upgrade the shock. If I went with the shock, what should I get? Keep in mind that this is an '05 620. I don't want to break the bank for an upgrade. If that's what it takes then I'd be better off with a Hyper.

The ST is a pretty compact bike, such that I doubt you'd be yearning for the nearest slab or farthest coast when setting out.
I'm also interested in comments on two up on an ST, or MTS (older 2V for me).
Wifey wasn't loving her ride on the back of the 620.

You can pick up older ST's CRAZY cheap! Just ask @scottieducati who, if history has it right, will probably sell the one he just picked up in a few months after modding it out nicely for you.

I've never ridden pillion on an ST or MTS but just from sitting on them I can imagine it'd be like napping in a couch compared to the back of a Monster.