Ducati Monster Forum

I'm really debating between a Monster 695 and the s2r800. I am only 5'2 and a short inseam, so the 695 was very appealing to me due to the seat height. But I really love the look of the single swing arm! Looking at the specs they are pretty similar, just the s2r has an inch taller seat and weighs a bit more.
Unfortunately, I've been searching for a few months for a Monster in my area. I've ridden my friends 99 750 around, but it had seen better days.

If anyone has any input relating to either of these two bikes, please chime in :)
Thanks!! Tami

They're the same damn bike save for a slight power advantage and the SSS. The S2R tends to go for a few bucks more so if it's worth the premium to you go for it, you'll be thrilled with either bike.

I will say this as a 695 owner, it's nice not needing any specialty tools or parts to lift and work on the rear.

What area are you in?

You can lower both bikes to suit via the adjustable linkage, although they do look a bit gimpy when you do that, and handle differently. That adjustment affects turning effort - lower the rear and you have to muscle the bike more to get it to turn. Raising the rear has the opposite effect.

Having the seat scooped down or an aftermarket low seat of some ilk are options also. You could get some Boris Karloff platform combat boots but they might affect your shifting.

At 5'2" and short standover I'm thinking you will have to get comfy with tippytoeing regardless of what options you choose.

Both great bikes. Not much difference between them really, save for the swingarm. I personally dig the look of the 695's black engine cases and belt covers vs. the 800's dull grey items. However I like the 800s single swingarm v. the 695s steel dual sided unit. The power difference between them will likely be negligible to you. It's not much.

My short answer to this dilemma: buy the first bike you find that you like and deal with the consequences afterward. Don't let your height keep you from anything. Monsters aren't really known for being tall bikes anyway.

I went from a 695 to an S2R 800 and I'm the same height as you as well as having a very short inseam. I ended up putting a Ducati low seat on the 800, which helped. Overall though, I just had to get used to tip toeing and sliding off the seat to one side to get a foot firmly planted. I like the 800 better, but thats just me.

I wish there were more Ducatis in my area. I'm in Boise, Idaho. I would love to sit on one of the s2rs and see how it felt. I have ridden my friends 750 and I fit on it fine.


I've been on some of my friend's crotch rockets, and the one thing I didn't like was how heavy the front end felt to straighten/ tip the bike up when first getting on.

Jbubble, what did you like better about the 800?

And she had to get used to jerks from the board rolling her and her bike over things like parking lot drains where she could tippy toe the bike and keep it, but not touch enough foot down to get free.

 ;D

I have an S2R800 and the Boss (similar height to you I think) has a 620 ... no direct experience with the 695 but in many ways it is a cross between our two (power and brakes similar to the 800 ... wheels, swingarm and height similar to the 620). You understand the aesthetic differences and have a preference so I will leave that alone.

The seat height (of the 620 assuming similar for the 695) can mostly be attributed to the seat itself which has less padding making it lower, but the forks also sit slightly higher in the triples ... so there may be more techinical differences at play with the geometry as well. You may be able to find a shorter stock seat to put on an 800 which you may prefer to the aftermarket or modified routes.

I don't know about the 695 but the 620 did not have an adjustable ride height rod. The 800 does but it is basically set to it lowest setting from the factory. Aftermarket rods were available but I am not sure if they still are - those that we have seen available recently do not include the end joints which makes it useless if you don't have an adjustable rod to start with (we put one of these on her S4Rt).

We have lowered both the 620 and the S4R for the Boss and she doesn't complain about the handling. But we have lowered both ends of the bike ... she is light and only risks bottoming out the exhaust over speed bumps and has high set rearsets to provide clearance while cornering. Note you may have to be careful of the sidestand as well if you get too carried away with lowering.

Power-wise the 800 and 695 are pretty close but the 800 I think will get there a little quicker and has more torque to call on down low ... the difference is probably negligible to most and apparently there is a little more weight to contend with in the 800 (again not likely to make a noticeable difference).

Other than the swingarm the wheels are also different between the 695 and 800 - somebody else would have to comment on whether this is more than just an aesthetic difference. The tyres are different with a wider tyre on the rear of the 800 and a lower profile on the front of the 695 ... so the handling will be different because of the tyres as well.

Other things ... the 800 has the little oil cooler which I don't think the 695 has ... exhaust options will be quite different - the 695 should be a simple matter to change slip-ons, the 800 has slip-on options but most want to rid themselves of the 'udder' which means a typically more expensive option of a fuller system is required.

Good luck in your bike search ... oh and apologies about all the words - I tend to carry on a bit.

796 ftw

Nearly the same hp, but the 800 motor has more torque.

That might not be a bad option if I could get a slightly lower seat.

What are your opinions on the "heaviness" the bike feels? I've been rocking my vintage rd350 (2stroke) around, and I love how nimble it feels and like I can handle it. Like with my friends Ninja, it felt so heavy trying to get it from kickstand to upright position. Maybe alot of that was due to not reaching the ground very well, but it still worries me. I want to know I can handle my bike in different situations.

2 smokers are just generally overall lighter...it is hard to compare any 2 stroke to almost any 4 stroke bike as the motor starts out with more mass...then you compound it with the thought that a 2 stroke is prepared with a more minimal frame structure for tearing the motor out for maintenance which is more frequent than 4 strokes...generally speaking of course...it is like comparing oranges and grapefruits to a degree...not exactly...but I think you get what I mean...

I picked up my 695 from a woman rider who had the bike lowered. When I took ownership, I had it put back to stock height, both front and back...which also called for putting a stock length kickstand back on. When it was lowered the kickstand was shortened as well. The dealer did all that - so having an 800 or 695 lowered to fit you shouldn't be a problem. Once you can flat foot it, being able to move the weight of the bike around will be no problem.

On a side note, I prefer the single sided swing arm look as well, but i really fell in love with the black or red colour combo of my bike and vanity won out thus making my choice easier.

Is the tank size bigger on the s2r? Not capacity wise, but just the width/ bulkiness?

it's the same.

What warrants you lowering the bike?

I am pretty short and i just got used to riding the bike. its really not that big of a deal because 90% of hte time your moving so its only when you stop it becomes an issue, and its something you easily adapt to with time.

shaving the seat down made a huge difference for my GF on her 696. i know not the same bike but would think that it would help the same on any thick seat.

I have  had a 695 for 5 years, and wished I had chosen the S2R when I had the same questions you're facing right now.

The tiptoing is something you can learn (assuming you can reach the ground)

Although the 695 is a great bike and I still love it these are the downsides:
- lower seat is just a shaved down S2R seat; ie. less foam, ie. harder! If you want a lower seat try and get hold of a 695 seat; they're interchangeable. I now ride with an S4R seat.
- problems with heat ; engine paint melting/discoloration caused by Euro5 (solution is DP ECU; a must have if you decide for the 695! Oil cooler would also help)
- Euro5 also causes the engine to ride rough/hiccups (did I mention the DP ECU?)
- debatable, but after market parts (esp. rear sets) are harder to find. Cycle Cat rising from the ashes is a god's gift here.
- but the most important reason for me is the ergonomics for longer rides (ie. 2hours+). Although I'm also vertically chalanged (30 inch inseam) my hips hurt from all the gear changes and I really need to lean forward for a good riding position, which makes for a very weird riding position. Ever seen someone on a 695 that doesn't look like (s)he  is stretching to reach the bars?  I've ridden on S4R, M1100 and the ergonomics are just way better. Also the footpegs are more outward than the S2R; your feet are further apart  than you knees. Try sitting in a squat position on the floor and push your ankles out. Hold this position for 5 min and you'll get whet I mean.

If I had chosen the S2R (1000) I now would not be looking for another bike.

Maybe that last sentence is a reason to go for the 695  ;D

Whatever you choose you'll have a great time. [Dolph]

Confidence ... that is the main thing, something that apparently you are not short of (pun partly intended):


For some it is a HUGE deal to get used to the weight of a 'big' bike and trying to learn how to balance without a proper footing can be a massive deterrent to ride. Height is not the only issue we are dealing with here ... weight, strength and who knows what else play a large part ... all related to confidence.

The Boss insists lowering her bike to get a decent footing is the thing that saved her from giving up. You are right ... riding she was fine ... but stopping and manoeuvring at low/no speed were the problems - her confidence was that low it was taking the fun out of riding. And without confidence it is not easy to adapt ... it is practically impossible.

Most of the changes to lower a bike are readily reversible ... so if it provides the confidence to continue to develop and ride then it is all good - you change the settings again as confidence and desire dictate.

the 695 is Euro3. 

Euro4 and 5 have not yet been mandated for motorcycles.

then I meant Euro3  :)

If height is really that big of a deal, then just shave the seat down.

I originally shaved my seat down for comfort and redid it so the seat was a little taller. bare footed i can just get both foots' toes down. WIth shoes on i can get the front part of my foot down pretty easily. Its still shorter than stock, but i plan on jacking the rear up by 1/4". Ive just learned how to deal with a taller bike and the monster is pretty easy to manuever since its fairly light and smooth. A 749 with full leathers and raised rear and track boots = a nightmare to ride. I couldnt get either foot down with out my foot fully off the seat. But its a skill that got carried over from riding hte mosnter when it was taller.

http://www.suspectsunlimited.com/forum/index.php?topic=3524.0 (http://www.suspectsunlimited.com/forum/index.php?topic=3524.0)

this is how i did my seat. If you just shave the front then you wont need a new cover.

+11ty billion.

Kittay, whichever bike you get, do what will give you confidence. If that is getting or making a lower seat as well as lowering the bike, then do that. Once you get used to weight and height of the bike, you can always raise the height back up to stock. Spend time in your driveway, parking lots, wherever you can, practicing moving the bike while on and off it. I gave up a long time ago trying to back my bike up while on it, so I just push it around small spaces or ask the hubby to move it.

I think I'm going to go with the s2r. I want to sit on one first, but checking out the specs, it sits the same seat height at my current bike. So I think I would be ok with that

Only hard part is finding one for sale near me. Holy crap I'm amazed how hard they are to find.

Move to DC and find one easy. They're like electric pushmowers here. People use them to lean their yard tools and hockey sticks on.

a $100 stand from t-rex, and a $20 spanner from one of the numerous sources on ebay is well worth the ease of chain adjustment on the SSSA in my book.

If you want to do some DIY work, another not-so-tall member here wrote up a good tutorial on shaving the seat

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2513.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2513.0)

or just buy some riding shoes like this:

(http://m12.tmstatic.com/b/3/ml/687675-l_p0015037473.jpg)