Ducati Monster Forum

For those of you who are smaller, I wanted some opinions. I'm 5'2 and want to go on longer trips. I was curious what you have found to be the most comfortable. The S2R I just bought has clip-ons, which with my size I feel will only make it more uncomfortable being stretched out more. I'm just curious what people have found to help out. I am thinking of trying it with the clipons for a bit, but may go to a normal bar and risers, as I would assume that would be the most comfortable? 

The distance from seat to grip is actually shorter with clip ons, but it sure doesn't seem so.

Rizoma Touring bars will be a couple of inches closer (sweep angle is backwards) and higher.
http://www.monsterparts.com/pc/MA005/Bars/MA005.html (http://www.monsterparts.com/pc/MA005/Bars/MA005.html)
(they say it's only 10 mm higher, but it's more than that, compared to stock bars)

Maybe a lower seat? The seat from a 695/620 will be 20 mm lower.

Yep, going to bars to decrease your reach. A lower seat will allow for less tip-toe action when stopped As noted, the 620/695 seat is shorter and a direct replacement for your seat

There's also a tutorial in Tutorials about doing up your own lowered seat, with gel insert from the stock seat
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2513.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2513.0)
The writer, as noted in the thread is 5' 1"

If you feel you need more foot contact, you can get a lowering link for the rear end and slide the forks up in the triples to lower the ride height of the bike - Just be aware that lowering it too much leaves the header precariously low when crossing speed bumps.

I'm your height, so here is my experience:

I rode my husbands 620 (w/ clipons) and hated it. The monster is already an aggressive position for me on my S2R with normal bars, the clipons just made it worse on the 620. Plus, I couldn't even get a tank bag to fit as I was already laying on the tank. After an hour, my hip and back pain were unbearable on the 620 as a combo of the position and pre-existing spine problems.

I do recommend the 620/695 lower seat on the S2R as I've found it was a little narrower as well as lower and made my hips more comfortable.

I think trying the clipons would be good, and if they don't work, go for normal bars/risers/touring bars.

maybe I am being silly with this question...but what is the longest you have ridden at one time?..what problems if any did you have?...

I ask because maybe you are trying to fix something that ain't broke...

I'm not worried about the height part. I am going to swap the seat from my 620 before I sell it, and have the lowering link that will go on it soon.

Just the stretched out part felt akward on the s2r compared to the 620.

I have ridden a 6 hour trip on the RD350 and it wasn't bad. I did a 3 hour trip on the 620, and it had hurt between my shouders/ shoulder blades.

sounds like bad posture where your are holding on the bars and letting your torso dip inward...clip-ons aren't necessarily going to help that...a cruise control device to allow you to shake your arms out individually once in a while will do moreso in that regard and you practicing holding yourself up with your legs and core moreso...

just my .02 FWIW

From a guy who just put wide bars w/ rises on my M750:  Unless you have really long arms for your height, you're going to feel stretched with bars.

JM

Something else to consider here is the type of trip you plan, and planning accordingly for fatigue. Riding a motorcycle is more tiring and less comfortable than sitting in a nice comfy volkswagen. As it was written... "it's like riding a bicycle... that hates you"

But just because you're planning a LONG trip, doesn't mean you have to stay in the saddle for 200 miles without a rest. When we go on long rides, my group stops roughly every 50 miles (or sooner if there's something to see!) for a break. Yea sure, we don't get where we are going really quickly... but we ride for fun! If you're in pain and not enjoying it, what's the point? Stop and take a break, look around, and take in some of the world around you... sometimes we miss that in our trance whilst on the saddle.