Ducati Monster Forum

So I've been running the 14/49 config on my 620 for the last 30K miles and love it for day to day riding.
I'm touring this summer on the 620 and I'm the short fuel range guy.
A files extra miles wouldn't suck.
Plus, I'll be on the slab at least a few days. I'm going to do 15T front and new rear sprocket and chain,
thoughts about also dropping a few teeth on the rear?
My only concern is low speed which I travel a fair amount in my commute (25mph,35mph speed zones included).
I didn't love the 15T before but feel like I could adapt, and I'd switch back later if it really sucked. The lil' Monster
is easy on chains so I won't fret a whole lot about mix / match (rear sprocket is original still afaik).

What's been tried on the 620? (6sp fwiw)

If you went to a 15 and dropped teeth on the rear I think it'd make for a very boggy feeling bike. It'll struggle around town and you'll be giving it extra revs in low gears to compensate.

What sort of milage are you getting - MPGs? If i was commuting on my 620, I'd see 55 mpg with a 14t

Yeah I don't want the legs too long.

MPG's are around 50 for commuting (25mi), 60+ on a back road trip. Slab at 75mph might be less.

One thing I'm looking for besides better range, is lower RPM on the slab.
Plus, I have about 13mi stretch usually traffic free
back road on my commute so dialing it down there might be fine.

I'll probably keep the 49 rear and go with the 15T front.

If that sucks I'll go back to the 14T for daily duty.

+1 this is the way to go

14/49?!? That will suck in touring mode... depending on what touring means to you.  At 15/45 ( bad for chain wear) it tends to roll 5500+ at " touring" speed.  I've noticed it burns more oil than I'd like at those rpms... as in carry some with you.

Dirty Duc interesting you mention burning oil at those RPMs. The few slab runs I've done I notice burning more oil,
particularly on the back half of an oil change interval. I do plan to carry oil (and some paper funnels).

The 14/49 gets me about 6K at 75mph or so.

Just to show the other side of the fence.....
I run a 15/39 on my M750 for freeway commuting and a bit of city riding.
It worked fine on a 2000 mile roadtrip with ~260 pounds of gear+rider.
My 750 makes about the same power as your 620, just  at about 500 rpm lower, at least up to 6k rpm.

For another data point,:
2004 620. I run a 14/46 and about 5900/6000 rpm at indicated 80mph.

The most I've ever gotten from a tank of gas with that set up is 212 miles (bone dry, wouldn't start). 97% highway commute between 20-80mph.

Thanks Privateer, that's about equiv to a 15/49 for me, assuming 6sp? 212 mi is stretching it!


Thanks speeddog, that interesting, the 750 must run a 5sp. That's still some long legs.

I just did a 250 mile day trip on my 2005 Monster 620 with 14/48 sprockets. My cruising speed was around 75-80 mph right at/under 6000 RPM. I got a roughly calculated 62 mpg average with that setup. Although I do prefer 15/48 for cruising on the highways as the engine revs a little lower.

at 75mph I'm also about 6K, you're on a 6sp?

Yeah, it's a 6 speed.