Ducati Monster Forum

Hi all

Just wanted to know a few things about the 659 MONSTER. How well do they fit tall riders 6' + and as I am a worker can it be derestricted at the time of getting my fulls? I love the look of the bike and the fact that it's naked  :o. What would the power be after derestricting and finally would I be able to undo the procedure?

Cheers.

I am far from an expert in LAMS Monsters or being over six foot ... so I can't help directly.

But I do remember these issues being discussed before. May I suggest doing a search ... if you search for 659 LAMS in only the Oz Monsters board ... it only turns up about half a dozen threads. It might be worth your while having a read of those - I suspect there may not have been a definitive answer, but there could be (or at least enough info to ask the right people the right questions).

Good luck.

oh, wrong lams, i was thinking how much mint sauce you would need for 659 roast lambs.....................




i'm no use so i'll be off then, ahem

It's really important to test ride or at least sit on a bike before buying. It's like buying a suit, it's all about the fit, and it's such an individual thing.
Air cooled Monsters are compact bikes and some of the smaller models have low seats for learner riders and those short of leg.
If you're a six footer but young you might be fine, but us older folk need the right fit. I could ride any bike for a long time on public roads with no discomfort til my mid forties. Not now!
I have a customer who is 6'5" and rides an M900 with raised seat and ride height, but low bars to stretch out his frame and he's fine on it.
I recently had my seat rebuilt for my 50th birthday and it was built for me and the riding position I wanted, so that's always an option. Best thing I did, no aches and pains. Changing bars, seat shape, etc can be important and transform the ride position from crap to great. It's all in the fit.

I wouldn't derestrict a LAMS bike as you get good money back on them due to the demand before getting a bigger bike. I found an S4 Monster roomy indeed for my 5,8" frame and figured it would fit a big bloke quite well. I didn't like it as I like compact bikes.

So now you have an excuse to check out all the bike shops to sit on them all even if you can't ride them. Good choice with Ducati if you want passion and excitement in your riding. The sound, the feel, the beauty and whole riding experience is intoxicating, but like Italian supermodels they require attention.

i'm 6', and i find the 696 quite comfy.  i had to ride one for 45 minutes the other day and i thought at first my nuts were going to get squashed, but it turned out fine.  just boring highway stuff too.

the 659 has a steel plate restricting them to about half throttle.  it's held in by break head screws, which probably have encapsulated loctite on them just to make them hard to get out if you do drill the heads off to remove the plate.

they go quite well though, much better than i expected them to.

I recently purchased a 696 for the Missus same bike really I think
I ride it a lot , I am 5'11" no drama with ergo's but I did upgrade the seat to a DP performance seat  [thumbsup]
It is flatter so stops the wedgy effect into the tank under braking and raises the seat hight just enough to make it perfect.

 

Thank you very much for your info mate. What sort of attention do air cooled Ducati's need? Dad's a bit weary of Ducati's as he remembers the old days. Have they gotten better than back then he's been riding since ummm well his third bike was a Norton commando.

Thanks

There pretty good now. My old M900 (1995) has Denso starter for example and very strong, robust, simple motor. They are a world away from the bottom end problems of the past.
The main thing is valve adjustments, changing belts and scheduled maintenance all when they should be done.

Got it, thanks mate. What are the servicing costs like? Can't be as bad as carb tune and sink for an inline four.

Cheers.

  think again

That's a lot of inquisitive sheep. 

Kiwis no doubt beg to differ.

they've moved some things around service wise, and the later bikes use a little less parts, but i'd allow $800 for a 12,000 km service and $1,000 for a 24,000, and you'll find a 36,000 is more than a 12,000 due to the fork oil change, that sort of thing.

Hi all

I would like to thank everyone for there help with my questions. However I have decided against the Ducati 659 primarily due to my size, this is not a negative reflection on the monster, it is a beautiful Italian machine that is finished to an extremely high standard and is second to none in it's category. Pity I'm not comfortable on it. Once again thanks for ya help.

Cheers,

Did

Not

Fit.

TBH, given that you might put the bike down in your first couple of years riding, hopefully nothing more than a few scrapes and dings, you might want to consider a 2nd hand Jap bike than going straight to a Duc. Ducati parts replacement is quite expensive (understatement of the year) so when you drop the bike in your driveway due to the stand not being down or overbalance waiting at traffic lights (seen it done, don't laugh) a Jap bike like a Suzie 650F LAMS for example will be a lot cheaper on the wallet.

I know that a lot of people seem to think that monsters are too small for tall riders but I am 6'3"tall, ride a 97 model m600 and am quite comfortable even on long rides [thumbsup]
Gibbo