Ducati Monster Forum

Getting to know this bike and appreciating little factory touches here and there. The factory effort put into the "last of the line" of these bikes and their motors is notable, I feel privileged to have got hold of one.

I've mused about the Evo motor treatment before, noting the "last hurrah" features of the motor by a factory facing Euro 4 standards that a worked, aircooled motor cant meet. Compared to the 1100DS motor there are higher compression pistons (11.3 : 1+), hotter cams (closer to M900V specs), porting, lighter crank assembly, lighter alternator, lightened timing and primary gears, lightened flywheel, etc. The wet slipper clutch is a nice touch too, smooth and quiet. OMG both of my Monsters have wet clutches.
The race style exhaust header pipes are 45mm, very light, thin walled and held with springs and light retainer plates. This makes them easy to handle because you have to in order to check or change the cambelts, bugger. I really like how the 2 into 1 into 2 exhaust pipe junction to the dual mufflers is only a short distance, good job from the factory. Waspworks/Intake Express dyno charts show no difference in peak hp between open mufflers and the stockers. Open pipes help the bottom end and lower midrange torque substantially, but the bottleneck to peak hp is not the exhaust. My bike has the DP Termi kit and that saves about 3-4 kgs. I also fitted an Evotech exhaust bracket after removing the passenger pegs and brackets dropping nearly another kg. The seperate passenger bracket and peg assemblies were appreciated. Very clean look. Just fitted TWM folding levers that accommodate the stumps that pass for my fingers.

Speaking of aethsetics, I hate the stupid looking monkey hat bikini fairing. I swear they got the idea from Magilla Gorilla. I left it on to protect the gauges and fitted a dark screen to help with sun glare. What are you gonna do? Otherwise the bike is gorgeous and pics dont do the model justice and in fact pics make the bike look out of proportion. In the flesh however, the bike oozes intoxicating, Italian style, but not in the classic way of the old Monsters, but in that excessive, surgically augmented, stripper kind of way.

This is a sportsbike with reasonable comfort levels akin to early 900 Fireblades, close and compact with reasonable leg room. The forward weight bias loads the front with the rider to account for no radiator full of water as front ballast.

The documented spongy brake lever was sorted with careful bleeding. The ABS unit needs a bleeder type banjo fitted from the factory.

Very lean mapping makes the hi comp, light crank motor unruly at lower rpm. Closed loop operation highlights well documented surging symptoms, so tuning these bikes is everything.

I'm actually pretty fond of my 2013 796... I appreciate the air-cooled, 2v simplicity... understanding that I'm giving up a bit of performance.  I'm also glad I got the last of the high tail exhaust, something that I think made those Ducatis special.

I've always wondered what the differences were in the Evo motors... I'll have to go dig up your previous comments on it.

I do wish the 796 passenger pegs were removable.  I gathered parts up to make the Evo conversion (that eliminates the rear pegs) but decided to keep the stockers because I use the aluminum sub-frame as a foot rest on longer rides.  I have considered bushwhacking the rear part off, however.

If you think the factory fairing is weird, you should see my GenX fairing... it's so hideous!  But... it works.  If I color-matched it, it might look better, but I'm too lazy for that.

Reducing rotating mass about sums it up.  Makez for one eager engine.

Had my first proper ride on my favorite mountain and valley roads. The front end feels great and inspires confidence giving great feel and feedback. The spring rates are firm  enough but also supple enough for my 200lbs sans gear, and the best front end on a Monster so far ime. The rear is ok but a bit harsh over sharp edged bumps. An Ohlins may be the answer if I cant tune it to my liking.
I did a hill climb through a mountain forest on a favorite loop road with some mates, ascending and descending at some speed with ease. Honestly the bike made it easy with its agility, compact mass, light weight and immediate torque, letting me steer with confidence and authority through chains of esses, switchbacks and double apex curves. Every time I opened the throttle I gapped my mates by 20 bike lengths, and I was riding conservatively with small, gradual throttle inputs, it was like cheating. My Hyper Evo's superb motor did the same but the chassis didnt quite fit my 5'8"/short inseam frame and since Im quite top heavy in build I felt precariously perched on it, (my tall mates with dirt riding history loved it). In comparison the Monster Evo makes me part of it and allows me to hang off and anchor myself to it like my racebikes for a low C of G. The perfect for me ergos and tuned motor make a great package for real world sport riding.
Im so glad I got this bike.

Sounds like a keeper :-)

It would not make sense now, but I really should have got an EVO motor for my track bike, especially with an eye to the reduced rotating mass. 

Yes, a keeper. [thumbsup] I love how the factory did all the hard work.

Any advice about the Sachs shock? Too much hi speed compression damping, but low speed compression damping feels good.I will check the settings and set the sag. The front feels great.

I'm surprised the front end works for you. How much do you weigh? I almost crashed the bike on my first ride bringing it home cuz the front nearly washed out from being too soft.

Figured it was the preload, but I couldn't even set preload for my wife who was significantly lighter than me. I'm 175 and was forced to replace the springs nearly immediately.

To answer you question about the shock, it's pretty much garbage. I got a good deal on an ohlins but it is not up to what ohlins makes for superbikes. Buy a Penske unless you're strapped for cash.

Front is currently andreani cartridge with rear ohlins. This bike is a beast when set up properly but it takes a bit of tweaking.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48775366841_beee71a4f2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hj7vfH)





 (https://flic.kr/p/2hj7vfH)

Thats interesting. Im 200 and while the front is sprung on the soft side, the damping feels really good at standard settings. Brake dive is well controlled. I'll adjust the preload for sag. Brisk mountain riding over rough, twisty, downhill roads is actually quite confidence inspiring. The feel is tremendous.I dont know if there are different market or model year specs.

The rear felt too hard and did not have enough rider sag, so I backed off the preload. It feels more supple now and tracks better over bumps. Its on the firm side. Im running standard damping settings out of the manual at present, but I will adjust it over time. It was the rear shock I noticed immediately and how it was not able to track well over bumps. I have seen a low mileage Sachs on ebay for a little over a hundred bucks. Worth a revalve, etc? Basic Ohlins are a grand upwards here and a local respring/revalve is about 400-600. The Ohlins require revalving, etc? I do have a spring bank I can plunder which should save 100-200.

Very nice.
The Evotech exhaust bracket is a good thing.
Is yours a 797? Your bike has a different spoke pattern to my 1100.

its an 1100 Evo. The rims are from a hypermotard 939sp. Forged marchesini baby panigale style.

Ah, that threw me. Even more agile.

How clean is the rear without the passenger pegs! [thumbsup]

You running Pirellis? Im using a Rosso II rear and Rosso Corsa II front. Im trying pressures halfway between track and canyon. 32 front 30 rear cold. For reference my Pirelli SBK tyres on my track bike run 32 front 27 rear hot (hour of warmers).

I'm a Bridgestone guy. Pirellis are great but the price doesn't justify the performance.

What you'll eventually realize is that pushing the monster will show you that it's engine configuration and design limits the ability to obtain front end traction.

Remedy this a bit by adjusting the chassis geometry by shimming the clevis on the rear shock. Easily done with 2 steel washers between the frame and the clevis. It helps with getting more load to the front end.

Koko, if the '13 796 Sachs is the same as yours, you can have mine as a test unit.

Thanks, that's a kind offer bro. I'm in Australia however ;D I can buy one for shipping. I love this place and the community here.

Well, and I wondered about that...

The 796 shock is exactly the same as the 1100 evo. The difference is the clevis. If you dont swap out the clevis, your ride height will drop.

 [thumbsup]
Local ebay has one cheap. My suspension specialist hates them and says they're crap. [laugh]

I have to agree with him. Lipstick on a pig.

I dunno, mine behaves itself pretty good... never had any problems with it, and I thought it was a pretty good match to the stock front end.  I swapped it for an Ohlins... definitely going to require some adjustment.

I've added preload to the front and removed it from the rear. Added 2 clicks of rebound damping to the rear, front on stock settings otherwise.

The Sachs actually works probably as well as any emulsion shock.  Problem is they have a relatively short life due to premature wear of the chrome on the shaft.  Simply not worth an investment other than  a proper spring.

I'll set up the stocker to be "ok" and keep an eye out for an Ohlins 737. I need to save for my Scrambler forks.

How so?

Via the oem adjustment I was able to adjust sag. I measured the change with the usual cable tie method and used the spring preload adjusters. The manual described a certain amount of preload per full turn, may have been 5mm iirc (edit: 1 turn is 1mm extra preload). Measured and felt a notable difference with approx 10mm less sag from 3-5mm more preload. Not having external preload lines makes measurement more difficult and means noting how many turns you are using. I lost count focussing on the changes to sag.

Oh, that's right... you have an 1100.... with adjustable forks.  The 796 was SUPPOSED to, but, obviously, they did not.

Went the right way with the front and the wrong way with the rear. Will put the rear back to stock as I've caused packing of the shock. Hands up it was me [laugh]

I've got an '09 M1100s up on the lift now, any questions?

Standard shock preload is what distance from the top collar ring to the end of the upper thread on the shock body? I've wound out damping to 8 clicks as per the manual for stock setting. I removed about 5mm preload but list my base measurement .
I'll put the shock back to standard.

I'm running stock fork damping but have wound in the preload three turns for 3mm more preload. So now 10 turns in from 7 from fully unloaded as per the manuals instructions. Feels good and controls fork dive while still using the travel .
Cheers

Greatly appreciated  [beer]