Ducati Monster Forum

Hi folks... It's good to be back in the fold. And glad to see some long-time members still sharing their experiences. As for me... I started out on "TOB" when I bought my first Monster back in 2005 (it was a new 2004 leftover). I started modding it immediately and it eventually looked like this...

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ccsfZKYiSaBqUfbxpRPqjo8REjFXd9Uapo3xr9NHBjpgYFPrKx1e_Bjdh5ElXeBv-osyr7iMO_W4HbOWgLpjiyYKplofr38vbF7AqwGgyuQoEne1xisYPi84YALZSGFZKCS3MbSYhNHvyrsLjuz8sY=w720-h407-no?authuser=0)

In 2015 I traded it in on an Aprilia Dorsoduro (new 2014 leftover). That was a great bike... but I sure missed my lil' 620. Long story short... I bought a CBR 1000rr SP Repsol in 2018 (new 2016 leftover), lost my job, sold the Aprilia, got a job, got a GF, bought her a 2007 GS 500F (she's taking her MSF course later this month)... BUT STILL MISSED MY LIL' 620!

So... I picked this one up a few weeks ago.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3chA2SrLtb2VWntNjkqAkGpLjA9xE8MXYhZm2-3A5ryqqsVG-so_BmRpyubR92ogY8Jo4zYqMg2b0RQEmwP73Lhi1ATbR26Fg7avUJYta8qAlP3f4NrCU9g536m91biiF5xZYYg0awZK9z6HlE3g_x2=w1204-h903-no?authuser=0)


It's a 2006 M620 ie Dark, so it doesn't have the metal tank or gold-line brakes my 2004 had, but with only 8500 miles, and for only $2,200, I took the deal. Now that the new Monsters have completely abandoned the trellis frame, I like to think these old bikes have even more of an allure (at least to me they do).

I immediately went about the business of removing the side panels, relocating the rear ignition coil, removing the hugger, removing the heel guards, removing the evap canister, painting the sprocket and belt covers with some black rattle-can bed liner, putting on a new chain and 14/48 Superlite sprockets, and installing a new HT Moto seat cover (the orig pan and foam were in good shape, but the orig cover had seen its better days (especially over the passenger portion).

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dTeSyC_sMxMM1sIq5ESFxQO6p_PfaD_UPahZV449cpnqmGaE0Y4WBCHzZKDjTXeyAvWKCAwC1VDYFx9XQrrky4W5zaOAnBUDwe1KQk5kKqx_B1QQhze3hxn1n9ruitumdSQrvAbF09BOeKVLtM7rqU=w1204-h903-no?authuser=0)

Now for the exhaust... It looks like Delkevic is one of the only companies that still has new exhausts in stock for these old bikes. As a "budget build" I opted for the stainless steel (only $365 shipped). They arrived yesterday afternoon. I had them on just a few minutes later! Now the bike sounds the way it should. (baffles out, of course!)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cCH8-1Gz34waF-N6_2YG-0XPL5BfaF5GF-Dd-AWPqhN69JneMeizyv-DSghan-YoZoSfgAp9xFLHd3zIawyKVOy3D3MA57ew34N5jhah-RvdgF_c3tx-ENvkCzXENe9l1x3advHm1ExlJBZeXsmuj2=w1204-h903-no?authuser=0)

I've always been told a Ducati is a "tinkerer's" bike. Good thing I love to tinker! I've been down almost all of the upgrade/mod rabbit holes with my old 2004, so I've got a good idea of what I still want (and don't want) to do with this 2006.

More to come... Glad to be back!

Cool  8) , but even more cool if the pictures were visible....

Host on a hosting site, copy a link from there and paste it here.

Dang... Copied the images from Google photos and they showed up in the "preview". I'll try again soon.

... and what's weird is that they show up on my laptop, but not when viewing from my phone...  :-\

How about now? I updated the links and I can see them on my phone and my laptop.

Works for me.  Age of tires and timing belts?

PO said the belts and valves were checked about a year ago. Belts look good and were nicely tensioned. Always good to have a pair on hand though, so I'll be picking some up soon. No unusual valve clatter, so will check them at 12K. Haven't checked the tire manufacturing date, but they're still supple and have no cracks/splits etc.. and still plenty of tread left.

Glad the pics work now.

 [thumbsup]

Threw in a K&N DU-9001 filter. Pretty sure the original 14-year old filter was still in there after only 8500 miles. Not gonna chop or modify the airbox. IME with my 2004, which I completely removed the airbox top and made an aluminum ring to secure the filter, low-end suffered a bit and it took a good custom PCIII map to get it back (about 4 ft/lbs between 4500-6000 rpm). I'm not going down that $$$ hole with this bike.

Next up is to cut some spacers to get front sag where it should be. If you look closely at the pic above, you can see where my zip-tie is on the fork leg. Almost bottomed out after a very mild ride. Maybe new springs (I might have some single-rate ones lying around) but probably just spacers.

Preload spacers won't make the springs stiffer. New springs  [thumbsup]

Once I was in there I would absolutely change those springs for linear springs proper for my weight.

Great progress. [thumbsup]
For sure change the springs.
Maybe more bitey full sintered front pads for a budget brake upgrade. If the brake fluid is more than three years old I would change it.

Brake and clutch fluid have been thoroughly flushed. Definitely gonna get some new pads (sintered).

Gotta see if I can find those linear-rate springs I had. Gave away a whole bunch of my old 620 stuff when I got rid of the 2004. Some of it is at my buddy's house.

Always the way, give stuff away then need it a few years later. ;D

Sag was a little too much up front. Cut some spacers out of some aluminum pipe I had laying around and now rider sag is set at 30mm. Added a bit of preload to the rear spring to match. Damping seems okay, so left the fork oil alone for now. Whole job took about 30 mins.

EBC FA121HH front and FA47HH rear are arriving on Tuesday.

BTW... I hate the APTC clutch on this bike as much as I did on my '04. I swapped that one for a standard clutch assembly out of an SS 800. I've got access to an '03 SS 620 parts bike, which I believe has a standard (non-APTC) clutch, and will most likely be doing the same to this bike. Hard to find much info on the SS 620 since it was a 1 model year series in the USA. I'll pop the cover and take a look sometime soon.

What is it about the APTC clutch that you dislike so much?  I hear a lot of people say that, but I always enjoy using them.

Although the lever is very easy to pull with the APTC, I don't like how little range there is between when the clutch begins to bite, and when it is fully engaged. I'd much rather have more engagement range (modulation) at the expense of slightly firmer lever pull. Additionally, the action of the APTC mechanism seems to wear the plates more quickly. And the APTC clutch pack replacement is harder to find and way more expensive than a standard clutch pack. So... I replaced the whole kit and caboodle with a standard unit. Typically, a good condition basket and plate (eBay/used), plus the cost of a new clutch pack, is less than just the cost of an APTC clutch pack. I did the conversion on my 2004 when the APTC began to slip. I'll most likely do the same, preemptively, on this 2006.

Brake pads arrived a day early and are already installed.

Funny thing: When I look up stuff to do to this bike, I keep running into my own posts from here and "TOB" from 13+ years ago.  Ha!

BTW: Can anyone tell me the length of a dogbone from a 748/996 compared to one from a 749/999? I may want to be able to adjust the ride height for my GF. I know they're both adjustable... I just don't want to start of too short or too long.

Off hand, no, but there was a Monster 620 Capirex that came from the factory with an adjustable link.

I can't remember which one I used on my last bike 996 or 999. A few for sale on eBay right now. Don't wanna get the wrong one (if they're not within range of each other.)

I worked on one last year.  This one had the adjustable link and an aluminum swingarm.