getting used to turning the 696

[darthmoto]

Ive been on a Honda HawkGT for 2 years before getting my new 696. So I've gotten used the Hawk's lazy 27degree rake. However, since getting on the Monster with its 24deg rake, I was quite surprised that it felt less sensitive to steering input. Let me elaborate a little. My new monster felt slower to change direction, but faster through corners and more stable to lean. Feels like its on rails. When I got back on the Hawk it felt much quicker to turn, yet slower and more unstable during leans.

What am I doing wrong? I feel a bit less agile with the Monster. Technical roads that have many left/right turns are a breeze with my Hawk, but longer curves that require you to stay leaned longer are more fun on my monster.

[ScottRNelson]

It takes a while to get used to a new bike.  I've been through it quite a few times.  When I wrecked my M900 Monster five years ago and bought an ST2 to replace it, even though both bikes are very similar, I felt that it took about 1000 miles for me to get totally comfortable with riding the ST2.

More recently, I had some wiring issues with my ST2 about the time I bought an XR650L, so basically quit riding the Ducati for a couple of months.  Getting off of the XR and onto the ST was like getting out of a sports car and into a huge truck or something.  The steering on the ST2 is way slower than on the XR, plus it weighs more than 100 pounds more.  But after riding for ten minutes I once again felt comfortable on it.

The biggest difference that I've found is that on the XR I don't need to worry much about my lines through corners and can make mid-corner corrections without thinking about it.  On the Ducati I need to plan ahead more and carve a turn.

So in my opinion the only thing you're "doing wrong" is not riding the Monster enough.    Put more miles on it and you'll adjust to what it does well.  And I'm sure you'll love the Monster engine way more than the one in the Honda.

[darthmoto]

So in my opinion the only thing you're "doing wrong" is not riding the Monster enough.   

Easy enough fix

I guess my question is really about quickness of turn in. I thought that a shorter rake (24 vs 27deg) would aid in doing so, but it feels the opposite.

[Raux]

Easy enough fix

I guess my question is really about quickness of turn in. I thought that a shorter rake (24 vs 27deg) would aid in doing so, but it feels the opposite.

the 696 also has a lower center of gravity. the top heavy bikes fall over too quickly in my opinion. very uncomfortable feeling to me.
the centralized mass also helps with stability.

[Rameses]

In most instances, you're not going to be able to look at one spec and determine which bike is going to turn in quicker, or be more stable, or etc.

There're a lot of factors that go into the handling characteristics of a bike.  Rake is definitely one of them, but how do the bikes' weights compare?  What're the trail figures?  As mentioned above, COG affects it too.  Rear ride height.  Riding position and weight distribution.  Those're just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.


So I wouldn't say you're "doing anything wrong", they're just different bikes and are going to feel different.

[Smokescreen]

The COG and possible the tyre profile likely have roles in what you are noticing.  A bike can have such a low COG that it doesn't want to initiate a turn, and the 696 borders on this.  But once you get used to what's required of it, the in corner stability will pay dividends.  And remember, practically every SS turns in as fast or slower than your 696, what with the lack of leverage on an SS, so don't worry about inability to take on the techy stuff.  That's still what the 696 was designed for.

[Smokescreen]

BTW, if you still aren't happy with the steering feel, you can always push the fork legs up through the triples.  This will quicken the steering more, but remember, the steeper the rake, the less stable.  It's the instability that makes for quick steering.