Comfort and the Long Ride....any help???

[raulduke]

I have had my Monster (2000 750 Dark) for about 3-4 weeks and have put about 1000 miles on her.  All of those miles were however, commuting...average trip length 12-15 miles.  After getting her back from a 12k service (with new Vince high mounts and new tires) I decided I wanted to go on my first "long ride".  I went out to the twisties (plenty of those around here) and racked up about 180 miles.  First 90 great!!! Second 90...serious leg and glute cramps and numb hands.  Bad enough I felt like the could effect safety. 

I had stopped several times but the longer I rode the quicker cramping and numbness came back. 

A few details.  I am six feet tall, 200 pounds.  I am pretty much average sized (pants 34W 33L). I get to the gym 3-4 times a week and try to stay pretty limber. I still have the stock seat.   It seems as long as I have the occational stop sign or signal to stretch my legs I am fine but extended non-stop riding is pretty uncomfortable. 

I had planned to take some longer trips on my Monster this season  and really don't want it to turn into a "city only" bike for me.  Is this a muscle training issue that will abate with more seat time? 

Anybody have any thoughts.  Any mods I can to (rear-sets)?  I really want to be able to rack up some miles with out having to stop every half-hour to stretch my legs.

Thanks in adavance.

[c_rex]

Replace that saddle numb buns!  The DP comfort saddle would do wonders for you.  As for stretching your legs- ask those who do lots of long rides.  Breaks along the way and hydration are key.  Rear sets will definitely help but do your homework because some are more racing oriented which will draw your legs up tighter underneath you.  NOT the effect you're looking for.  Good luck!

[raulduke]

Thanks Rex...I'll drink more.  Water that is.  I bought the saddle already...just not here yet.

Thank again for the input. 

[hydra]

raulduke, like Crex said, you'll probably like the ducati performance comfort seat or their Gel seat. i just got my S4 not even a week ago and have done a couple of +200mi trips the last couple of days and my butt and nutz are complaining a whole lot.

i'm only 5'8" so i don't feel too much cramping in my knees and legs. but i think this riding position in general takes a bit of getting used to. the more long trips you take the more your body will get used to it. it's definitely not the best touring bike but if put enough hours in your bodty adjusts (somewhat). rearsets will help a bit.

[DRKWNG]

I have been on a few pretty long rides (due to repetitive use of roads down here) and never really had that much of an issue until the time I got stuck in traffic and travelled three miles in about two hours.  Then I felt the pain!    But I keep having to think of it in this light; no matter how you slice it, the monster is MUCH more comfortable than my Daytona! 

[ROBsS4R]

I went for a custom corbin seat.

Many people say its to firm but I like it 

[teddy037.2]

bar risers might help, as well. it'll help get you more upright

[stopintime]

My suggestions:

Bar risers - benefits lower back and wrists. I have the cool kind from SpeedyMoto, don't know it they will fit your bike. Other brands will.
Grip Puppies - foam tubes to install over stock grips. Good for comfort and touring, not sure how they work on the track.
Adjusting the angle of the bars and/or the controls.
MFW-Wolf Vario System. Puts your feet 23 or 30mm back/down or just down. For track days they go back or back/up. MonsterParts have them.

Rearsets and DP comfort/gel seat will not benefit your knee problem, IMO.

[Serenitynow]

Have you properly adjusted the pedals and levers to fit the exact angles needed for you? I like to adjust the levers to keep my hands about straight as I'm in my usual riding position. Without adjusting them they were cocked back and that would lead to sore wrists and numbness.

You also might be too tense overall. Check your level of tightnss throughout your body as you ride. Do you have a death grip? Are your leg muscles tense or are you ice and relaxed? Just a thought.
__________________

[Ducatiloo]

It's typically on a shelf, but I use a front GIVI touring wind screen.  It's cut's down the fatuge from the gusts of wind, esp from semis.

[ScottRNelson]

I used to have the same problem when I had my Monster.  I'm 6'1" and anything over 200 miles was like torture.  Then I wrecked the Monster and replaced it with an ST2.  Suddenly riding 500 miles in a day was less of a bother than 200 on the Monster.

I had planned to go back to a Monster for several years, but after test riding at least eight of them, I decided that I would really rather ride the ST2.  It's not quite as nice looking and is a tiny bit heavier, but those are the only minuses that I know of.  There are lots of pluses to the bike.  An ST3S with ABS would probably be the ultimate variant of the model line.  Unfortunately, Ducati has quit making them, so all that is left would be the few new ones still at the dealer (saw one at Ace Motorsports a couple of weeks ago) and the used market.

I was thinking that a custom Corbin seat built to raise the rider about an inch over stock would help the legs a little, but you can't make a Monster seat high enough nor move the pegs low enough to get as much leg room as on an ST.  (Or Multistrada, or Hypermotard.)  The Monster just wasn't designed for legroom.  At least it's better than the Superbikes, though.

[raulduke]

Thank everyone for the suggestions.  I am going to order the adjustable pegs and "grip puppies". 

I'll let you know how it works out.

[Ivan]

Have you properly adjusted the pedals and levers to fit the exact angles needed for you?

Semi thread jack, but related....

On an S2R1K, will the brake and clutch levers simply rotate down, or are there locating pins that limit the angle?

[ScottRNelson]

On an S2R1K, will the brake and clutch levers simply rotate down, or are there locating pins that limit the angle?

I'm pretty sure that all Ducatis come with locating pins initially.  They can be removed, but then you might need to do something else to keep them from rotating.  The controls on my ST2 no longer have the pins and I have to use duct tape for both the control with the starter button and the control with the horn to keep it from rotating.  Tightening the screws enough to stop it from rotating tends to make the buttons stick in the down position, which is why I used duct tape.

[gnostic203]

+1 on all the seat suggestions, I have a Sargent.

Try one of these too, they do wonders for the wrist on long trips.
http://www.crampbuster.com/

Also if you don't go with rearsets Oberon makes a set of wide touring foot pegs.