Getting one's arse off the ground on a 695.

[suzyj]

So apparently I bought the girls Ducati when I bought my 695.

I did it for all the good, sensible reasons.  Price, good amount of power for a second bike without being wheelie happy.  Nice, compact bike with plenty of potential for fun in twisty corners.

Only problem is that Ducati thought girl meant short-arse. I'm not a short arse - I'm 5'10 tall.

So the 770mm low seat height, that the sales guy was going on about is actually starting to give me the shits.

On the weekend I dug a trolley jack out, unloaded the swingarm, and stuck my head in to see what I could adjust.  Unfortunately the linkage is totally non-adjustable - it's just a length of aluminium with a ball-end either end.

Google (and searching the forum) tells me about lowering links, but nothing to increase the height.

So the questions are:

I hear that other models of Ducati have adjustable linkages.  Could I simply trundle into Northside or Frasers, give them money, and wander out with the part I want from another model of bike?  What bike would that be, specifically?

Failing that, is it possible to use a lowering link to raise the bike, or don't they have that sort of adjustability?

Failing that, does anyone have specs for the linkage, so that I can buy a pair of ball-ends and organise machining of the rod in between...

[goldFiSh]

Two things you can do:

Get an adjustable link (but not from ducati dealers in Oz - they'll rip you a new one)

The second thing is buy an different seat - I remember the 620 and 695 have lower seats as compared to the 800 and 1000 models. Personally, I'm 6'4 and have a sergeant seat, which is not only higher, but also much more comfy.

BTW, the 695 is not a girls bike! It's got the same power as my M800 (and the S2R800) and they are great fun on the road. For compatibility with other models, you are looking at the M620, M800, M1000, but not so much the S2R and S4R bikes.

I've got to go, but I'll post some links tonight (that is unless others don't chime in first)

[Two dogs]

 
Hi suzyj
Im 5'11" and ride a 695
I have installed an alternate ride height adjuster
OEM is crazy expensive I think from memory around 3 hunge
Got mine from US ebay for 40 but it was a little frozen
took some work to free up,keep in mind that if you lift the rear too much
you will change the geo quickening the steering and potentially dragging your chain on the swingarm. I removed my 14T front sprocket and went back to 15 then uped the rear sprocket before I did this mod and also don't wind out the thread to much or you risk snapping the rod at the thread if you hit a big pot hole.
I was lucky with mine as it was 20 mm longer than stock so I didn't have to wind it out too much
sorry cant remember which Ducati it was sourced from.
Check the main board there is a few threads on it and will give you the max height.
It is worth it as now the rear is tall enough so Il not looking at my knees while stopped at the at the lights

[Two dogs]

Check em out
measure yours eye to eye
contact one of the sellers with the length
 and your home and hosed
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_kw=Ducati&_kw=ride&_kw=height&_kw=adjuster
Oh and welcome aboard !
See you at the South coast ride?

[Betty]

BTW, the 695 is not a girls bike!

Stopping kidding yourself

Suzy, you could try and swap some height with some of the others on here ... apparently you can get this sort of thing done in Russia nowadays.

I think the seat option may be a good one ... simple change to make and it might be all you need, it won't mess with the geometry and its more comfy. If you come along on the weekend you would get to see some Sargeants up close and personal.

I am not sure about the 695 but with the 620 you could raise the front as well (without the triple clamps falling off the top of the forks) ... so you may be able to change things at both ends without effecting the handling. But if you are after more agressive steering that won't matter so much.

[signora monster]

Suzy, you could try and swap some height with some of the others on here ... apparently you can get this sort of thing done in Russia nowadays.

Yes, terrible problem that you've got there Suzy. Unlike another 695 rider I know rather well.   

The more weight I lose, the further away from the ground I get. Power to weight ratio is improving though. 

Kaz.

[IdZer0]

Definitely change the seat, easiest change. Then you'll probably need a ride height adjuster and drop the forks a bit.
Depending on your weight a stiffer spring in the back could also help you out.

[loony888]

Stopping kidding yourself

Suzy, you could try and swap some height with some of the others on here ... apparently you can get this sort of thing done in Russia nowadays.

ME ME ME , pick me!!!!!

[loony888]

Definitely change the seat, easiest change. Then you'll probably need a ride height adjuster and drop the forks a bit.
Depending on your weight a stiffer spring in the back could also help you out.

yep, change the seat, e-bay for the ride height adjuster, but don't push the forks through, with adding rear ride height you're already changing the geometry, making the bike turn in faster, if you go too far you risk tucking the front in turns and causing instability like a high speed weave. Take baby steps when you alter suspension, change it, try it, assess whether it's better or worse then think about changing something else, changing it back or leaving it.

paul.

[IdZer0]

..., but don't push the forks through, with adding rear ride height you're already changing the geometry,

The basic idea is to compensate the change in geometry from the ride height adjuster.

[brimo]

Lifting the arse reduces the rake angle (and the trail), causing faster turn in and some instability, as Paul  says you won't want to drop the clamps on the forks as that does the same thing and you end up with a double whammy, so sorry, but one does not compensate, but adds to, the other.

[loony888]

if you're talking about the triple clamps being lower all it will do is accentuate what you have done with the rear, making it more front end biased leading to the problems i have described above.
if you mean lifting the front triple clamps up i don't think there's enough fork tube protruding above the top clamp to do it, could be wrong though.

paul.

[IdZer0]

I meant lowering the fork tubes in the clamps or rising the triple clamps up. The tubes stick out about 1 cm on the 695.

[brimo]

OK I stand corrected, apologies.

[loony888]

oh ok, well 10mm will definitely help, but if suzyj gets an adjustable ride height rod it will be longer by about twice that with the heim joints fully in, remembering it's a rising rate so adjusting the rod by say 5mm will give roughly 15mm? That would mean the std rod in it's shortest configuration is going to raise the rear somewhere around 60mm from where it is now so yeah, i'd DEFINITELY lift the triple clamps to the top of the fork legs.

brad, where are you? what's the "rate" of the rear rising rate link on a 695??

paul