Too short?

[mostromille]

Hi there,

A lower seat might be part of the solution, if you're looking for ways to reach the ground easier.

http://www.ducatimonster.org/smf/ind...topic=101174.0

[asyiken]

I finally got the lowering link and it worked very well indeed. I've managed to ride the bike a few times and I'm still not able to get both feet on the ground..only 1 foot at a time. You guys are right - it's not necessary at all to have both feet flat in order to ride the Monster, it's a matter of confidence. I'm still struggling getting on and off the bike as I have to do it without engaging the side stand (leg not long enough to reach the side stand). :-[ But thank goodness the bike is so much lighter than my Sportster and backing it or holding it without the side stand is still manageable.

I'll have to gather my guts everytime I'm going for a ride. Told myself if I don't brave thru it - I'll never ride it and it's too expensive to just display the bike or let someone else ride it for me. I'm seriously thinking about changing to a city bar or having a riser to add height to the bars coz I'm riding the Duc like a sportsbike with my belly lying on the tank. It sure is tiring and adding too much weight to the wrists. ???

Still - there is no stopping me despite being a women with plenty of constrains, height being one most critical challenges when it comes to riding. But braving through such challenges makes us better by the day.... ;D

[ljj]

get a tank bag and put a spare jacket in it.. .that will give you something to rest on that is higher than the tank (though I like laying down on the tank, it's warm and snuggly there) and will take weight of your lower back and wrists...

as far a psyching yourself up for your rides, that is normal, feet on the ground or not I ride every day and for the first month or so I felt that... Then one day... it was gone.. Now I feel edgy and grumpy if I DON'T get to ride, and feel oppressed and kind of stifled if i have to drive the cage

[asyiken]

Been able to ride a bit more on the duc just to get more familiar and comfortable. Having to get on and off the bike without the side stand to land is still a daunting task and I am still nervous when I know it's time to fuel up because that will mean, risking falling or dropping the bike in public = humiliation. Nevertheless, I have done that 2x and so far so good although I must admit that I'm shivering inside from fear. Last I took it for a solo ride last weekend and did 150km (distance) through the highway and into the city then back home. Had fun despite it all. [thumbsup]

Originally Posted by ljj

get a tank bag and put a spare jacket in it.. .that will give you something to rest on that is higher than the tank (though I like laying down on the tank, it's warm and snuggly there) and will take weight of your lower back and wrists...

Thanks ljj for the advise. Went out and got myself a tank bag and will try landing on it to see if it helps with the slightly too low and forward ride position I am currently experiencing. I must admit that riding for longer duration is quite tiring in such ergo so I need to improve it a bit. Ordered the bar risers which will arrive probably in the next coming weeks. Meantime - I'll have to make do.

I am convinced that riding a duc for female around 5' tall can be a breeze, beyond the fear. It's a question of when you get to reach that level of beyond the fear. For me - I'm still way from it because I'm still so intimidated at the thought of having to mount and dismount the bike without the assurance of a side stand in case my foot gives way. But for the love of riding - I'm taking my chances...

[LizaB]

Wow, this is a great topic. I, too, am vertically challenged, but in love with my Duc. But I have found it incredibly intimidating, and it takes everything I have to muster the courage to keep getting on it.

I have found that while I'm getting started, it is easier to practice with a half-tank of gas or less, as opposed to having it filled up- the bike is lighter, easier to handle, and the weight is a little lower. I have a hard time backing up though.

I put the lowering link on when I bought it, and am happy with the result- the balls of both feet can now touch the ground. I am considering shaving the seat too, to give me just that much more clearance- anyone have any advice on seat shaving? Is it worth it? Is it as uncomfortable as I've read, or does it really make a difference on a bike that is clearly not designed around comfort, but rather style?

Other than that, how did you get over the fear of the bike, and when did you begin to trust yourself?

[D-Mon]

Hey LizaB, Welcome and congrats on the new bike.

I can't speak so much for the height issue, but I can talk about the fear. I took my class back in October and decided to get a new bike rather than a small beat up one. The very first time I got on to replicate the lessons from my class, well I couldn't do anything but sit on it. The weight was too much and I didn't want to do something stupid to drop it. So after an hour we went home with the thought of getting something smaller. Needless to say I was very disappointed in myself.

The next few days I thought about it no stop and came to the conclusion I'd give it another try. While I waited for Sunday to come, I would go into the garage and sit on it to get use to the feel. I also started to rock it back and forth to get use to the weight. When Sunday came again, I decided to get mad and shove my fear aside to at least try letting the clutch out. Slowly I got use to the feel of the bike and where the friction zone was, and on and on. I knew if I could just get it going I'd be fine and I was. I think it took a month to get out of the empty parking lot and start getting use to side streets.

Right now in my progress I would say I'm not fearful of this or that, I would use the word cautious. I'm cautious not to do or go anywhere I'm not yet comfortable with, but each time out I push myself a little more.

Just keep plugging along, you'll get there in your own time schedule [thumbsup]

[DesmoLu]

Originally Posted by ljj

get a tank bag and put a spare jacket in it.. .that will give you something to rest on that is higher than the tank (though I like laying down on the tank, it's warm and snuggly there) and will take weight of your lower back and wrists...

Good tip for getting comfy on some of those long stretches! I recently discovered that if I wear a super padded bra :angel: that I can rest the chest on the tank for a bit, taking weight off the wrists when the thighs are too sore to support me entirely. It's kinda of a ridiculous tip, I know, but it works! Plus it tightens up my jacket a bit so that no cold breezes get in there. The tank is, indeed so irresistibly warm and cuddly ;D

[Vishnudiani]

Hi there,

I'm 1 m 48 cm, which I guess would be about 4ft10". I ride a 695. When I got it the dealer put in a dogbone for me, shaved of a bit of the seat and adjusted the shock suspension to my weight.

After this I could tippy toe with one foot. Which didn't do my confidence much good. I would come up to a traffic light and pray it wouldn't turn red, cause then I wouldn't have to stop. I still rode about 300 miles in total like this. But then I finally decided to try and shave off more the seat myself. But after shaving off lots (and I mean lots) of foam I found that the the sides of the saddle plating were poking uncomfortably into my thighs. So I also sawed off about 1,5 cm on each side of the saddle plating, making the saddle width smaller where I sit.

As for comfort...I think I have about 4 cm of foam left where I sit. I've ridden for two hours straight without getting uncomfortable. But if you can already touch the ground with the balls of your foot you probably don't even need to shave off that much.

I can now put the ball of one foot down. It doesn't seem like much, but it felt a whole lot better. And I guess the more I ride and the more I actually stop at traffic lights without toppling over the more confidence I'll gain. And a lot of confidence I also get from knowing that I had a good driving instructor who taught me a solid set of basic driving skills on which I can build and expand.

[jsanford]

Originally Posted by mangeldbug

You are an inexperienced rider by your own words. GET SOME EXPERIENCE! [thumbsup] (not yelling; excited! This is the fun part.) Get a little USED starter bike and thrash the crap out of it for a season. Then move on to your Ducati.

Before I started riding, I always had the Monster in mind. But I didnt want it as my first bike because I didnt want to drop my baby or wreck it making some newbie mistake. You WILL drop your bike while you are learning and you WILL make mistakes. You will need a bike forgiving enough that you wont seriously hurt yourself because of those mistakes....but its fun riding a slow bike fast and it gave me a GREAT platform of riding skills to build upon. Once you are comfortable and have a great base knowledge of skills, it doesnt really matter if you can flat foot the bike.

A big +1. The Monster was the bike I wanted to learn to ride for, but I waited until I had three years' experience. A GS500e is a great bike to get the look of a Monster without the temperment.

I wouldn't fear shaving the seat. I find a firm perch to be more comfortable, anyway.