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Touring on Monsters

28K views 34 replies 23 participants last post by  savaship 
#1 · (Edited)
I got a PM from a member on this topic, and we decided that it was good for a thread, so here goes:

Pizzadude2010 said:
Hello,
My name is Fred Thomas I was was reading the thread about a monster will full fairing. You mentioned that you rode your monster from I think San Diego to Cleveland which is pretty impressive. Back in aug 2010 I bought a 2010 696. I do mostly city driving just around town and on some back roads. I have a cousin and buddy that have touring bikes and are wanting me to take the occasional trip with them. I live in Indianapolis and they want me to take a road trip to Harrisburg PA.
Can you give me any feedback on what the Monster is like on a longer trip? Is taking a 500-600 mile trip on one of them something I would enjoy or would it be more of a hassle and an endurance test?
Any insight you could can me would be helpful and mad respect for making that long of a trip.
The pic of your set up with the sleeping bag etc was cool.
Fred
PhilB
 
#2 ·
It really depends on how well your bike fits you. The Monster fits me really well, and I have found that 500 to 600 miles in a day is pretty easy. 700 takes some planning and intent; 900 is the most I've done in a day, and that was a long day. (Although I might just go for a Baby Iron Butt and do a certified 1000 mile day this year, just to be able to say I did.)

I have a good friend with a Monster 620, and she travels and goes camping and so on on it. She finds 500 miles in a day to be about her limit for comfort, although she has done more.

The first thing I would say is to work up to it. Don't run out with your buddies and try to keep up on those long days from scratch. There are muscles you will need to build up (especialy, on an unfaired bike, your neck muscles). I would do a bunch of 200 or 300 mile days first, and see how it goes for you.

On the topic of neck muscles, speed makes a difference, so it also depends on how fast the people you would be traveling with ride. For me, once I hit about 100mph, it really is a strain to keep the helmet and head up and stable, and I can't do that for a long time. So if I'm doing more than a couple hundred miles in a day, I have to keep it below 95mph except for short bursts like passing a garbage truck or something I really don't want to be behind.

The only modifications I have made to my bike for this are (a) a Crampbuster ($12 and totally worth it), and (b) I geared it down a bit -- went from a 39 rear sprocket stock to a 37 (which is the opposite of how most people regear their Monsters; they usually go shorter not taller).

With the colder weather here, I have bought a pair of dirtbike handguards, which I plan to fit to help protecft my hands from the wind on colder days. It's pretty much stopped snowing here, which was my limit for riding, but it's still cold. I started riding again last week, and the cold does show up in the hands first.

I found the original seat to be pretty good. When it wore out, I got a Corbin, which I was not really happy with. Whan that wore out, I got the original seat re-covered, and that's what I've got again now. The SD to Cleveland trip did leave me a little saddlesore -- I only had 4 days between jobs, so that was one 900 mile day, followed by three 600 mile days in a row. So if I was to take up touring seriously, I probably would research to find a better seat.

Do you mind if I make this into a thread? I think it would be interesting to get more people's input on touring on Monsters.

PhilB
 
#3 ·
His response:

Pizzadude2010 said:
Hello Phil,
Thanks so much for the detailed response. I don't mind at all if you make it into a thread, I would love to hear other peoples input. I PMed you because I didn't want to hijack the other thread. The cramp buster is a great suggestion and also starting with shorter trips.
We are going to go down to Kentucky which is about a 200 mile trip which should be a good test. When I bought the bike I got whats called the "comfort" seat and it seems to be a nice seat. I rode quite a bit this winter as long as the roads were clear and get what you mean about the hands getting cold. It's usually my finger tips that get it the worst and I have a nice pair of winter riding gloves. Also should mention I'm a new rider just having started in July 2010. I've put 1700 miles on my bike so far.
Again thank you so much for taking the time and the quick answer and will look for it as a thread.
Fred
PhilB
 
#4 ·
Anyone else have any input on doing long days on a Monster?

PhilB
 
#6 ·
Longest day I have spent on my monster is about 400 miles and it worked out just fine. When I tour or more like go on longish rides, I usually avoid freeway's and try to take back roads wherever I can so don't have to deal with super high speeds, so no issues with the high speed winds.

My only issue with the Monster is the lack of any storage and the high mount exhaust on my 796 does not give me many choices when it comes to saddle bags. I have done some long rides with a backpack on and that is no fun.

On the high speed wind/ head bobbing, have you tried different helmets. I have a Scorpion and an Arai and even though my Scorpion is a bit heavier, it is much more comfortable to wear in high speeds- hardly any movement/ bobbing vs. the Arai.
 
#7 ·
I have the ducati performance pack for the monster that fits over the rear of the seat. You get two small pouches for glasses, Ulock, spare ear plugs, basically stuff you always carry with you, then an 18 liter pack that zips onto the base for clothing etc.

I've done 3 days away (packing very lightly) without issue using just this pack, no need for a backpack or tank bag.

I ride without a fairing and have done 1000 miles over two days without issue. Although I am thinking of doing a longer trip later in the year and will invest in a decent fairing before doing that.

Biggest differences to long distance comfort: DP Touring seat and a Bar Riser.
 
#8 ·
I've taken mine down into Norther Kentucky and done some 300-400 mile days myself. Usually just throw a pack on the back seat, but those rides always end up back at home so I don't have to take to much. I've debated getting the DP bags for my 696, but my Fz1 is my real touring bike so I always talk myself back out of it. We're talking about a weekend trip to the Dragon this year, and I could easily make that from Cincy on my 696.

Bar risers are a must in my opinion on this bike, and I good set of gel grips. Another thing, last year I broke down and bought riding pants, always thought they were a bit goofy. Man they're frickin AWESOME, well to wear..they kinda make you look like the marshmallow man. lol Full gear is required when touring, gotta keep all those elements off you so you can focus on riding.

Great post, hope to see more monsters out touring. Only saw one last year when riding the Blue Ridge Parkway...which is a must for motorcycle riders.;D
 
#9 ·
I'll be doing a 750 mile day around Lake Erie this year. I'm hoping to squeeze in at least two 400+ days to prepare for it. I have adjustable rest sets and clip ons so it shouldn't be too bad. But then I used to do 500 miles on my 748 in a day.

Phil, I think an Iron Butt is about the only thing left for you to do on your Monster.

Jason
 
#10 ·
I was planning on going on that very ride myself, if I was still working here when the time came. But I'll be missing that one.

PhilB
 
#12 ·
I've done a lot of 300-400 mile days and a few up to 550 on my '99 M900. Biggest problem for me is my knees .... the seat to peg distance isn't enough for my 32" inseams especially with my leathers which bunch up a bit at the backs of my knees. Usually around 300 miles I start experimenting with the passenger pegs, standing up etc. I have a stock seat and a Corbin; the Corbin's a bit taller which helps the knees but I actually prefer the stocker. BTW, I'm getting very close to AARP age. I think if I were 20 younger I could ride 1000 miles on a Monster easily. My other bike is a VStrom 650 and I can't say it's any better for distance, just different.

-dman_900
 
#14 · (Edited)
Great tips by everyone. The two best "comfort" investments I have made were to get a Roho Airhawk seat cushion and a Crampbuster. I have tried the DP seat, the stock seat and my Corbin and all leave me squirming after the first 400 miles or so. That Airhawk cushion is THE ticket. I can ride non-stop for days on end with that thing and my rear end stays quite comfortable. When you get home and tool around town, just take it off. Easy as pie. The Crampbuster also helps a great deal though I think I'll be looking into a throttle lock of some sort for this season.
A couple other things....1.) I have quit using the bikini windscreen on the bike. I notice that the windscreen combats some of the airflow at chest level but in doing so creates a very compressed stream of air that hits me directly at my face shield. This leaves my neck aching in short order at constant freeway speeds. I am much more comfortable just battling the air spread out across my entire front than having it aimed right at my face. 2.) As far as packs go, I usually use a close and well-fitting backpack of some sort but I also use another soft pack mounted right below the headlight (kinda Harley-style) to carry my bike cover and various tools, rotor locks, etc. It's out of the way, you don't know it's even there and it doesn't affect the airflow to the engine much...maybe runs 5-8 degrees warmer than normal. I included a photo for reference. Just be sure to use a soft shell bag and pack any "hard" items on the outside (the ends) of the pack as to allow the front suspension to cycle unhindered in the middle of the pack in the event of a severe bottom out. Don't wanna crack your fender!
I travel extensively on my Monster. There are better bikes for huge slab riding but when you finally get off the freeway and get back into the mountains, you'll love having your Monster!
 

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#17 ·
I ride with a backpack and a tank bag. By backpack touches the rear cowl when I sit up so I would have to say no to both tail bag and backpack. I have gone 600 km in a day and found it tolerable, but really it is not a touring machine. My legs and shoulders get sore after a couple of hours and I need to go for a walk and stretch out every tank or so to keep fresh and feel safe. I'm sure a Harley electroglide would be a dream for long trips but hey that's not our poison now is it.
 
#19 ·
In January I rode my monster from St. George, Utah to Los Angeles California stopped in Vegas for a night then finished the rest of the way the next day you can see a video I made of the highlights with my helmet cam here.



I would definitely recommend some stretching before and whenever you stop for gas, I did it without a fairing so the wind was pretty taxing, also it was January so it was like 33 degrees when I started in Utah which was pretty cold for a while. Id say be prepared for adventure if you go looking for it.
 
#20 ·
I did some 300 milers with my M620. It was ok, but for longer trips (especially highway) I wish I would have some more horse power. Head winds are certainly a pain, I am 6'2" and no fairings. Suggest to take as many alternative curvy roads as you can.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Carrying a backpack on your back is not the way to go. Shoulders, arms take a lot of pressure. I have modified my monster to take pannier bags. Its a simple setup that uses andy strapz bags fro australia....I am obviously in Oz. The other thing is to get the weight as forward and as low as possible. Heavy stuff down the bottom of the bag, light stuff up the top. Minimize weight behind the rear axle.
 
#24 ·
Monsterparts has a great backpack that has straps around your chest and waist - a la grunt patrol webbing - it makes it a lot more secure and snug without the parachute effect of shoulder strap only packs. It also has a neat fold out bag that will easily take your helmet. Round shape kinda dorky - but who cares?
 
#25 ·
Touring

I have been riding for years now and touring our great land of AUSTRALIA (trust me this place is BIG) and the best advice I can give is exactly as already stated with a couple of modifications, build up to long distances slowly and always always make sure you stop every TWO hours even if it's just to fill up the tank. While filling the bike I always have a little mini jog on the spot just to get leg muscles and blood oxygen pumping through tired leg muscles which surprise does work! Then I go pay for the gas and buy a POWERADE ION4 which is one of those ELECTROLYTES drinks (depends on what you like) to help replace that which you have used while riding and sweating and these I find really help at the end of your ride as you don't have that DRAINED feeling hanging over you the next day.
I have no problem in doing 2,000klm in a day here in Australia as the distances are so great and the roads open out after the mountains but like everything you must plan your trip and time it accordingly so you know fuel availability (A closed service station is no help when your out of fuel) and rest periods etc etc but it's mostly common sense and as you get more experience the planning and RIDING will come that much easier. It's not all about just having a comfortable seat that I'm trying to convey here as you can see but too many riders try to do long distance without building up to it and wonder why they failed or worse still have an accident or get killed because their too tired or worn out from the extremes of distance travel and that is where I hope my little 10 cent's worth of advice will pay dividends for all other riders in future who may read this. I do my touring on my 2008 Suzuki GSX1400 (1402cc) Final Edition towing my camper trailer, I have also just brought my first Ducati recently after a 20 year wait (2003 monster S4R with only 15,055klm on her clock!) so just nicely run in lol.... and you can be assured that she will be doing some touring duties as well (just without the trailer) I have two other bikes in the stable as well one is a collectors item and rarely gets used (1988 GSX-R1100J limited edition only 50 made world wide, factory race bike Yoshi kitted engine from factory.) and my general purpose bike a 2002 Honda CB900 Hornet. I'm not proclaiming to know it all (I'm only 50) but as you can see I have had experience with a fair few different bikes and if I can just help ONE rider then I've achieved what I set out to do in this article. Thank you everyone for having a read and may you always stay shiny side UP! see you out on the road somewhere. Anthony.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I have the M1100 and the thing I hate most is the short range. I can only get about 100-110 highway miles before I have to start looking for gas. So if I want to do a 600 mile day, that's 5 stops, each taking me 10-15 minutes, adding up to an hour or more of commute time.

Because of this, if I have a time frame, I take my Ninja 300 which gives me twice the range, requiring half the stops.

I also have a universal tail bag to carry everything I need (I pack light), most importantly my tools.

I camp if it's a longer ride or sleep on benches at truck stops if I just have to catch up on sleep.

To save time, I plan bathroom breaks and meals around gas stops. If I just need to stretch my legs, I stand on my pegs and lean forward on the bars a bit.

Longest single day I've done is around 650 miles on the ninja, 450 miles on the monster. If I can invent some kind of simple way to feed fuel to my tank while riding, I'll take the monster on more trips.
 
#30 ·
I have the M1100 and the thing I hate most is the short range. I can only get about 100-110 highway miles before I have to start looking for gas. So if I want to do a 600 mile day, that's 5 stops, each taking me 10-15 minutes, adding up to an hour or more of commute time.
Thank you so much for that! I took several trips on my M796 this summer that were more than 600 miles in a single day. When I was first considering buying a monster, I really wanted an 1100, but the extra inch of seat height (I'm super short) and low fuel economy were my main reasons not to. You just confirmed the fuel economy on the 1100 is as big an issue as I thought. On my 796 the fuel light goes on at 125miles, and on a road trip where I'm cruising at a sane speed the fuel economy is almost 50mpg which means I can "push it" to about 170... my hard reserve is to stop as close to 150 as possible, I have a small half gallon metal tank with me in case I miscalculate. I also now carry a spare charged li-ion battery in case something goes awry.

Now I am just going to repeat the things everyone said already: plan it out. Bring emergency supplies (water, tools, battery, tire patch kit, any small spare parts). I highly recommend buying trip insurance (usually costs me $35 for a 1200 mile 4 day round trip), you can even get a free tow package with some of them. If some driver hits you on the road (or you mess up yourself) the medical coverage on the trip insurance will cover the gap so you don't have to pay out of pocket until the insurance companies stop arguing with each other, plus if you get hit, your trip gets refunded, and when you get out of the hospital they'll pay your airfare home.
 
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#27 ·
I have been touring (sealed road only) around Australia on my Monster 1100S for a few years and I'm loving it.
I really should have bought a Multistrada but I can't stand the look.

With bar raisers and properly sorted suspension, the bike is comfortable for long distance. Stock the Monster 1100S is way too stiff and quite uncomfortable on less than perect roads.

Fuel range wise, I get between 300-325kms before empty which is on par with what my friends on Multi 1200 get.
I've got the model without ABS, so my tank is slightly larger at 15L (tank capacity is reduced to 13.5L for M696/796/1100 with ABS).
Luggage wise, side panniers give you 2x14L, Tail bag 18L and tank bag another 14L. More than enough space to carry gear for a couple of weeks.

The Monster is the jack of all trades and if there is a will there is a way. After all, in Tassie I have met people touring Australia on Postie bikes (Honda CT110)!!
 

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#33 ·
Thanks @Monster795!
I did spend some time getting it the way I wanted but I think I'm done with mods (for now ;)
It's mostly paint and bolt-ons unlike your Draxter build which I can't wait to see finished!

When I was first considering buying a monster, I really wanted an 1100, but the extra inch of seat height (I'm super short) and low fuel economy were my main reasons not to. You just confirmed the fuel economy on the 1100 is as big an issue as I thought.
When it comes to fuel range, we need to make the distinction between the 1100 and 1100EVO. Not only the EVO has a smaller tank but is also missing the dual spark engine. Dual spark improves fuel consumption and this is confirmed in the real world by "fuelly.com" where most riders achieve better mileage on the DS1100. By looking at the "fuelly" figures, I would say the difference is roughly 10%.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Touring on a monster...of course it can be done, have will (and money), will travel as they say in my part of the world ;)

It's a naked bike so yes, you don't have wind protection and the storage thing (or lack of it) can be a problem but there's always ways around that, a good tail bag or saddle bags is all that's needed really (and an iron butt)...

I frequently visited the Balkans with my 796, always solo and a 13lt tailbag and 40lt backpack would suit me just fine for a week long stay.
I'm 100% with LeFraussie, the Monster (the previous gen at least) worked wonders as a touring bike, loved the riding position as it wasn't that upright or too leaned, meaning, in a tucked position the lack of wind protection wasn't a problem (at least for me/my frame) plus, you wouldn't put much strain on your back (compared to a bike with a more upright riding position), really, for me it was perfect and i miss it comparing it to my now 1200S which is way more upright.

Riding with a 40lt backpack for 800+Km's a day...yes, it can be somewhat tiresome (and not that safe in case of a get-off) but, that's where (good) physical condition comes into play, also, properly adjusting the backpack's straps as to have it basically resting on your back and not having it dragging you down/back is also a must.
Fuel range can be an issue though, i keep reading about 300+ Kms of range and...don't know how that's even possible (hi LeFraussie ! :D ), longest i've done on my 796 is about 250Km on 1 tank (13.5lt tank) and that would be while riding within legal limits (130Km/h max with some 170km/h quick bursts).Basically, whenever i'm travelling, i make sure to refill at around the 200Km mark on my odometer as to not have any "surprises" regarding fuel.
Longest i've been on my bike was about 11 hours and 800+spare change Km's (passed by 2 countries) and i came out just fine, no problems whatsoever, Monaroman68 gives some pretty good advice in his post, some on-the-spot jogging after/before reaching a fuel station, a break to take a leak/drink some fluids/have a cig help, but, they do add up to to the total travel time obviously (like Ugly Bastard mentioned).

I still remember my last trip to the Balkans...full leather gear, 38-39 degrees Celsius with the friggin' 40lt bag on my back... i was s-w-e-a-t-i-n-g like a mofo, must have gobbled about 2+lt of fluids on that stop, hey, at least i gave a good show to the tourists getting off that bus in their t-shirts and flip-flops, they must have freaked out and most probably turned off any potential riders from that group from riding :D, i mean, why travel by bike and get sweaty like a pig, getting dehydrated etc etc when you just can travel by car/bus/plane ? Well, part of the fun i guess...

I'm actually curious to see how the 1200S will behave as the riding position is more upright, although, it is more comfy in general compared to the 796, plus, the longer wheelbase will be better on high speeds on those long straights.Fuel consumption is going to be a drag though as the 1200 just loves to drink-up the good ol' gasoline, it's a 1200 motor though so that's to be expected.

I'm planning a trip to Croatia for next Summer so i'll just have to wait and see i suppose...

Cheerio
 
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