Are the monsters with stock handle bars and stock seats comfortable for doing regular commuting in a city. I mostly travel to and from school and work and I am wondering how long (or if ever) will it take for me to get uncomfortable or to start having back pain while riding a monster. Is the slightly cafe style a big issue if you are sitting in traffic a lot or going straight alot? Also, how is the comfort when going through canyons and highways? Do I really need to get new handle bars so it can be non-painful when riding through the city? And finally, how smooth is it to shift a ducati monster? Is it smoother then most crappy japanese bikes? Like, is it so smooth you sometimes don't realize your shifting? That would be awesome.
Riding comfort for the monsters
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I would say it pretty much depends on your height, weight, shape etc... Some people are comfortable right away some are not.
Speaking for myself, I'm pretty short so I had the seat cut down quite a bit. I'm very comfortable for short or long rides. The only thing that might bother me after a while is my wrists because I'm leaned over a bit. My commute is 38 miles one way so that's a ride time of between 45 and 60 minutes depending on traffic.
You'll just have to see for your self. If you wind up being uncomfortable I wouyld suggest looking into a Corbin or Sergeant seat.
Cheers,
Uncle_Duck
Speaking for myself, I'm pretty short so I had the seat cut down quite a bit. I'm very comfortable for short or long rides. The only thing that might bother me after a while is my wrists because I'm leaned over a bit. My commute is 38 miles one way so that's a ride time of between 45 and 60 minutes depending on traffic.
You'll just have to see for your self. If you wind up being uncomfortable I wouyld suggest looking into a Corbin or Sergeant seat.
Cheers,
Uncle_Duck
I'm 6'1", 200lbs. I'm pretty comfortable on my monster, stock. After an all day ride I might get a little sore, but that could just be fatigue (I don't have any kind of windscreen). I just got my first pair of leather pants and I realized a big difference right there. I mostly rode w/ jeans or slacks (going to work) and the seat felt pretty stiff. WIth the leathers, it's a little more cushion. I'd say you're okay on a monster comfort wise.
My experience in pain and suffering:
- Wrist pain for first 300 miles
- Severe lower back pain for first 400 miles
- Butt pain for first 600 miles on long rides
- Muscle pain in left hand for as long as I had the stock clutch slave cylinder.
This is Mostly city riding with occasional canyon riding. So far I've logged 2000 miles on my Monster.
I wouldn't mind having the stock bars bend a little more inward, but I've gotten quite comfortable with it now. I had a Sargent but found the stock seat to feel more "tight". Shift is smooth enough for me.
So when are you getting your Monster [smiley=wink.gif]
- Wrist pain for first 300 miles
- Severe lower back pain for first 400 miles
- Butt pain for first 600 miles on long rides
- Muscle pain in left hand for as long as I had the stock clutch slave cylinder.
This is Mostly city riding with occasional canyon riding. So far I've logged 2000 miles on my Monster.
I wouldn't mind having the stock bars bend a little more inward, but I've gotten quite comfortable with it now. I had a Sargent but found the stock seat to feel more "tight". Shift is smooth enough for me.
So when are you getting your Monster [smiley=wink.gif]
Alright, this is all sounding very good. I'm so glad for this message board and the help it has provided me. I'll get my monster as soon as I can afford it, I think I'll need atleast $7300 after paying bills to buy it completely. I don't want to go into a loan or buy a used one. You are all probably right about the comfort thing. My current motorcycle is a yamaha 180cc scooter and I am forced to have bad back posture due to the design of the foot rests and the location of the rear brake pedal. But I find no discomfort with my daily routes with it, nor with joy riding through the canyons, although part of that is probably due to the super comfortable seat. The salesmen at the Ducati store nearest to me said that I'll probably adjust and if I needed I can get handle bars with a higher rise. If it comes to the point where it is uncomfortable I'll probably just save some more money to get some nicer "city" handle bars installed.
Also just one more question. How well does the windshield on the monster help against wind. I think the S4R has it and so does the 1000 or 800. Is it actually worth what it costs?
Also just one more question. How well does the windshield on the monster help against wind. I think the S4R has it and so does the 1000 or 800. Is it actually worth what it costs?
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3,931 Posts
Q: Are the monsters with stock handle bars and stock seats comfortable for doing regular commuting in a city.
A: For me, at 6'1", the stock Monster bar was perfect for commuting and riding around in town. I switched to a flatter Corbin seat, which improved the comfort for such riding.
Q: I mostly travel to and from school and work and I am wondering how long (or if ever) will it take for me to get uncomfortable or to start having back pain while riding a monster.
A: The only parts on me that started to bother me on long rides was my knees and the part of my body in contact with the seat, and that took at least 100 miles. All of the rest of me felt great while riding the Monster. I certainly never had back pain from it.
Q: Is the slightly cafe style a big issue if you are sitting in traffic a lot or going straight alot?
A: The only issue is lack of wind protection.
Q: Also, how is the comfort when going through canyons and highways?
A: I loved the Monster in the canyons. Less so on freeways, mainly because it's not as much fun going straight and dealing with the wind. Below 80 mph, the wind isn't a serious issue either. My ST2 feels a bit better on the freeways.
Q: Do I really need to get new handle bars so it can be non-painful when riding through the city?
A: I don't know where you think the pain will be coming from. I thought the stock bars were close to perfect.
Q: And finally, how smooth is it to shift a ducati monster? Is it smoother then most crappy japanese bikes?
A: I've never owned a crappy Japanese bike, but I've owned many Japanese bikes. The Ducatis I've ridden are not as smooth to shift as the Yamahas I've owned, but smoother than the Harley's I've ridden.
Q: Like, is it so smooth you sometimes don't realize your shifting? That would be awesome.
A: I've always realized I was shifting. On the 1997 M900, I would get a lot of false neutrals if I didn't make a solid shift. I also had a 1996 M900 for a little while and it was much less likely to get a false neutral. My 1998 ST2 hasn't had a false neutral yet, so the transmissions aren't all the same.
Q: Also just one more question. How well does the windshield on the monster help against wind. I think the S4R has it and so does the 1000 or 800. Is it actually worth what it costs?
A: I can only compare the minifairing that came with the 1997 Monster. I tried it on and off multiple times, plus tried a larger plexiglass windshield as well. I finally settled on the stock minifairing. It makes a difference on the road.
Get a Monster. You'll love it. 8)
A: For me, at 6'1", the stock Monster bar was perfect for commuting and riding around in town. I switched to a flatter Corbin seat, which improved the comfort for such riding.
Q: I mostly travel to and from school and work and I am wondering how long (or if ever) will it take for me to get uncomfortable or to start having back pain while riding a monster.
A: The only parts on me that started to bother me on long rides was my knees and the part of my body in contact with the seat, and that took at least 100 miles. All of the rest of me felt great while riding the Monster. I certainly never had back pain from it.
Q: Is the slightly cafe style a big issue if you are sitting in traffic a lot or going straight alot?
A: The only issue is lack of wind protection.
Q: Also, how is the comfort when going through canyons and highways?
A: I loved the Monster in the canyons. Less so on freeways, mainly because it's not as much fun going straight and dealing with the wind. Below 80 mph, the wind isn't a serious issue either. My ST2 feels a bit better on the freeways.
Q: Do I really need to get new handle bars so it can be non-painful when riding through the city?
A: I don't know where you think the pain will be coming from. I thought the stock bars were close to perfect.
Q: And finally, how smooth is it to shift a ducati monster? Is it smoother then most crappy japanese bikes?
A: I've never owned a crappy Japanese bike, but I've owned many Japanese bikes. The Ducatis I've ridden are not as smooth to shift as the Yamahas I've owned, but smoother than the Harley's I've ridden.
Q: Like, is it so smooth you sometimes don't realize your shifting? That would be awesome.
A: I've always realized I was shifting. On the 1997 M900, I would get a lot of false neutrals if I didn't make a solid shift. I also had a 1996 M900 for a little while and it was much less likely to get a false neutral. My 1998 ST2 hasn't had a false neutral yet, so the transmissions aren't all the same.
Q: Also just one more question. How well does the windshield on the monster help against wind. I think the S4R has it and so does the 1000 or 800. Is it actually worth what it costs?
A: I can only compare the minifairing that came with the 1997 Monster. I tried it on and off multiple times, plus tried a larger plexiglass windshield as well. I finally settled on the stock minifairing. It makes a difference on the road.
Get a Monster. You'll love it. 8)
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