I would love to hear some reviews and experiences from forum members riding Monsters of any kind. The track day post-ups sticky is great but seems to be cluttered with loads of people riding other bikes. I have tracked an 1199 and an S1krr and had a great time with both but want to get out there with a Monster.
I'd love to hear what people are doing with Monsters in regards to rearsets, exhausts and fairings, etc., as well as just the general experiences of what it's like to ride different Monsters in a track setting. I have an M900 and an M1100 -- I'll probably take both out to the NY Safety Track in the coming weeks.
Thanks, Matt
Priceless [Dolph]
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=63600.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=63600.0)
Well, Stopintime, I did not make the connecion until now :-)
See you at Rudskogen at the Italian Days next year, if not sooner. You are my target :-)
(http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab117/Monsterhpd/Monster%20Forum/DO2Q5448_zps298da4c2.jpg) (http://s855.photobucket.com/user/Monsterhpd/media/Monster%20Forum/DO2Q5448_zps298da4c2.jpg.html)
Quote from: MonsterHPD on August 31, 2014, 01:37:17 PM
Well, Stopintime, I did not make the connecion until now :-)
See you at Rudskogen at the Italian Days next year, if not sooner. You are my target :-)
Isn't it hard to aim for a target that is so far away?
[cheeky]
See you next year (if you're not visiting at VÃ¥lerbanen September 14. 15. (challenge!) (including Alfa and Ferrari 8)
Well, aim for the stars, hit the treetops :-)
Sorry, no Våler, I´m out of vacation days (and budget ...) for this year.
i went to the New York Safety Track on my monster 1100 last week. still feels kinda slow and geared too high. i'll go back this weekend coming up on my m900 -- hopefully i know it better and can thrash that track. NYST does seem kind of tight though. i may prefer New Jersey Motorsports Park.
I think that if you have ridden an 1199 Panigale and a BMW S1000RR at the track then you might be disappointed with the Monster, but maybe not. I tried for years to make my old M900 into a racer and did pretty darn good with it but try as I might, with all kinds of suspension improvements, it never really worked like I wanted it too. My real epiphany was riding a 2008 GSXR 750. OMG! It did everything great except make the kind of noise I liked to hear. Then I set up an 848 with full Ohlins front & rear. Now that was handling! Don't get me wrong. You can go fast, sort of fast, with a Monster and have a lot of fun on it but it's no where in the same league as the first bikes mentioned. [Dolph]
I went to a couple of trackdays on my Monster. I did learn how to ride it better, but for a dedicated trackbike, I would not recommend it.
I'm a pretty big fan of NYST vs NJMP. NJMP can become a bit of a HP war but NYST is more rewarding with all those blind corners... and not to mention that polymer they use and the grip it gives instead of asphalt. And I mean... the elevation changes at NJMP just clinch the win on my side.
I rode my M900 for 5 or 6 seasons on the track.
It was fun, but you'll reach the limits of the bike before you get as fast as you can get.
I only upgraded suspension and put a set of A/M cans. Ran the stock rearsets. When my feet started getting caught between the pegs and the brackets it was time for a different bike.
Quote from: ducpainter on September 10, 2014, 12:34:51 PM
I rode my M900 for 5 or 6 seasons on the track.
It was fun, but you'll reach the limits of the bike before you get as fast as you can get.
I only upgraded suspension and put a set of A/M cans. Ran the stock rearsets. When my feet started getting caught between the pegs and the brackets it was time for a different bike.
Yeah, I'm at the point where I'm buying a track bike or swapping rearsets/installing clipons on the Monster. Kind of leaning towards the former and keeping the M696 for the street.
Quote from: pesto on September 10, 2014, 01:02:47 PM
Yeah, I'm at the point where I'm buying a track bike or swapping rearsets/installing clipons on the Monster. Kind of leaning towards the former and keeping the M696 for the street.
You would be well advised to do just that. [thumbsup]
Well fck. I'll bring the HP4 too. But I'm only a novice track rider, so I'll probably drop it. [drink]
Quote from: showerfan on September 11, 2014, 05:21:26 AM
Well fck. I'll bring the HP4 too. But I'm only a novice track rider, so I'll probably drop it. [drink]
Are you baiting me about dropping HP4's? ;D
I tracked my S2R-1000 for over a year, while I had a lot of fun with it, they do have a lot of limitations. The stock suspension sucks, brakes kind of suck as well and you'll end up wanting to spend money on ergonomics such as rear sets and new bars. Even if you do all that you'll still have a pretty slow bike, that is expensive to fix when crashed. I ended up not wanting to put all that $$$ into the bike and bought a cheap ZX6R already set up for the track. My lap times dropped by a huge amount and I was no longer worried about dropping it and facing a big repair bill.
Quote from: MadDuck on September 11, 2014, 03:34:47 PM
Are you baiting me about dropping HP4's? ;D
Hahaha -- took me a sec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef1WPKd_vpY&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef1WPKd_vpY&feature=youtu.be)
Quote from: pesto on September 10, 2014, 01:02:47 PM
Yeah, I'm at the point where I'm buying a track bike or swapping rearsets/installing clipons on the Monster. Kind of leaning towards the former and keeping the M696 for the street.
Yep - keep the Monster for the street and buy a Japanese 600 for the track, you won't regret it. You can find some really good deals on track bikes at the CMRA and WERA websites.
Quote from: Greg on September 15, 2014, 05:06:37 PM
Yep - keep the Monster for the street and buy a Japanese 600 for the track, you won't regret it. You can find some really good deals on track bikes at the CMRA and WERA websites.
I am a CMRA buy/sell forums lurker, but to be honest I'll probably get something new with ABS. Regardless of the merits, any extra safety feature keeps the wife happy and me on the track [Dolph].
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s270/pesteaux/smallSat_IMG_11021_zps648af4b5.jpg) (http://s154.photobucket.com/user/pesteaux/media/smallSat_IMG_11021_zps648af4b5.jpg.html)
I'm on the 696 in front, just happened to get the 796 behind me in the shot =). All stock, just removed the mirrors for the track day and taped up shiny surfaces.
Here's a video of the same day featuring the same 796 (a total stranger btw). Might want to turn down the volume a bit, I still hadn't optimized the whole mic situation.
This pace is pretty slow overall but pretty good for level 1. I'm at somewhat slow level 2 pace on this track. I am still very timid going into turns but my body position is better than most riders at this level which I think allows me to get on the gas a lot sooner, so most of my passing is done coming out of corners. I am hoping the ergonomics of a sport bike helps my confidence going into turns some, but it's probably more a question of just manning up [laugh].
Ducati Monster 696 & 796 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaVRrCL_qWk#)
I'm doing sub 40 mph on the double apex turns and on the big straight at the beginning of the video I'm routinely getting about 110mph now.
my first track day about 7 years ago in Homestead Miami Speedway was on my 2002 Monster S4. This weekend I plan on riding my S4 at Palm Beach International Raceway along with my 1995 ninja 250cc. I'll get video and post. [popcorn]
Stock handlebars and rear sets? [popcorn]
Quote from: Qomomoko on September 17, 2014, 07:45:53 PM
my first track day about 7 years ago in Homestead Miami Speedway was on my 2002 Monster S4. This weekend I plan on riding my S4 at Palm Beach International Raceway along with my 1995 ninja 250cc. I'll get video and post. [popcorn]
Have they made changes to PBIR? There were some concerns about certain walls in some spots.
I would join you if I had my old track bike!!
Quote from: pesto on September 17, 2014, 08:51:35 PM
Stock handlebars and rear sets? [popcorn]
(http://[url=http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/Qomomoko/media/CFducaticowl2-1.jpg.html%5D%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee464/Qomomoko/CFducaticowl2-1.jpg)[/URL][/img]
jaja..
they just put bunch of hay barrels .. plus there have been other walls moved over the years...
when was the last time you went to PBIR?
Quote from: pesto on September 17, 2014, 08:51:35 PM
Stock handlebars and rear sets? [popcorn]
having trouble with posting a pic but why do you ask?
also when i ride my S4 my right knee hurts on the inside. Not on my other bikes. It must be body position. I put the balls of my feet (the front part) on the pegs. I try to flex my feet also so that my knees are no "over my toes" b/c when i do relax and bend my ankles then my knees are "over my toes". Reason I mentions is b/c angle wise as in when doing squats, "knee over toes" is supposed to be bad for the knees. I figure that might be why my knee hurts.
I was planning on making her reverse gp shift for fun by buying a $100 adaptor. But over all for body position I might have to get rearsets..
What you all think?
Quote from: Qomomoko on September 18, 2014, 03:02:57 PM
having trouble with posting a pic but why do you ask?
Because they so greatly affect the ergonomics of the bike, I was wondering if you were going to track it stock or if you had it modified for the track :).
at this point stock, wanted the gp shift adaptor at least she'll be fun.
I have a dedicated track bike so the rearsets would be for better riding which i think i need cuz my right knee hurts...
I've had two Monsters serve track day duty. They are not the most focused track bikes but they get the job done from a fun factor. After market rearsets, high pipes, Penske shock and a good amount of ride height dialed in on the rear and hard parts don't drag anymore. I had a 1000ds Supersport that was like a magic carpet and an SV1000S that got around the track a little more purposefully but at the end of the day, I'm just out there for laughs so the S4 does the trick.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/112143703@N07/14930810490/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/112143703@N07/14930810490/)
I'll be out at Buttonwillow in Ca in a few weeks on the new pavement, can't wait.
Quote from: GregP on September 19, 2014, 05:47:33 AM
I've had two Monsters serve track day duty. They are not the most focused track bikes but they get the job done from a fun factor. After market rearsets, high pipes, Penske shock and a good amount of ride height dialed in on the rear and hard parts don't drag anymore. I had a 1000ds Supersport that was like a magic carpet and an SV1000S that got around the track a little more purposefully but at the end of the day, I'm just out there for laughs so the S4 does the trick.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/112143703@N07/14930810490/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/112143703@N07/14930810490/)
I'll be out at Buttonwillow in Ca in a few weeks on the new pavement, can't wait.
sweet pic!! and great lean.. mine feels to top heavy lol
Quote from: Qomomoko on September 18, 2014, 02:50:21 PM
jaja..
they just put bunch of hay barrels .. plus there have been other walls moved over the years...
when was the last time you went to PBIR?
It's been years. At one point they wanted to add air fences because no one wanted to race there. The issue was that the track could not afford air fences without people racing.
Quote from: Greg on September 15, 2014, 05:06:37 PM
Yep - keep the Monster for the street and buy a Japanese 600 for the track, you won't regret it. You can find some really good deals on track bikes at the CMRA and WERA websites.
Just resurrecting this thread to say I took your advice and got a 2002 R6 for the track and hope to have it ready in a month or so and get a few track days in this season =). I couldn't wait any longer to buy something with more tech! [Dolph]