fitting clip-ons to a monster
Discussion
i have an 1100 evo which i've modified over the past year for improved day-to-day rideability - intake and exhaust, cat and exhaust flap removed, 02 sensors removed, 14T front sprocket, charcoal canister removed, and a cornerspeed ecu reflash. this has helped its low end lumpiness no end and i've enjoyed using the bike to commute most of summer even in 40deg+ ambient.
now the temps have dropped and winter is here i'm looking to do more skills days [track & handling days with tuition] as well as more early morning weekend blasts with friends. my main gripe with the bike on previous track days is how unresponsive it felt, as in lazy to change direction and not a great deal of feel from the front end. i'm still in my first year on 2 wheels but have a fair amount of 4 wheel track/race experience so was surprised how little feedback i was getting. i think i need to spend some time adjusting the suspension [its too stiff], but also think a sportier riding position would help.
hence i'm considering whether to replace the factory bars with clip-ons and wondering if anyone has done this and whether it was a good idea in the end? i'll be fitting tank pads so i can grip properly with my knees, and i also have fully adjustable gilles rearsets so i can play around until i find the ideal position.
any experience / tips etc? do the ergonomics of the monster lend itself to being turned into more of a streetfighter set-up? i understand i'll need a new top clamp to avoid the bars hitting the tank, and wondering if adjustable angle bars are a good idea. i don't think i'll want or need risers. any brands to go for/avoid? seems to be an expensive exercise for what it is and i have to import all parts, so don't want to make poor choices. i loved the gilles kit i bought for the bike [including grips] but seems their variobar isn't listed for the monster even though i'm sure the marzocchi's are 50mm.
now the temps have dropped and winter is here i'm looking to do more skills days [track & handling days with tuition] as well as more early morning weekend blasts with friends. my main gripe with the bike on previous track days is how unresponsive it felt, as in lazy to change direction and not a great deal of feel from the front end. i'm still in my first year on 2 wheels but have a fair amount of 4 wheel track/race experience so was surprised how little feedback i was getting. i think i need to spend some time adjusting the suspension [its too stiff], but also think a sportier riding position would help.
hence i'm considering whether to replace the factory bars with clip-ons and wondering if anyone has done this and whether it was a good idea in the end? i'll be fitting tank pads so i can grip properly with my knees, and i also have fully adjustable gilles rearsets so i can play around until i find the ideal position.
any experience / tips etc? do the ergonomics of the monster lend itself to being turned into more of a streetfighter set-up? i understand i'll need a new top clamp to avoid the bars hitting the tank, and wondering if adjustable angle bars are a good idea. i don't think i'll want or need risers. any brands to go for/avoid? seems to be an expensive exercise for what it is and i have to import all parts, so don't want to make poor choices. i loved the gilles kit i bought for the bike [including grips] but seems their variobar isn't listed for the monster even though i'm sure the marzocchi's are 50mm.
shirt said:
i have an 1100 evo which i've modified over the past year for improved day-to-day rideability - intake and exhaust, cat and exhaust flap removed, 02 sensors removed, 14T front sprocket, charcoal canister removed, and a cornerspeed ecu reflash. this has helped its low end lumpiness no end and i've enjoyed using the bike to commute most of summer even in 40deg+ ambient.
now the temps have dropped and winter is here i'm looking to do more skills days [track & handling days with tuition] as well as more early morning weekend blasts with friends. my main gripe with the bike on previous track days is how unresponsive it felt, as in lazy to change direction and not a great deal of feel from the front end. i'm still in my first year on 2 wheels but have a fair amount of 4 wheel track/race experience so was surprised how little feedback i was getting. i think i need to spend some time adjusting the suspension [its too stiff], but also think a sportier riding position would help.
hence i'm considering whether to replace the factory bars with clip-ons and wondering if anyone has done this and whether it was a good idea in the end? i'll be fitting tank pads so i can grip properly with my knees, and i also have fully adjustable gilles rearsets so i can play around until i find the ideal position.
any experience / tips etc? do the ergonomics of the monster lend itself to being turned into more of a streetfighter set-up? i understand i'll need a new top clamp to avoid the bars hitting the tank, and wondering if adjustable angle bars are a good idea. i don't think i'll want or need risers. any brands to go for/avoid? seems to be an expensive exercise for what it is and i have to import all parts, so don't want to make poor choices. i loved the gilles kit i bought for the bike [including grips] but seems their variobar isn't listed for the monster even though i'm sure the marzocchi's are 50mm.
I don’t have the answer...but have you looked for FB groups for the Monster (must be some as such a popular and long-lived bike)? Failing that the Ducati forum has a Monster section. Much more likely to get answers from people who have tried it (and perhaps recommendations for how best to go about it). now the temps have dropped and winter is here i'm looking to do more skills days [track & handling days with tuition] as well as more early morning weekend blasts with friends. my main gripe with the bike on previous track days is how unresponsive it felt, as in lazy to change direction and not a great deal of feel from the front end. i'm still in my first year on 2 wheels but have a fair amount of 4 wheel track/race experience so was surprised how little feedback i was getting. i think i need to spend some time adjusting the suspension [its too stiff], but also think a sportier riding position would help.
hence i'm considering whether to replace the factory bars with clip-ons and wondering if anyone has done this and whether it was a good idea in the end? i'll be fitting tank pads so i can grip properly with my knees, and i also have fully adjustable gilles rearsets so i can play around until i find the ideal position.
any experience / tips etc? do the ergonomics of the monster lend itself to being turned into more of a streetfighter set-up? i understand i'll need a new top clamp to avoid the bars hitting the tank, and wondering if adjustable angle bars are a good idea. i don't think i'll want or need risers. any brands to go for/avoid? seems to be an expensive exercise for what it is and i have to import all parts, so don't want to make poor choices. i loved the gilles kit i bought for the bike [including grips] but seems their variobar isn't listed for the monster even though i'm sure the marzocchi's are 50mm.
Your problem is that you’re most likely riding around on 10+ year old, standard budget suspension that’s not been serviced, sprung to your weight or been set-up properly.
Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
TT1138 said:
Your problem is that you’re most likely riding around on 10+ year old, standard budget suspension that’s not been serviced, sprung to your weight or been set-up properly.
Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
Very much this /\Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
The first thing most people do when they get a new bike is fit a noisy pipe for a bit more power. I went down the suspension route along with lighter wheels so I could better use the power I had.
My thoughts...similar to what others have already posted... your Monster probably isn’t ideal for the track, but I think that maybe your riding skills are your real limitation, not the bike. I’ve followed a ca. 2005 Monster around a track in a grippy, quick, car. The speed was extremely impressive.
One other point - and like you I‘m also not a very skilled rider, I ride a 2005 Ducati 999. My mate rides a 2015 Monster 821. We swapped bikes. We both couldn’t believe how much more difficult the 999 was to ride than the Monster. I think bikes have become much less demanding to ride recently. So maybe rent a modern sportsbike for a track day.
Last thing I’ll say, good on you for learning something new. And your tank grip tape idea is a good one!
One other point - and like you I‘m also not a very skilled rider, I ride a 2005 Ducati 999. My mate rides a 2015 Monster 821. We swapped bikes. We both couldn’t believe how much more difficult the 999 was to ride than the Monster. I think bikes have become much less demanding to ride recently. So maybe rent a modern sportsbike for a track day.
Last thing I’ll say, good on you for learning something new. And your tank grip tape idea is a good one!
V8RX7 said:
Bloody hell - is this the first post on PH where we're all going to agree ?
Looks like it!As a recommendation, one of my mates has had his 2016 GSXR1k set up properly a few weeks ago and he says it's night and day different. Only £80 spent and he's gone from thinking about selling it to declaring it his favourite bike ever.
Setup and re-spring for you will probably help, but you may find it's not great as a track bike anyway. Perhaps a 1200 if you like the monster thing? (Although it's not air-cooled which loses the attraction for me)
This would be a good place to seek advice:
http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/cmps_index.php
I’ve had a couple of Monsters, early ones, and they were fairly card work to hustle along at speed. As already suggested, I think you’ve probably got the wrong bike.
http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/cmps_index.php
I’ve had a couple of Monsters, early ones, and they were fairly card work to hustle along at speed. As already suggested, I think you’ve probably got the wrong bike.
sociopath said:
I know what I'd do.
i know what i'd do as well, keep it and buy another bike 
i wouldn't say i have the wrong bike as i didn't buy it for trackdays, but i accept the inference given my OP. i haven't done a proper track day on it, they're set up as skills/experience days with progression from novice to advanced [like a cut down version of the california superbike school]. the tuition/test in UAE is a joke, i do these to improve my riding technique as its a mix of classroom, small group track sessions and 1-1. i'll get a sportsbike, just likely not this season unless i sell the monster which i'm not sure i want to do.
ar-em-en said:
Have you had the suspension resprung or even set up?
I'd wager that would make a huge difference in terms of front end feel and how confident you feel in terms of aggression tipping in and would be noticeable everytime you ride.
I'd wager that would make a huge difference in terms of front end feel and how confident you feel in terms of aggression tipping in and would be noticeable everytime you ride.
Tango13 said:
TT1138 said:
Your problem is that you’re most likely riding around on 10+ year old, standard budget suspension that’s not been serviced, sprung to your weight or been set-up properly.
Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
Very much this /\Riding a bike with quality (Wilbers, Ohlins, Tractive, Hyperpro, K-Tech, Norton etc) well set suspension that’s adjusted and sprung to you personally is a revelation.
The first thing most people do when they get a new bike is fit a noisy pipe for a bit more power. I went down the suspension route along with lighter wheels so I could better use the power I had.
i haven't had any setup at all, its only as i'm bored on rotation that i started thinking about it in depth. i have no idea when the forks were last serviced. it had 11k [kms] on the clock when i bought it and full main dealer history but that means squat out here. i did some reading based on the feedback here and it seems the compression adusters are a known weak point and k-tech sell replacements. maybe those, springs, service and set-up would be a good start? cartridges are out for now on cost grounds as its clear i don't have enough experience to describe whats happening underneath me so changing too much at once would be foolish.
is the marzocchi/sachs combo really that bad out of the box? i watched a nevesy/MCN vid from lockdown where he goes through how he sets a bike up for road tests and how even OE components should be able to achieve a 'magic carpet ride' [his words] whilst retaining sharp handling. his description of what a hard front end feels like matches exactly what i am experiencing. road bumps are felt not absorbed, the front feels wooden and it is slow to turn for what is not a heavy bike. i don't expect sportsbike handling, but i do expect more feedback.
i should be going out this weekend with friends and we will be swapping bikes so i'll get to try a 2010 r6 and a very well prepped k5 gsxr750. i also just discovered [from the ducati forum] that the evo has +20mm risers over the 1100 and they're rubber mounted. removing those may give a more direct connection.
Edited by shirt on Monday 2nd November 01:21
Don’t faff about with changing the bars.
Just keep it simple. Get someone who really, really knows what they’re doing to set the suspension up to your weight and riding style. This is a cheap starting point and may be all you need.
If that doesn’t solve it, then a full front and rear suspension service with a change of spring on the shock. Still relatively cheap, and servicing suspension is arguably something that should be done anyway on an older bike.
If you’re still not happy then it’s probably time for an aftermarket shock and cartridge kit.
I’ve not ridden it so I don’t know, and I’m purely a road rider but the Marzocchi/ Sachs combination is probably ‘fine’. The trouble is that they’re built to a price point and sprung for your ‘average’ rider. The Sachs shock on my BMW is good for an OEM shock, but is very poor compared to the Wilbers on my Suzuki.
Just keep it simple. Get someone who really, really knows what they’re doing to set the suspension up to your weight and riding style. This is a cheap starting point and may be all you need.
If that doesn’t solve it, then a full front and rear suspension service with a change of spring on the shock. Still relatively cheap, and servicing suspension is arguably something that should be done anyway on an older bike.
If you’re still not happy then it’s probably time for an aftermarket shock and cartridge kit.
I’ve not ridden it so I don’t know, and I’m purely a road rider but the Marzocchi/ Sachs combination is probably ‘fine’. The trouble is that they’re built to a price point and sprung for your ‘average’ rider. The Sachs shock on my BMW is good for an OEM shock, but is very poor compared to the Wilbers on my Suzuki.
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