my 2004monster620 has only 7800km on the odo and the rear suspension already has a lot of "play" .
I am the second owner and it had just 2600km when i got it

when i jack up the rear of my monster i can jiggle the swing-arm up and down and there is a lot of loose movement. The movement is up and down, not side to side. I can actually see some movement inthe links and bushings.

Is this common for a monster620 with such a low mileage?
my monster's warranty just expired febuary.

Is this simple/inexpensive to fix?

When i am leaned over in a curve my bike does not track like it is on rails, i suspected the old tires, but now i think the suspension might have something to do with it.
And when riding in a straight line the ride seems unusually harsh too, but i thought it was the forks, now i think the rear might be contributing to the harsh ride too.

when i got my monster I accepted the harsh ride and handling as normal. This monster is after all the cheapest ducati you can buy. But now i think i can improve the ride and handling of my monster.

I cant wait to have it fixed and see how much the ride and handling improves.

Has anyone here had a similar experience ?

my 2004monster620 has only 7800km on the odo and the rear suspension already has a lot of "play" .
I am the second owner and it had just 2600km when i got it

when i jack up the rear of my monster i can jiggle the swing-arm up and down and there is a lot of loose movement. The movement is up and down, not side to side. I can actually see some movement inthe links and bushings.

Is this common for a monster620 with such a low mileage?
my monster's warranty just expired febuary.

Is this simple/inexpensive to fix?

When i am leaned over in a curve my bike does not track like it is on rails, i suspected the old tires, but now i think the suspension might have something to do with it.
And when riding in a straight line the ride seems unusually harsh too, but i thought it was the forks, now i think the rear might be contributing to the harsh ride too.

when i got my monster I accepted the harsh ride and handling as normal. This monster is after all the cheapest ducati you can buy. But now i think i can improve the ride and handling of my monster.

I cant wait to have it fixed and see how much the ride and handling improves.

Has anyone here had a similar experience ?

hi robbie,
i had one incident at a mileage of about 9,000kms whein the rear bushing where making squeeky noises. as it got worst i tried seeping some silicon oil into the pivot points..never had any problems since then...i think the rain and humidity has contributed to accelerated wear on your bushes...after the replacement i suggest lubing it with some good silicon oil or whatever is recommended by ducati...

ciao...nice to see you in the forums
larry

thanks larry, Yes i used the monster several times in the rain and even during a storm once. I am very careful when washing it and never use pressurized water. In contrast my cbr150r has been through much worse and has over 20,000+km and its rear shock linkage is as good as new, but it has a much simpler shock linkage system compared to the monster.

the rear shocks of my monster does not squeek but when i grab the shock body and twist it side to side there is considerable play in the bottom 'eye'.

have you checkd yours lately? just grab the shock and twist it.

will you be going to the vigan/laoag convention next friday?

hi robbie,
i had one incident at a mileage of about 9,000kms whein the rear bushing where making squeeky noises. as it got worst i tried seeping some silicon oil into the pivot points..never had any problems since then...i think the rain and humidity has contributed to accelerated wear on your bushes...after the replacement i suggest lubing it with some good silicon oil or whatever is recommended by ducati...


i had the same squeaking on mine. a little silicon oil did the trick.

I rode my monster to access pluss and the mechainic there tightened the rear shocks a bit. The play is still there but it has improved a bit.

I checked out some monsters that were there . Some of them had some play in the rear shocks and others did not, especially the brand new ones.

the bushings at the top and bottom of my rear shock were loose. The bushings are part of the whole rear shock assembly and you have to order the whole assembly to get new bushings and the parts list says its over $500 us dollars. Hmm.. if only that could be included in the warranty.
Anyway access said its perfectly ok if i use my bike as it is.

I had my shocks tightened, timing belts inspected, cleaned and adjusted, rear brake pads replaced, spark plugs inspected, changed one plug, all for less than p2000 including the brake pads. Not bad for a ducati :)

I rode my monster more than 1000kms in the past week

Glad to hear you are enjoying your duc r-1. I still have less than 2000 kms to go before I bring my duc to access for its 10,000kms check up. I'll probably bring her in when the rainy season starts... Never had any problems with mine.

I had my M620Dark for two years and almost 17000kms and didnt have a problem with suspension at all... I did, though, with the fuel tank computer chip which kept on indicating it was empty even if it was full... hence it wouldnt start...

Man, what beautiful sound it makes though... doesnt it? Consider upgrading the pipes to termignoni for a more thunderous boom... :)

and the torque that comes with it... wow...

Ive never really ridden in Manila... wouldnt a Multistrada be more adapted? especially now that they have it with a 620 engine...

I rode my monster more than 1000kms in the past week

OT: ei, R-1. you're really piling up the mileage. nice meeting you at vigan. i got my TL with about 4k+ kms on it and have piled up the quite a bit since. now i'm close to 12k kms. the past month alone has accounts for 3k+ of that. whew. hope to ride with you sometime.

back to topic... 2k for the work done sounds real reasonable. i hope you get your suspension sorted out.

OT: ei, R-1. you're really piling up the mileage. nice meeting you at vigan. i got my TL with about 4k+ kms on it and have piled up the quite a bit since. now i'm close to 12k kms. the past month alone has accounts for 3k+ of that. whew. hope to ride with you sometime.

back to topic... 2k for the work done sounds real reasonable. i hope you get your suspension sorted out.

Hi boylit, yup it was very nice to meet someone as enthusiastic as you about bikes and riding. I added "riding' because i know of some who buy really beautiful bikes and use them as expensive furniture :O I wanted to ride even more after vigan but my partner was already complaining telling me "thats all you want to do" ..Hmm..

yes the checkup and minor work on my monster cost very reasonable and i personally saw the condition of my timing belts and they looked new at 9000km
But i hear the belt replacement at 15000km might cost close to p10000 including labor.

indiobravo, you are right about the sound and torque! they really add to the pleasure of riding the monster. the sound of my stock pipes gets louder as it gets older and i like it more. I rode up baguio not revving the engine much, just letting it growl along.

a multistrada might be more suited to our roads here, but its more expensive and in my opinion not even close to the monster in looks. If fact the first time i saw a multistrada i thougt it was ugly... but i used to think the monster was ugly too a long time ago.

R1, I had my belt replaced when I got my bike from a friend. He got it brand new and didn't ride it much, that's why when I got it only has 3100kms but it was left parked in his living room for almost 2 years :) . I think it cost me 7k for the belts and 6k for labor.

Indiobravo, rode with a friend to Baguio with a multistrada 620 a month ago and it really looks nice up close. The seat height is too tall for me though.

R1, I had my belt replaced when I got my bike from a friend. He got it brand new and didn't ride it much, that's why when I got it only has 3100kms but it was left parked in his living room for almost 2 years :) . I think it cost me 7k for the belts and 6k for labor.

Indiobravo, rode with a friend to Baguio with a multistrada 620 a month ago and it really looks nice up close. The seat height is too tall for me though.

bikes as expensive furniture :)

oh wow so thats p13k for the belts,.. but come to think of it i know of some who spend much more than that on thier mountainbikes!
did you have the belts done at acess plus too?

Hmm.. maybe the multistrada is like the monster that has looks that grow on you. the seat height will be a factor for many. I am 5"8" but i prefer the monster's low seat height. On long rides the multi might be more comfortable for the legs (less cramped)

personally, i like the look of the monster. the multistrada just doensn't turn me on. maybe it's just me but i like the air cooled monsters more than the liquid cooled ones. more of an aesthetic preference than anything else.

bikes as expensive furniture... hahaha! i like that... i can just see myself sitting comfortably on a goldwing while watching tv...

Oh.. ya thats a factor in choosing a bike,.. the turn on factor :)

heres a pic on my way home to manila after vigan and baquio, I think its still sexy even though its covered up and fully loaded, need i say where this is..

heres proof that ducati is a chick magnet, even very young chicks :O

I have a video clip of this precocious 5 year old starting and revving the monster!
( i made sure her foot couldnt reach the shift lever)

the last shot (with the house in the background) looks real great!

cool pic of your daughter... baka masabihan ka dito na you're teaching your daughter to be pasaway... (too young to be on a bike... wearing slippers... no helmet... blah blah blah... you know the drill with the uptight folks...) :)

looking at the 1st pic with your leather tank cover, i can't help but laugh when linked up to the line " bikes as expensive furniture"... sorry. no offense meant... i just remembered you mentioning that someone called it a sofa or something to that effect... i still like the idea though... better than my cling wrapped tank :D

thanks, that old building is rumored to be haunted and has been there before world warII,
there are pillboxes and underground bunkers around that area too.
it was the dominican fathers (convent?), then made into a hotel, its now owned by baguio city and is in ruins, its really creepy inside.

daughter?.. nah.. let her parents worry about that,..I can afford to spoil her cos she's just my niece :O she's really great, talks like an adult its funny. I enjoyed my vacation more because of her.

I use cling wrap too! sometimes i cling wrap the tank before putting on the "sofa" cover :D I let the others laugh,.but my bike will look good for a long time :)

bikes as expensive furniture :)

oh wow so thats p13k for the belts,.. but come to think of it i know of some who spend much more than that on thier mountainbikes!
did you have the belts done at acess plus too?

Hmm.. maybe the multistrada is like the monster that has looks that grow on you. the seat height will be a factor for many. I am 5"8" but i prefer the monster's low seat height. On long rides the multi might be more comfortable for the legs (less cramped)


R1, Yup had it done at Access Plus. I'm thinking of switching to a monster because we have a slow group up here in the north. Most of them are on Harleys, so a monster is a good replacement for my 750ss 'coz the riding posture is a bit upright and it still handles like a sportbike:) .

Boylit, the air cooled ducatis are easier also to maintain... I just don't like the timing belt change every 2yrs or 20k kms.

Here's my bike it looks like the TL of Boylit when its half naked(I got the half naked pic in the net).

@duc44 : dude! that last pic just made me drool!!!! wonder how my bike would look in yellow... hmmm... there's a set of unpainted fairings and tailpiece available at www..... aaaaaaarrrrggggghhhh.... must fight the temptation... must fight the temptation....

speaking of temptation, i visited access plus recently and saw this beauty of a paul smith.... http://www.bayareadesign.com/gcvt/computers/pics/drool_a.gif

R1, I had my belt replaced when I got my bike from a friend. He got it brand new and didn't ride it much, that's why when I got it only has 3100kms but it was left parked in his living room for almost 2 years :) . I think it cost me 7k for the belts and 6k for labor.

Indiobravo, rode with a friend to Baguio with a multistrada 620 a month ago and it really looks nice up close. The seat height is too tall for me though.


Duc44, I came suuuuper close to getting the Multistrada 1000DS... I test drove it, signed the contract and even gave the Euro 200 down... I changed my mind last minute... Considering the type of riding I wanted, I copped out and went BMW... the new model they have, a sports tourer... R1200ST... deep inside i feel like a traitor :( Ducati was after all my first motorcycle love...

Hi boylit, yup it was very nice to meet someone as enthusiastic as you about bikes and riding. I added "riding' because i know of some who buy really beautiful bikes and use them as expensive furniture :O I wanted to ride even more after vigan but my partner was already complaining telling me "thats all you want to do" ..Hmm..

yes the checkup and minor work on my monster cost very reasonable and i personally saw the condition of my timing belts and they looked new at 9000km
But i hear the belt replacement at 15000km might cost close to p10000 including labor.

indiobravo, you are right about the sound and torque! they really add to the pleasure of riding the monster. the sound of my stock pipes gets louder as it gets older and i like it more. I rode up baguio not revving the engine much, just letting it growl along.

a multistrada might be more suited to our roads here, but its more expensive and in my opinion not even close to the monster in looks. If fact the first time i saw a multistrada i thougt it was ugly... but i used to think the monster was ugly too a long time ago.


R1, indeed the Monster is the most beautiful naked around... the S4R testastretta is amazing... as one piles on the kilometers though, comfort and stability become priorities... especially for one's pillion... ohhhh the endless heartbreaking quarrels with my girlfriend over the discomfort on the Monster... Ive come to terms with my riding maturity and gone BMW R1200ST... even if it has 110 hp, i know it wont have the kick of a ducati... and ill have to ride with my ipod on to comfort me from the absence of that familiar roar... one day, hopefully i will have the spare cash to get a second bike, just for me...

indiobravo, well one good thing is ,..if your gf puts up with riding pillion on your monster, that could mean true love :D

Wow you have an ST ?. I am dreaming about that bike , especially for passenger comfort, and it doesnt look bad too. I went to libis last week and snapped this picture. Its just a dream for me. And you could be right you will miss the rawness and sportiness of a ducati.

Boylit, yellow is the faster ducati color... here is a faster TL too:O

bad! bad! bad boy duc44!


now what was that online shop again???? fairing, tailpiece, decal set, dupont color chart... must resist the temptation...