Thinking of Jumping Ship from Monster 821

Test ride, or at least sit on the hyper - I think it will solve a lot of your issues but only you can fully answer that. I love the ergos and haven't had heat issues. For me the strada is a great all around bike - harder edged than the japanese - but I tour on it and find it comfortable and capable in all weather.

If you can take the time to sell the monster yourself you'll get a lot more money than the dealer will give you. On the other hand, they may want to move the hm/stradas so they may give you a good deal, as the monster will be a lot easier to sell.

It's interesting how overlooked this bike can be. I was at a ducati demo day and a rider was describing what type of bike he wanted to the dealership owner. It sure sounded like a strada to me and I mentioned it. The bike was 20 feet away and he'd simply not seen it - suddenly he was very interested.

I think it's a great form factor and a great bike.

Seems like your biggest complaints are riding position and heat. The hyper makes like... no heat. I've never felt it. The riding position is more stretched out too, but I wouldn't call it comfortable.

kuksul08 said:

Seems like your biggest complaints are riding position and heat. The hyper makes like... no heat. I've never felt it. The riding position is more stretched out too, but I wouldn't call it comfortable.

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I have driven both. The hyper is much, much. more comfortable. My problem with the monster is in the knees after long rides +1hour. With the hyper I can go all day (almost).

I was on a all day track event with the monster. After about half day I had so much pain in my back and knees that I couldn't enjoy the rest of the day. And I couldn't perform as I wanted. The next month I went there with my new hyper and I had no problems with my back. Ok I got tired but no pain in my back or knees. Much more fun and the hyper is really fun to ride on track and performs very well in those conditions. Only thing I would change is the low rev "studdering" that wasn't there on the 821 monster. It's a bit hard to keep an even throttle between 3000-5000 revs. (But You get used to it)

I guess comfort is all relative. Is it more comfortable than a sport bike? Hell yes! Is it more comfortable than a sport touring bike (vstrom, versys, etc)? No way! Like I said the riding position is quite nice, but the nature of the engine, suspension, and seat grows tiresome. Keep in mind I have the SP model a fair bit taller and stiffer than the HS.

75mph isn't that bad actually. It's just a lot of wind. I've never felt any turbulence really. The thing is the Hyper has you sitting straight up, so it's hard to lean into the wind slightly like you might on the monster. It can be done but there are better options if you're spending all your time on the highway.

AFdude said:

Thanks for the pointers so far. Yesterday I went to the dealer that I bought the M821 from to see if I can get a test ride. They said they don't have any available models to demo, so sitting was basically my only option. That kinda sucks. They have a 14' Low Hyperstrada, 13' Hypermotard and a 14' Hypermotard SP. I can almost flat foot the Low HS, the HM was balls of my feet, while the HMSP was toes. I really need to get a test ride somewhere.

Would you guys agree with some of the sentiment I read around here that +75mph is rough? Cause it's not exactly smooth sailing on the M821 either and it's something that I've become used to. Up around the triple digits the turbulence can be so rough that vision becomes blurry.

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It really depends on the riding context. On a busy highway with truck turbulence etc it can be blustery. In clean air 75 is sweet. Triple digits - I don't know. The screen blocks air just as you think it would -chest good,shoulders in the wind stream. With my helmet, the air off the top comes in under the chin so there's wind noise. Earplugs work wonders.

As far as helmet shaking turbulence - it could also be your helmet. Apart from air simply hitting you at speed, there's no added turbulence.

As far as ergos - i have no problems riding long days - other than standing up periodically to re-arrange the boys. This is the hyperstrada:It differs from the SP in that it has a lower suspension, different seat, different engine management, and the screen. Small things that add up. Still, you're not on a strom - but the payoff is immediacy and involvement.

I have a horrible back and my first year on it was in FL. The only discomfort I get from my longer trips (about 150 miles) is a sore ***, even though this is the best stock seat I've ever had. On shorter commutes, say 40 miles, my shoulders get worked if I keep it above 80, even with the touring screen.

And this bike scavenges heat amazingly. I spent many a 100+ F day stuck in traffic and the only indication I had of engine heat was looking down at the display. You might get a little wiff on the thighs when the fan kicks in but it's threshold is very high.

If you like the naked appeal and don't need luggage or a center-stand, get the SP and deal with one foot stops. I have closer to a 32" inseam and plant one foot firmly at stops. Be careful with the Low model- which I think all '15 Strada's are now- there are some performance compromises in the handling department. Plenty of literature here about that.

You've got the right motor, though. Friggin fantastic little mill. Haven't tested the 796/1100 models but wouldn't even consider them based on spec sheets and this site.

AFdude said:

Hello all,

Has anyone here spent time on the Monster 821? I'm 6' with a 33" inseam and am feeling cramped on my Monster 821. Around town and for my 9 mile commute, the bike is fine. It's the longer rides and HEAT that bothers me. Lower back, hips, knees, ankles (rear sets push heels out... poor design) ache after most rides longer than an hour. Also, after stopping for 30 seconds the heat that scorches your inner thighs before billowing up is rough, especially in this Houston summer.

It's a little frustrating knowing that I test rode the M796, M1100evo and Speed Triple before committing to the M821. I was set on the Monster idea the past 5 years and finally a bought one in March. The HS/HM wasn't even on my radar, unfortunately. Now 2000+ miles later I'm having second thoughts.

Also, this isn't a "one bike for every occasion" type of advice I'm seeking. It's for an outsider's perspective on the monster since I have a WR250F for hare scrambles/trail riding and planning on a ADV bike, (F800gs) in the next 6 months. I want the right tool for the job.

Overall, I'm a big believer in the 821 platform, I just feel I may be on the wrong bike. What say you guys? Any advice you can give me on keeping it, trading it? Any insight on the HS/HM that would detract from such move?

I'll probably take a bath trading it...

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You and I are nearly the same build, I am just over 6 foot with a 34" inseam. When I was fitted for my leathers (no off-the-rack suit fits me) the lovely young lady who measured me said I had an extra couple of inches in my shins and forearms.

The first time I sat on my 'Strada I fell in love. The sit-up-and-beg riding position is just perfect for me. I've done back-to-back 450 mile days on twisty back roads with no pain. And that ride was at speeds I do not care to admit!

When I sat on a Monster 821 the first thing I noticed was the exhaust pipe against my leg. No such problem on the 'Strada. It gets hot here too, especially around town, and the bike does not roast me like my Buell XBSs did.

Good luck on your trade-in...I don't think you would regret it.

BTW Last year I had a good hard ride on a friend's 800GS... felt pretty wimpy compared to the 821!

Hi AFdude,

I have a '13 HS in standard height. The big benefit of the HS/HM platform is definitely your riding posture, meaning, typically what you will find is your wrists are fine, back is fine, neck is fine, knees are ok/fine, and your ankles are fine. My butt hurts after sitting on anything for more than 30 minutes, however, I recently switched to Ducati's Racing seat, which is more flat and a bit firmer and it allows me to switch more forward or more rearward depending on how I ride and feel. With the stock seat you are in one spot (the low point) in a sculpted seat, so sitting anywhere else is a bit odd. Also, you can easily stand up and ride on the HS to cool your vital parts and let your rear have a break... I do that regularly on longer rides.

I just did a one day (7 am to 5 pm) track day with CA Superbike School this week nearby to here. I then rode 3 hours home (1/3 of it in a downpour...). I had no pains, anywhere in my body except for my butt on the way home, which is basically opposed to any kind of sitting (I use a standing desk for work)... the next day my quads are a little sore from working a lot in one day, mostly on the track.. otherwise nothing is hurting. I think that says a lot in itself.

Heat from the bike is not really an issue for me. Of course, there is heat coming from the engine and from the pipe, but, unless I sit a long time at lights, I don't even notice it. I certainly don't notice it while riding. I think posture helps here too, because there is open air between your abdomen/chest and tank.

On the track I was expecting to have some issues with footpegs or at least brake and shift levers, not to mention the center stand dragging... My dealer mechanic set the sag with me on the bike earlier and I have just left it there.. Well, I did not scrape anything that I could notice. I had Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa's added just before the track day, as the stock tires were not used up, but might not have passed a tech inspection that was said to require "90% of tread remaining".... mine were about half used after about 4000 miles. The Supercorsas are really like superglue - not sure it's even possible to break the grip under power in dry conditions and "non-alien riding"... and I got into the "Supercorsa" lettering in the last 1/4 inch of the rear.. pics to follow..

For me, 70-75 is perfect for the highway. 80-90 is just a little buzzier (plus I try to avoid tickets..). The airflow is not really an issue at any speed, whether 75 or 110, for me. Ok, except when in buffeting air close behind trucks/big suvs, but then, what does work well there?... I use the taller Ducati windscreen and I like it better than stock. Some prefer the minimalist bikini screens, which I would like too on the hottest days. But, then it cools off at night again and it's nice to have some cover... (I wore all shirts I had brought on the way home last night from the track, under my perforated leather jacket..)

Obviously, you catch a lot of air being so upright and you have to be mindful to grip in a relaxed way on the rather wide bars so that wind is not inadvertently translated as steering inputs... I don't find it a problem, and I think the bike is incredibly stable at higher speeds, if you just let it do what only it knows how to do, much the way the CSS instructors explain - no steering input is needed/wanted to maintain the line it's already on... all you need is smooth throttle control!...

Luggage is also a real nice benefit to the Hyper family. 90% of the time I just use the top case, but if I was away for a week I would need all three bags. Be nice if they were waterproof, but at least they are light and look pretty good on the bike IMHO - hard to do that on anything from Ducati, short of the MS, which is a MUCH heavier/bigger bike. Well, you might want to consider the Multi, since you are taller, but for me light is right.. and the HS costs much less.

The HS needs a fork upgrade to be truly great. I did not spring for that yet (I want Mupo cartridges during this winter...), but mine also got much better after it was fully broken in. I think the HS 821 is a real gem - street or track - without any modifications.

zippy49 said:

You and I are nearly the same build, I am just over 6 foot with a 34" inseam. When I was fitted for my leathers (no off-the-rack suit fits me) the lovely young lady who measured me said I had an extra couple of inches in my shins and forearms.

The first time I sat on my 'Strada I fell in love. The sit-up-and-beg riding position is just perfect for me. I've done back-to-back 450 mile days on twisty back roads with no pain. And that ride was at speeds I do not care to admit!

When I sat on a Monster 821 the first thing I noticed was the exhaust pipe against my leg. No such problem on the 'Strada. It gets hot here too, especially around town, and the bike does not roast me like my Buell XBSs did.

Good luck on your trade-in...I don't think you would regret it.

BTW Last year I had a good hard ride on a friend's 800GS... felt pretty wimpy compared to the 821!

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The bmw 800 twin is a total dog. It's almost an engineering feat in itself to take a fairly powerful twin and make it a total snooze fest.

appliance821 said:

The bmw 800 twin is a total dog. It's almost an engineering feat in itself to take a fairly powerful twin and make it a total snooze fest.

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Yeah, but Bmw has all that engineering power behind them. No problem for them. Lol

Monsters are city bikes. If you bought that thinking it would be good on long trips, you were greatly mistaken.

I drive a Hyperstrada and had a test road with the Monster 821 and yes, I confirm that the Monster is more cramped. You will have more flexibility to move and space to stretch your legs with the Hyper. The Hs also feel more stable at the handle bar as well, though is still very precise and light to respond.

It takes a bit of saddle time, but, the saddle does break in. After about 2000 mi I noticed that it didn't hit my sitbones quite as hard and was quite comfortable. Did 6 hours of saddle time last saturday, no problems at all.

There is a lot of difference between the saddle on a standard Hyper and the one on the 'Strada. I hated the former, love the latter. It does put you in more-or-less one spot, but it's a comfy one.