Looking for advice on my first big V

08-11-2006, 03:21 PM

Hi,

I've just got my first monster (S2R800) having upgraded from a DT125 and am slowly getting to grips with a bike that actually accelerates, but I have a small (possibly very stupid) question to ask...

When changing gear, and pulling away - especially round tight corners, mini-roundabouts and the like - I feel a heavy thumping from the engine, until I get up to speed, when things even out a little. I've experimented cornering in different gears, but no matter what I do, I always get that thumping sensation.

My problem is that it's the same feeling I used to get on my DT moments before it chuntered to a stop and stalled. However, on my monster it seems to have a general 'thump' to it anyway, even when gassing it. So I'm not sure if it's a natural aesthetic of the V-twin engine that it makes a deep pop-pop-popping as you accelerate at low speed, or if I'm just in the wrong gear and the engine's labouring!!

Anyone who can hold in their laughter at my total lack of experience would be helping me a great deal if they could offer some insight into the idiosyncrasies of the V-twin riding experience...

Thanks,

Alex

08-11-2006, 03:29 PM

hi, i am also relatively new to ducati and havent ridden much in the last 20 years, but having ridden my s2r for the last year i would say you are in the wrong gear, these bikes like to rev.

Yorkie · 08-11-2006, 03:59 PM

Welcome!

Put it in the right gear, better to low than high! If you stall midcorner you might regret it a little!

Youll get used to it!!

Yorkie.

08-11-2006, 04:06 PM

I had a very similar feeling on mine for the first 600 miles. There was a lot of vibyness, felt like a Harley and I thought this was normal. At the 600 mile service the technician said it was not right. After much playing around I ended up with an engine rebuild - new pistons and barrels as they had not run in properly. The problem was lack of compression. Try revving it a bit more and if that doesn't do it get it looked at by the dealer.

Pedro · 08-11-2006, 04:13 PM

A smaller front sprocket, by 1 tooth, will make thiings smoother on slower corners

08-11-2006, 04:33 PM

Personally I rather like the vibes around the corners. I have been known to spend an afternoon on the same roundabout.

Seriously though twins do thump but the right gear choice can sort the thump into a growl that flings you round bends happily without fears of stalling - and as Pedro said, a smaller front sprockety doodah might also make you happier....Ride it for a few weeks and then see what's happening...

08-11-2006, 06:49 PM

i can give it a test ride if your concerned, i promise not to abuse it.

hey did we not have a halo type smilie ~:? or was it just to open to abuse ?

08-11-2006, 06:59 PM

Thanks everybody for the feedback

I'm not too concerned about it - I just wanted to know what 'normal' felt like. Now that I know it's probably me, I can adjust my riding to suit. Like I said, I've tried a lot of different methods and am yet to find one that feels comfortable - it'll just take a bit of time to get used to it. Next time I'm out I'll try revving it a bit more in a lower gear and see if it likes that!

09-11-2006, 12:10 AM

This might sound ludicrously over-simple, but I found that riding the bike whilst wearing earplugs changed my riding style instantly. The reason for this seems to be that you still hear the lower registers of the engine well, but the higher frequencies are cut out. Consequently the higher revs don't seem so high, and my monster seems to prefer being ridden in this way. When I first started riding the bike (even though it was mostly around town) I found myself keeping the revs below 4k because the engine sounded more natural that way, but, as funtington says, these engines really do like to be revved.

Perhaps this is a silly suggestion, but earplugs sorted a lot of confidence issues out for me (fewer distracting noises, eg wind and clutch, mean you can concentrate on the engine more clearly), as well as convincing me that my bike is more at home between 4000 and 9000 rpm.

Crotchless shifting doesn't seem so nasty when you can't hear the clunks so well either!

Benjy

09-11-2006, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbeyalto

This might sound ludicrously over-simple, but I found that riding the bike whilst wearing earplugs changed my riding style instantly.

I noticed this too, way back when I first started riding... earplugs difuse any mechanical sympathies you may have, and allow you to rev the engine more

Miles

09-11-2006, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbeyalto

Crotchless shifting doesn't seem so nasty when you can't hear the clunks so well either!

Crotchless shifting? Now I am intrigued about that......

09-11-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Crotchless shifting? Now I am intrigued about that......

Quote:

I found myself keeping the revs below 4k because the engine sounded more natural that way

It's funny you should mention that. I was talking to my girlfriend about it last night and she had suggested that with my old bike being so quiet, it might just be that I felt like I was over-revving it because it was making more noise than I'm used to.

09-11-2006, 03:02 PM

Hey Aelius. I really can't add anything as i'm a newbie myself, but just want to ask, do you have a tachometer?

I think i'm suffering the same problems as some others here (Not really got used to the volume of the engine when the revs are up), but it never used to bother me on my old bike. Basically, I have been questioning myself over why i'm so bothered and come to the conclusion that it may be that I can't see how many revs i'm doing, so i'm too cautious of holding te revs high over longer periods of time (They may not even be that high you see, I just might *think* they are because of the noise, and no tachometer). So err, just wondering

09-11-2006, 04:17 PM

I know exactly where you are coming from....only passed my test in August and jumped straight onto the Monster (after having taken all my lessons on a Kwak ER5).....really struggled with corners and roundabouts

.....couldn't understand why it felt so wrong and grumpy

.....decided to have another lesson with my instructor but on my bike.....seemed to be 2 issues: my confidence leaning into corners/bends on a more powerful bike, and getting used to the fact she likes to be revved.....just keep practising, you'll soon get it......

bigredduke · 09-11-2006, 05:07 PM

Having been used to Japanese fours, the characteristics of my S4R took some adapting to especially the engine braking and changing down. despite being torquey, they don't like pulling away at low speeds in too high a gear. Usual indicators are a juddery feeling and the screen tends to vibrate excessively. Gear selection is very important!

08-11-2006, 03:21 PM	#1
aelius Guest Posts: n/a	Looking for advice on my first big V Hi, I've just got my first monster (S2R800) having upgraded from a DT125 and am slowly getting to grips with a bike that actually accelerates, but I have a small (possibly very stupid) question to ask... When changing gear, and pulling away - especially round tight corners, mini-roundabouts and the like - I feel a heavy thumping from the engine, until I get up to speed, when things even out a little. I've experimented cornering in different gears, but no matter what I do, I always get that thumping sensation. My problem is that it's the same feeling I used to get on my DT moments before it chuntered to a stop and stalled. However, on my monster it seems to have a general 'thump' to it anyway, even when gassing it. So I'm not sure if it's a natural aesthetic of the V-twin engine that it makes a deep pop-pop-popping as you accelerate at low speed, or if I'm just in the wrong gear and the engine's labouring!! Anyone who can hold in their laughter at my total lack of experience would be helping me a great deal if they could offer some insight into the idiosyncrasies of the V-twin riding experience... Thanks, Alex

08-11-2006, 04:13 PM	#5
Pedro Ciao, come stai? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Somewhere Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 4,157	A smaller front sprocket, by 1 tooth, will make thiings smoother on slower corners __________________ M900 - 1993! Monster 1200R!

08-11-2006, 06:59 PM	#8
aelius Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks everybody for the feedback I'm not too concerned about it - I just wanted to know what 'normal' felt like. Now that I know it's probably me, I can adjust my riding to suit. Like I said, I've tried a lot of different methods and am yet to find one that feels comfortable - it'll just take a bit of time to get used to it. Next time I'm out I'll try revving it a bit more in a lower gear and see if it likes that! Last edited by aelius; 08-11-2006 at 07:56 PM..

08-11-2006, 03:29 PM	#2
S4Rs-Tone Guest Posts: n/a	hi, i am also relatively new to ducati and havent ridden much in the last 20 years, but having ridden my s2r for the last year i would say you are in the wrong gear, these bikes like to rev.

08-11-2006, 03:59 PM	#3
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	Welcome! Put it in the right gear, better to low than high! If you stall midcorner you might regret it a little! Youll get used to it!! Yorkie.

08-11-2006, 04:06 PM	#4
Gilps Guest Posts: n/a	I had a very similar feeling on mine for the first 600 miles. There was a lot of vibyness, felt like a Harley and I thought this was normal. At the 600 mile service the technician said it was not right. After much playing around I ended up with an engine rebuild - new pistons and barrels as they had not run in properly. The problem was lack of compression. Try revving it a bit more and if that doesn't do it get it looked at by the dealer.

08-11-2006, 04:33 PM	#6
benson Guest Posts: n/a	Personally I rather like the vibes around the corners. I have been known to spend an afternoon on the same roundabout. Seriously though twins do thump but the right gear choice can sort the thump into a growl that flings you round bends happily without fears of stalling - and as Pedro said, a smaller front sprockety doodah might also make you happier....Ride it for a few weeks and then see what's happening...

08-11-2006, 06:49 PM	#7
Scotty Guest Posts: n/a	i can give it a test ride if your concerned, i promise not to abuse it. hey did we not have a halo type smilie ~:? or was it just to open to abuse ?

09-11-2006, 12:10 AM	#9
abbeyalto Guest Posts: n/a	This might sound ludicrously over-simple, but I found that riding the bike whilst wearing earplugs changed my riding style instantly. The reason for this seems to be that you still hear the lower registers of the engine well, but the higher frequencies are cut out. Consequently the higher revs don't seem so high, and my monster seems to prefer being ridden in this way. When I first started riding the bike (even though it was mostly around town) I found myself keeping the revs below 4k because the engine sounded more natural that way, but, as funtington says, these engines really do like to be revved. Perhaps this is a silly suggestion, but earplugs sorted a lot of confidence issues out for me (fewer distracting noises, eg wind and clutch, mean you can concentrate on the engine more clearly), as well as convincing me that my bike is more at home between 4000 and 9000 rpm. Crotchless shifting doesn't seem so nasty when you can't hear the clunks so well either! Benjy

09-11-2006, 03:02 PM	#13
CrashMonkey Guest Posts: n/a	Hey Aelius. I really can't add anything as i'm a newbie myself, but just want to ask, do you have a tachometer? I think i'm suffering the same problems as some others here (Not really got used to the volume of the engine when the revs are up), but it never used to bother me on my old bike. Basically, I have been questioning myself over why i'm so bothered and come to the conclusion that it may be that I can't see how many revs i'm doing, so i'm too cautious of holding te revs high over longer periods of time (They may not even be that high you see, I just might think they are because of the noise, and no tachometer). So err, just wondering

09-11-2006, 04:17 PM	#14
Nicola Walsh Guest Posts: n/a	I know exactly where you are coming from....only passed my test in August and jumped straight onto the Monster (after having taken all my lessons on a Kwak ER5).....really struggled with corners and roundabouts .....couldn't understand why it felt so wrong and grumpy .....decided to have another lesson with my instructor but on my bike.....seemed to be 2 issues: my confidence leaning into corners/bends on a more powerful bike, and getting used to the fact she likes to be revved.....just keep practising, you'll soon get it......

09-11-2006, 05:07 PM	#15
bigredduke Nothing to see here Join Date: May 2005 Location: brough Bike: M1100evo Posts: 1,546	Having been used to Japanese fours, the characteristics of my S4R took some adapting to especially the engine braking and changing down. despite being torquey, they don't like pulling away at low speeds in too high a gear. Usual indicators are a juddery feeling and the screen tends to vibrate excessively. Gear selection is very important!