Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 999 / 749 > Front end feel.....

[andyb]

Originally posted by JPM

Andyb my forks just sit with one line showing through the yokes, John just did some "tinkering" on the settings there although did recommend the shim kit,

I think thats the std setting. You may get a better turn in raising them a little?? 10-15mm.
After the revalve, they also fit a proper o ring on the fork leg. After 3 sessions at Silverstone it sits at around 12mm from the bottom, so ive just a little of the full stroke left..
Ive got 25mm static sag on the front.

[Gizmo]

Originally posted by andyb


I think thats the std setting. You may get a better turn in raising them a little?? 10-15mm.
After the revalve, they also fit a proper o ring on the fork leg. After 3 sessions at Silverstone it sits at around 12mm from the bottom, so ive just a little of the full stroke left..
Ive got 25mm static sag on the front.

Mine came as standard with one ring showing but the geometry also does depend upon where the rear ride height is as well. I've been through the drop them down, raise them up route. For road riding the biggest complaint I've heard is that the bike feels long and doesn't tip in like a 9x6/8 so everyone steepens the bike a la Section 8, 20mm showing. I did this at first but since swapping to Pilot Powers have found its a different feel so think I can start lowering the rear and raising the front. The Pilot Power gives more front end confidence and seems to have a different profile and the rear hooks up better so you don't need the same squat. Rode them at the weekend for the first time and tonights job is to move rear back to 285 and lift front to 15mm

On the R and 05 models you've got a different swingarm, shock position and leverage ratios so its going to be different setups anyway.

[Ducnow]

Originally posted by JPM
Right just spoke to K-Tech, very nice guys just to see if they can shed some light on things, they gave me some base settings for the front end

28mm static sag
Comp - 6 to 8 clicks out
Rebound - 14 clicks out

Think I'll take a note of what I have got and give it a go. A few questions though static sag? I'm guessing I need to lift the front of the bike off the ground measure the length of fork leg exposed, drop again and re-measure? and then adjust via preload (blue nut - technical eh?)

Gizmo, I kind of got half of what you said, then it went blah, blah, blah As for a description well tip in 2nd gear probably doing 60-70mph knee down, and the front feels like it's skipping mid corner (off camber part) the surface was bumpy (F1 cars) and the bike seemed to drift outwards and I'm not sure whether or not I was on the wrong line, so on the wrong (bumpy) bit of the track to try and get on the gas earlier, I tried several differing lines trying to square the corner off a bit, and making the exit come to me, but nothing seem to help the feel.

JPM what setting do you have on the shock for compression and rebound?
And are you pleased with the feeling?

[yeti]

JPM, you're not far from KAIS in Atherton, give Andy a call, I'm sure he can sort you out quick style. I'm up there myself on Wednesday having my forks and shock serviced.

[bike mad]

no one has mentioned the tyres, I've had tyres that left the factory wrong,
as you have the feedback from the tyres to push them that hard I dont think the setup is far from perfect. ps I'm new to ducatis so take this with a pinch of salt.

[philthy]

Take it to Maxton - Will transform the bike.

Having said that I have a mate who can eat fireblades on his bog standard 883 HARLEY - yes its true.

Natural ability or the right training beats money any day.

[philthy]

Hello bikemad

Have missed your other posts

Southern Comfort would do me fine

Talking of tyres I remember a KH250 with cheng sin tyres that I could slide at both ends around local roundabouts and I was the slow man of the bunch - happy days.............

[WeeJohnyB]

I'm no expert, but was the front ok before the rear was 'sorted', because you may be looking in entirely the wrong place, ie it's the rear that could be causing it. Bike suspension is a whole unit, including yourself. 'Sorting' one end only passes it to the other.

WeeJohnyB

[sbwells]

Originally posted by Gizmo

Mine came as standard with one ring showing but the geometry also does depend upon where the rear ride height is as well. I've been through the drop them down, raise them up route. For road riding the biggest complaint I've heard is that the bike feels long and doesn't tip in like a 9x6/8 so everyone steepens the bike a la Section 8, 20mm showing. I did this at first but since swapping to Pilot Powers have found its a different feel so think I can start lowering the rear and raising the front. The Pilot Power gives more front end confidence and seems to have a different profile and the rear hooks up better so you don't need the same squat. Rode them at the weekend for the first time and tonights job is to move rear back to 285 and lift front to 15mm

On the R and 05 models you've got a different swingarm, shock position and leverage ratios so its going to be different setups anyway.

Unreal....

That's exactly what I've just done. Changed to Pilot Powers after using the Section8 setup with Pilot Sports. After changing the tires something didn't feel right. So I've set the front end back to stand as a reference point and it feels better. I'm now running 285mm ride height and slighty more preload on the rear, but had considered reducing ride height back to standard.

It's nice to know that someone has experienced and done exactly what I have. Unfortunately I don't have the benefit of suspension experts in this neck of the woods, so more often that not trial and error.

After changing to Pilot Powers the front didn't feel right on the Section8 setting so I ****ed about with preload and dampening on the front and couldn't seem to get it right so reverted to factory setting for the front

[Rattler]

Originally posted by andyb
The result of all my front end mods, coupled with the rest of the bike, does give a, dare i say 998 planted type of feel.