Front Fork Replacement/Upgrade

[frazelli]

Dear All,

I am thinking of changing the forks on my 900ssie (1998) and wondered how interchangeable Ducati forks are i.e. will a pair of forks from a 748/916 etc fit straight in or would I have to make any modifications?

Caliper bolts spacing is 65mm.

Regards Frazelli

[Iconic944ss]

I've known it done on earlier SS's - Darren (Fiscusfish) has done it on one of his - 50mm fork fitment springs to mind.
A bit more involved than a simple swap but I gather decent mech skills are all thats needed. I think your might be easier as I guess a '98 model will have the larger diameter hollow wheel axle already?

Having said all that - if you are after some specific result - why not have your forks rebuilt, Maxton, K-Tech and mctechnics all seem to be decent workshops - amongst others.

Good luck - Frank

[Jools]

I think my response would be why? Are they damaged? Cosmetically tatty? or don't they work properly?

Either way I think I would just be inclined to get them "upgraded" by means of a service and set up by a competent suspension tech rather than faff about changing them

[Zimbo16]

Agreed, get your current forks fettled, it'll be cheaper and they'll be better. Properly sprung and damped Showas are as good as anything else you can put on that costs unser a grand.

[frazelli]

Thanks for the advice chaps I think the best bet is to get my existing forks sorted, I'll contact K-Tech.

Regards Frazelli

[shmoki]

Super bike forks are 53mm top and bottom triple clamps, whereas all post 91 SS, 851, 888, most Monsters and probably ST's have a 54mm bottom bracket and a 50mm top bracket. Offset on the triple clamps is also different, that said Cyclecat do a top triple clamp and shim to fit Superbike forks using your existing bottom bracket -> http://www.cyclecat.com/tc1-1.htm. The superbike forks are better in general to the SS forks, but will be sprung differently due to the different steering head angle and weight increase of the water cooled bikes. So probably better off just getting your standard items tuned to you and your bike... That said I like to do things differently so I am putting a set of GD021 Showa's on my latest project. Same forks that came on the 888 SP5 and 900SS FE, they look the same as the GD011's but have a two tone stanchion and a gold, instead of silver, lower leg.

[FiscusFish]

That said I like to do things differently so I am putting a set of GD021 Showa's on my latest project. Same forks that came on the 888 SP5 and 900SS FE, they look the same as the GD011's but have a two tone stanchion and a gold, instead of silver, lower leg.

The GD021s were standard fitment for all SS models from around '94 onwards.

As Frank says I had SBK forks on my SL for a while, since moved across to my 888. I used the Cyclecat top yoke (which comes with a shim for where the fork goes through the bottom yoke) which makes it a relatively bolt on job. The forks made a world of difference to the front end of the Superlight although I'd imagine getting the standard forks revalved/sprung would also do the same thing.

It's not a totally simple job because you need to get a SBK mudguard, bars and sort an axle/wheel/speedo drive combo, but it's all boilt on with the right parts.

Cost-wise the Cyclecat top yoke is the biggest hit. I got mine from Spareshack with a hefty discount because of my DSC membership. Discount more than paid for my membership. It'd be even cheaper at the moment 'cos of the daft exchange rate. As for the forks I got a bargain off of ebay and sold my SL ones for way more than the replacements cost.. In the end the whole lot cost less than getting my old set sorted.

Would I do it again though....? No. Looks really cool and makes the bike feel better but as Jools says the faffing around to get it just right is a pain. The waiting around for parts from different suppliers etc. I'd pay the cash to get the original forks sorted., I'd still buy a Cyclecat top yoke though.....

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fiscusfish/SBK-forks.jpg

[Iconic944ss]

Hi Darren, are those the Cyclecat riser bars as well - if so how do you rate them and do you alter the adjustement at all (for TD's etc) or just set 'em and forget?

Cheers - Frank

[FiscusFish]

Not my bike Frank. It's a guy off Speedzilla who gave me the idea in the first place. Just don't have a picture of them on my SL or 888...

I've got a set of MR high bars on mine as in these ones http://www.ducati-kaemna.de/cms_en/katalog.htm?&view=artikel&artikel=285 although ebay was a fair bit cheaper.... They're OK on the 888 on track but could do with being a bit higher on the road. The "V" the bar is attached to also gets in the way of my radial master bracket.

Darren

[shmoki]

The GD021s were standard fitment for all SS models from around '94 onwards.


You guys get spoiled in the UK, definately did not come to Oz on any models other then 888 SP5 and FE's, although some SL's might have been special order.