Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > 748 Steering Head Angle Question

[Gaz 748]

Quicker to raise the rear and you can keep the steering lock

[zhed44]

Originally Posted by Gaz 748

Quicker to raise the rear and you can keep the steering lock

Do you mean "steering lock", as in the thing that immobilises the handlebars, or "steering lock" as in the amount of "turn" you can get, which helps you avoid hitting the opposite kerb when doing U turns?

I'd rather not raise the rear as I'm not very tall and I think the bike feels quite top heavy as it is

Thanks - and thanks to NBS too

[ducv2]

You will lose the immobilising steering lock, and as mentioned, be very careful with the castellations as they are soft (as I found out). I understand that this adjustable headstock was for use with the longer race swinging arm, but I have used it on road and track for years with no worries. I also raised the ride height against reccomendations from various people, and have got the old beast to steer the way I want, though it is a bit 'tucky' on the front if you are not on the power in tightish corners. If you are worried about raising the rear, try dropping the yokes down the forks, take it easy after you have changed things, and if you dont like it you can always put it back

[NBs996]

Originally Posted by zhed44

Do you mean "steering lock", as in the thing that immobilises the handlebars, or "steering lock" as in the amount of "turn" you can get, which helps you avoid hitting the opposite kerb when doing U turns?

Gaz probably means both.
The key lock doesn't reach the hole with the steeper angle, and you lose a lot of turning circle - beware when you first ride it!

[geoff m]

I had exactly the same issues, being a massive five foot seven I was loathe to raise the rear, sooooo.......dropped the forks through the yolks 1mm at a time, after three mm it steers super fast and is still well stable.

geoff M

[geoff m]

just a thought, what tyres are you on ? this can also effect steering speed,I found it felt slower when I changed from bridgestone to pirelli...

[zhed44]

Originally Posted by geoff m

just a thought, what tyres are you on ? this can also effect steering speed,I found it felt slower when I changed from bridgestone to pirelli...

i'm on metz rennsports, which although they have, in a previous life been hammered by bungi, IMO steer quicker than the OE pirellis

[zhed44]

Originally Posted by NBs996

and you lose a lot of turning circle - beware when you first ride it!

thanks for the warning.....i'll just have to perfect my doughnut technique

[skidlids]

If going to the steeper race head angle its worth possibly changing gearing to run the rear wheel as far back as you can, that way you will get the quicker turn in but retain more stability.
I prefer to raise the rear ride height but can understand why some don't.
At Castle Combe in 2006 the SoT Pole postition was set by my mate Simon Knowlson on a 748RS running the steeper head angle and a Corsa spec longer arm so its certainly a combo that works

[DC]

I have just changed back from the quicker steering head angle on my 996.

I like to run with a real quick/flickable bike but the trade off with it was that it had a twitchy front end when really ragging it. ( Not a problem as I like it like that!!!)

I used to run rennsports and found then to be really good and I think that as they are a very stable tyre, they allowed me to set up my bike to be like this. ( I wasnt using the different swing arm and yokes etc )

I changed to bridgestone 014 for the winter and found that the bike handled like a bag of pooh all of a sudden. Tried changing susp settings and tyre pressures, no joy.
I changed the head angle back to the slower setting and wallop, the bike now handles good again.

Thats the thing I love about my 996. They are really a race bike on the road.
They have so many ways of setting them up that you learn so much about the bike. Thing is that I fine tuned mine so much when it had the rennsports on that when I changed tyres, the bike changed as well. Perhaps not such a good idea on the road?

So its horses for courses really. And yes, you do loose a lot of turning circle.

Not knocking the 014 either. They are a good tyre. Just a lot different from the rennsports that I was used to. Perhaps riding at this time of year is a lot different from sunny afternoons in the summer????