Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > ST4S Mods

[eskimo]

Originally Posted by nelly

General rule of thumb with the ST's is to increase the rear ride to the point where the rear tyre just touches the floor when the bike is on the centre stand....... seems to work a treat. Makes turn in easier/sharper.

As with all things suspension, make sure everything is at stock settings to begin with so you know where you're working from. Preload, damping etc.

Now l understand Lowering the rear wheel.

Mine has quite a bit of clearance below the rear wheel.

So this seems to make sense,as mine needs a bit of persuading, to turn in.

[nelly]

yep. same thing only different
Try that along with suspension settings at stock and go from there.

[John W]

Snells may have adjusted your preload, which won't alter the length of the shock when on the centre stand, but may affect the static sag.
you adjust the ride height using the aluminium link rod. Its a b@stard to get to the bottom end of this, but is well worth adjusting it. Doing so also affects the sag.

I have no doubt that my ST4S handles every bit as good, if not better than both the 996 and 998 I had, and it is miles better than a VFR in all respects (power, turn in, brakes).

Tyres play a big part too in sensitivity and turn in speed.
Do you ride with panniers or a top box ?
Top box if loaded up really can get a weave on, especially if solo with it fitted. Its because the weight is so far back.

I think I ride my bike quite hard (difficult to compare with others I've not ridden with), and its as stable as anything cornering at anything up to 140, solo or fully loaded and 2 up. Let the rear tyre pressure pressure get a little low and it starts to 'porpoise' in the bends.

Oh, and I'm a lardy 16 stone.
Hope thats of some help.

Cheers,
John.

[eskimo]

Originally Posted by John W

Snells may have adjusted your preload, which won't alter the length of the shock when on the centre stand, but may affect the static sag.
you adjust the ride height using the aluminium link rod. Its a b@stard to get to the bottom end of this, but is well worth adjusting it. Doing so also affects the sag.

I have no doubt that my ST4S handles every bit as good, if not better than both the 996 and 998 I had, and it is miles better than a VFR in all respects (power, turn in, brakes).

Tyres play a big part too in sensitivity and turn in speed.
Do you ride with panniers or a top box ?
Top box if loaded up really can get a weave on, especially if solo with it fitted. Its because the weight is so far back.

I think I ride my bike quite hard (difficult to compare with others I've not ridden with), and its as stable as anything cornering at anything up to 140, solo or fully loaded and 2 up. Let the rear tyre pressure pressure get a little low and it starts to 'porpoise' in the bends.

Oh, and I'm a lardy 16 stone.
Hope thats of some help.

Cheers,
John.

Thanks for that, guess what l will be doing today

But gaining a extra 3 stone might be a little more difficult

Re Tyre Pressures, l run 32 F 34 R what does every one else run??

[eskimo]

Got the linkage off as the lock nuts would not move, the jaws of the 19 mm spanners are now 20mm
So l have just giving it to my mate in a local garage, see if he can heat it up or something?
Maybe that is why no one else has adjusted it, as it looks to be as short as it can be.

[mc31@york.ac.uk]

I'd like to agree with some of the replies to this and add a bit more..

There's no way on earth that an ST should ever be described as "flighty over the ton". The opposite is the case in my experience - they are much more planted than many other machines. These are the last bikes on earth to need a steering damper.
I believe your ride height is wrong and as mentioned can easily be altered, but over playing with the 3 rear suspension settings can make a real dogs' breakfast of it. If not sure, then go back to manufacturers standard settings (printed in the owners manual) and slowly take it up from there.

The non-fango standard hard luggage will set a small weave up over 125 (due to aerodynamics - not weight), but they are only rated up to 80 anyway, so anything over that and it's on your own head.

I also find tyre pressures really critical on an ST & I think you should try harder settings. My minimum is 36 all round and often 38 F and up to 42 R if two up or riding boring motorways for large miles.

I've ridden VFR's and in comparison I nearly fell asleep with the dullness of them.
The ST will turn fairly slowly if only leaning to steer compared with using oppsite lock steering - then all complaints disappear.

Hope this gives you something to think about and play with.

All the best,
Mike Chadwick

[eskimo]

My bike is now solo only, as the wife has a bad vertigo balance problem, which is not getting any better, so bike is a no go for her

I do have a Ventura rack fitted, and will not need the panniers for solo trips, so these will be up for sale soon

I do love my ST just thought the slow turn in was a Ducati trait, just more involving than my VFR's. and also assume Snells had set it up correctly

It will be interesting once l do get the linkage back and can play with the settings

[Jools]

Mike is right, ST's are not at all 'slappy' and I can't imagine needing a steering damper on mine. If the ride height adjuster is on it's shortest setting, that is definitely your problem. Setting the ride height so that the rear wheel just grazes the ground when the bike is on the centre stand is the way to go, I got carried away with mine and set it stupidly high on the basis that 'more is better' but in fact 'more is just too much'. I had the same problem as you with the adjuster rod and it was because the ally and steel had corroded together. I took the rod off, got it all apart and filled up the middle of the tube with Waxoyl, it's been fine ever since. BTW, may be teaching you to suck eggs, but the bottom thread is left handed, so if you're turning it anticlockwise to try and loosen it, you're going the wrong way.