[boplicity]

A while ago I blew a fork seal. My local shop said they would warrenty the seal but it took several weeks to get the parts and a time slot.

I got the bike back on Friday and rode for about 500 miles this weekend. I noticed that the bike feels a lot squirellier now in the turns-particularly on rough pavement while turning. It's more noticable at higher speeds but it's definately there all the time.

So, is it possible that the shop didn't adjust both forks tubes the same? As I understand it, to adjust each fork tube, you turn the sloted top with a flathead. To reset and adjust again you would need to turn them back while counting detents and then set them again so both are the same? Any guidelines as to how many detents is good for a 200lb rider? Also, is it possible that the shop replaced the oil in one tube with a different weight which might affect the handling? Could there be more in the freshly worked on tube than in the factory set up tube?

I'm asking about the forks as the cause of the handling because I feel like it's noticabley different since I got the bike back.

TIA,
Miles

Oh yeah, it looks like i will need to loosen my handlebars to get at the tops of the forks with a screwdriver. That sound right?

 

[CRASH!]

Naw Miles,

The easiest thing to do is take those bars off and put clip-ons on. Then you can get to the adjusters easy ;D

As for the rest, the shop probably only messed with the leaking side. Oil weight shouldn't be a problem as they know what the factory spec is.

I can't tell you how many clicks to dial in, but you can easily check yourself to make sure they're the same.

How about your preload? Do they look the same on both sides?

 

[boplicity]

Hmm, not sure what to look for to compare preload. Can you describe or show me a pic?

Clip ons are most likely the next mod by the way!

 

[CRASH!]

The preload is sut by turning that big nut on the top of the fork. When you increase preload, turning the nut clockwise, more and more of the inner tube will show. So the same amount of inner tube should be protruding above the nut on both sides.

Hope this description helps. I have the bike here at work, but the camera's at home (and I don't really want to put the camera software on my work computer ;D)

 

[Retro]

hmmmmmm........... I wonder if they rode the repair to check? ....definately find out everything they did so you have a place to baseline the forks from......it's possible they could have used a different fork oil or too little or too much....tubes aligned? same height in the triple? etc....I would definately let them know something is off, it may set off a light with the guy who worked on it for you....

 

[boplicity]

I'll call tomorrow and talk to them to see what's up. Unfortunately when I picked it up, everyone was tearing out of there for the weekend so I didn't have a chance to talk to them.

Don, there are two things at the top of my forks: a large silver nut and in the center above that a gold slotted adjuster thing. Are you meaning for me to take a wrench to the nut and turn that until the exposed fork lengths are equal? Then do I start to experiment with the slotted adjusters to tune in the ride?

Thanks, sorry if I'm being obtuse!

 

[Retro]

Hey Miles, there are 3 adjustments.....

Spring pre load, nut on top, clockwise more.

compression damping, bottom of forks, clockwise more. clicks.

rebound damping, slotted screw, clockwise more. clicks.

Spring preload will change the ride height....clockwise will raise the front. slow the turning, counter clockwise will lower, and quicken the turning.

increasing compression damping reduces the compression stroke,
less bottoming.

increasing rebound, more damping, causes the suspension to return more slowly, less kick. too little can cause packing.


First thing to check perhaps is what is the distance from the top of the forks to the top of the triple, are both forks the same, exactly, and what is the measurement?

As a guide:
If not done, set sag first. That's front and rear.
Then adjust rebound and compression damping for kick and bottoming respectively, good to do while suspension is hot and check ride again. Make small adjustments. Usually better to error on faster damping than slow.
....google motorcycle suspension. Ohlins site has good pdf's on suspension, for setting sag and making adjustments.
Try the road and track forks pdf manual for example.

I think you may want to talk to the shop first..especially if everything was working well before the seal blew...
It is possible they may have inadvertantly just lowered your front end slightly, or something else.

 

[CRASH!]

'Nuther thought on my ride home last night. Still haven't managed to meet you, but your post said "200 lb rider."

I'd venture that you want your preload maxed: all the way clockwise.

That's where BCM put me and I'm 185. The stock spring is just not stiff enough for guys our size. I'm getting beefier RaceTechs installed next week

Of course mine's a '99 and yours is an '01 isn't it. I don't have any reason to believe Ducati increased the spring rate between model years.

If your preload is insufficient, you'll bottom on hard braking. When I was doing emergency threshold braking in the MSF experienced course, my front wheel would chatter big time on each attempt; bottomed fork. That no longer happens with the preload maxed. I can still bottom when braking hard and hitting a bump. There's a particular downhill stop on my commute in which this happens if I'm not careful.

Ideally, you'l like to be in the middle of the preload range for your particular springs. When you max the preload, you're using up some of the travel and the ride suffers.

As implied by Retro above, if you're not comfortable with setup, you should really have a good shop put you into a good starting point and play in small steps from there. You don't want to be way off because handling can suffer enough to make the bike dangerous!

 

[Retro]

Miles, you could also put a zip tie on your stanchion in the middle, go ride hard and see where it ends up...that should give you a good indication on the compression side of things..you want ideally to use almost all of the travel without bottoming out.......

 

[boplicity]

You guys ROCK! RETRO thanks for pointing out all the adjusters-VERY helpful. Don, you clued me into a problem I was having but didn't know was a problem! Every once in a while under hard braking, my front brakes shudder too. I spent an all nighter at work a couple nites ago and didn't get a chance to talk with the shop (sleeping hard the next day!) but I definately will. This weekend I'm gonna really go over my set up and see whats what. I'll try some changes-one at a time of course-and see what I can do.

Thanks again for all the info!
Miles

 

[Geo]

Hi,
Found this on the ducati web site:-
http://www.ducati.com/doc/manuals/MY02_MONSTER_eng.pdf

Page 29 shows the adjuster set up
Hope that helps

Now I have a forks question or two
I have a pair of Showa USD 600 Monster non adjustable forks trouble is I did not get a manual with the beast so I am @ a loss as to how much fork oil and most importantly what weight all to use, when I service them. Err by the by there is no Ducati dealer on this island so I have to do all this stuff my self

Is there a decent aftermarket manual for the 600 Monster that you can recommend.

TIA
Geo.

 

[Retro]

geo if ya go here...it says
SAE 7.5 and 492cc's of oil....with a 94mm air gap.....
scroll to the bottom of the 2v's......
I think there is the ducati shop manual and the Haynes 2v duc manual.....I think Chris at

 

[Geo]

Retro,
Doh, how the heck did I miss that. Thanks
Geo