m600 suspension

[Fat Dog]

Hello everybody.
I have just finished rebuilding my m600, but would like to upgrade the suspension front and rear,rear damper, front springs rear ride hieght, I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions,thanks in anticipation.

[gary tompkins]

What current spec of front and rear suspension, and what year/model M600 do you have?

[jerry]

Front forks will benefit most from a Revalve then maybe spring rerating

rear benefits most from a decent shock

[Fat Dog]

Thanks for your replys.
The moster is a 1998 dark,suspension is totaly standard, sachs boge rear damper and standard front forks,marzocci i think, any suggestions where to buy parts, I am in Mallorca,so need online shop,

[utopia]

I'm repeating myself here, but I'm very happy with the Nitron shock that I fitted to my M750.
Main benefit is the remote preload adjuster, which is sooo useful; if you ever carry a pillion.
It also has a ride height adjuster, but I haven't played with that yet.
Build quality appears to be excellent, and the price compares favourably with the likes of Ohlins.
I got mine through a company called HPS, who have done a christmas deal on half-price remote preload adjuster for the last two years, so might be worth waiting for the next time they do that.

[Fat Dog]

Thanks utopia, have sent them an E-Mail Any ideas about front suspension and where to obtain parts.

[Darkness]

If you've still got the standard non-adjustable forks fitted [And you aren't planning on racing] a pair of showa adjustables of some of the m900 and 900ss should bolt straight on.
You may need to change the front mudguard and wheel bearings/spacer/axle/speedo drive too though, depending what year the forks came off as Ducati changed the axle diameter!

If you think you may try racing there are bound to be some threads here about what's allowed and is worthwhile.

Edit: just spotted your photo's: you've got the earlier forks with the smaller diameter axle and the smaller spacing on the mudguard bolts, but still works as above.

[Fat Dog]

Thanks for the info, it might be a bit tricky for me to source those parts from Mallorca, but if any body on the forum can help I am interested, has anybody had any experience with Hagon progressive fork springs.

[Bodybag]

Try speaking to MCT in Suffolk, I've known Tom, who works there, for a number of years now. http://www.mctsuspension.com/home.htm

The other company to speak to is K-Tech in Derbyshire. http://www.k-tech.uk.com/ They supply a large percentage of the BSB paddock.

Both companies are excellent and as well as advice and information, they manufacture their own range of equipment. At the very least, they'll be able to advise you on the best way forward and should be able to offer replacement equipment for you.

Good luck with the upgrades.

Phil

[Blah blah]

I've got "Progressive" fork springs in the front of my 750 and they're brill (but they don't seem to list them any more for Ducatis)... Hagon do some though, they might be worth a shout

[jerry]

Be careful with progressive type fork springs I fitted a set of Hyperpro ones to my S4 on the advice of pro twins and they made the bike dangerously unridable so i went back to standard springs ....then a revalve which made things better.

[gary tompkins]

Getting the suspension set up how you like can be a long winded process. You really need a good understanding of how suspension functions, and what various adjustments do before tackling any mods. We've run a few suspension set-up days in the past, either at shops or during track sessions. It's maybe something the club could investigate as a future event. It's surprising just how little you need to adjust things to have a huge effect on the way a bike handles. Even tyre compounds and pressures can realy change the way a bike feels. Keep a log of suspension setting and any changes to establish a benchmark. This also makes it easier to follow a logical process while working towards your ideal road or track set-up.

With basic non-adjustable forks the only real option is an internal rebuild, using new springs, damping valves and oil, to give you the best compromise for your weight and riding style. There are several specialist companies out there capable of this work, some of which have already been mentioned above. Adjustable front ends can also benefit from internal mods, but have the bonus of fine tuning by adjusting on the road. It also means you can up-rate for trackdays, while still being able to revert to a softer set up for day to day riding.

Swapping forks between monster year/models is usually fairly straight forward, but may involve changing many other front end parts to match.. wheels, spindle, brakes, mudguard etc.. You can also use superbike forks off the SS range, and 53mm 916 style legs but some machining of yokes is needed. I've done this on my own 900ie dark and it was a fairly cheap upgrade.

There's a host of rear shock options depending on budget. Expect to pay anywhere between £250 and £700. Make sure you get the correct fitment for the 600, because not all monsters use the same rear shock. The standard damper is very basic - oversprung and underdamped IMO, and often doesn't cope well at higher mileages. They are also not designed to be easily servicable, which is why most owners opt for replacement rather than repair. I swapped mine for a secondhand Tecnoflex unit, which I paid just £150 for that works much better than stock damper.