My plan...

[Goofle]

As I've posted before I'd had a few snags in my 15 month ownership of my Monster, however, I'm thinking / hioping they're now all sorted. I'm planning a few Things to make it more fun on the road. My initial thoughts -

1. Restore or upgrade the rear shock. I've got the existing one and a spare (believed to be of a similar age). My plan is to remove the original one and send it away for a refresh, sticking in the unknown spare to keep me on the road in the meantime. However it seems that for the price of said refresh (if it's as much as I paid for a rebuild on my zzr) I'm almost at the threshold of simply buying a new one - don't Nitron do one for about £300?

2. A gearing mod. I'm looking at going up a few teeth on the back sprocket, but don't know the pitch of the chain. As far as I know it's standard (replaced like for like through the bikes life), which sprocket would be recommended?

My longer term plans include fork mods, low level Termi's, and possibly clipons, but they're a few pay days away!
All thoughts welcome....

Edit to say - it's a 93 M900!

[DrD]

Others will be along to talk about Nitron - I have Hyperpro Front Internals and Rear Shock.
Original not worth refreshing unless you want to stick the bike in a museum as a standard item!

Chain Pitch will be on rivet plates on the chain.
I have Renthal Alloy 41T on my 1993 M900. Others like supersprox.

[pompone]

Chain is a 520 pitch as standard. With shocks you get what you pay, obviously the original Sachs unit is built to a price and hardly worth rebuilding it, unless you're doing a completely standard rebuild. The question is what do you use your bike for and what do you want from it. Then look at what's required.

[Goofle]

That's exactly the info I need. Thanks all!

[Nickj]

Others like supersprox.

I like affam, been using them since for ever

[Flip]

I like affam, been using them since for ever

Yes I rather like Afam on my Monster too (Talon sprockets and EK chain on the little racer) coupled with a DID chain this time as I didn't think the Afam one lasted that well.

If you go to a 41 tooth rear sprocket you will have to go up to a 100 link chain from the standard 98 but with a 40T the standard length will be fine and better to go up on the rear rather than down on the front to give the chain a bit of an easier time along with better clearance for the swing arm.

You won't be disappointed with a Nitron rear shock- I have had one of their 'Sport' models on my 900 for about ten years and it's been great. About £400 now I think.

I have also had the fork internals replaced with Maxton cartridges as I had the horrible 'one leg for compression the other for rebound' Marzocchi's on my bike but if you have Showa units there are other options available to you which may be a little cheaper.

It is also worth raising the rear up a bit too if it's not done already which will improve turn in and stop the understeer and feeling of it wanting to push wide in corners (or to quote another UKMOC-er, you could "just turn the bloody thing!!" :spin:). Again either by buying some Louigi Moto risers for about £30 or winding out the rod ends in the suspension hoop a few turns for free.

But one overriding thing if you bear with the problems you have had is that once sorted, the 900 is one of the most fun bikes ever. I have owned mine for coming up to fifteen years and love it more than ever!!