Dacs and I have discussed this, and my Ducati Sie manual also states 296 as the measurement from fork top to the underside of the bottom yoke.
As Dacs says there is not enough room beneath the handlebars for this setting, it would produce 37mm above the top yoke and then the adjuster assembly on top of that.
My own M900Sie adjustable Showas are set at 279, which produces a 20mm projection above the top yoke... I'm not claiming that's the correct setting but it works and it's about as far as it will go without fouling the bars. (Even with the extra tall Sie risers.)
I propose that this 296mm figure is a much repeated typo and that it should have always been 269. This would produce a conservative 10mm above the top yoke, which sounds about right as a starting point to me.
Dacs… Don't use a mickey mouse locking tool... I'll be over with the heavy duty gear as soon as you tell me you have the new parts to fit and fresh cake..
