Fork advice needed

21-04-2004, 10:06 AM

Sorry to gatecrash your site, I'm not a Monster owner I run a VFR and subscribe to the VFR club, which has shown me many times if you want advice, it pays to ask the right people.

I've been doing a bit of spannering for a friend who has a 900 Monster. Full service, new throttle cables, WP rear shock, WP front springs and oil (which he picked up direct from their stand at the NEC). Scottoiler etc.

The problem is I've managed to get the back to behave just by adjusting the rebound damping on the shock, but the front seems way too stiff. On anything other than billiard table smooth tarmac it sends jarring shocks straight through the bars to your arms, and is very off putting on B roads, upsetting the handling and taking away confidence.

The oil is 5 wt, which I understand is not the recomended weight, but is what WP supplied, presumably to their own standards. Air gap is per the Haynes manual. My own thoughts are it feels like it needs some taking out, but there was some text on putting more in, depending on what year and what forks were fitted.

Can I ask what your thoughts are on this? what do Monster front ends feel like on standard set-up? are they a bit harsh normally? Can anyone offer advice on getting it feeling a little more supple?

Of course the upside of this is that I have to take the Monster out regularly and test it!!! :twisted: And what a cracking bike it is too.

21-04-2004, 12:36 PM

Hi KMAC
as a rule the standard monster is soft on the frontb and quite a
few owners resort to putting a heavier oil in to correct this.

spacemonkey · 21-04-2004, 06:10 PM

Unless you're a lightweight like me, in which case it is a little harsh, but you get used to it...
Oh, and in my recent experience the Haynes Book of Lies says "Ducati recommend adding an extra 30cc on this model to each leg". This is utter crap. Stick to the original amount, otherwise things get a little stiff up front. Ooo-er...

22-04-2004, 05:47 AM

Many thanks chaps, and all the best to you in the UKMOC. Have a safe and enjoyable year.

KMAC

23-04-2004, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fatbloke
Hi KMAC
as a rule the standard monster is soft on the frontb and quite a
few owners resort to putting a heavier oil in to correct this.

Erm actually Terry, that is not strictly true....

The main problem with the forks is that they are far too stiff on compression damping.
This causes almost a hydraulic lock in compression which gives the juddering through the front end.

The only cure for this is to have the forks revalved, either by Maxton or by using a racetech kit as I have done.

Once this is done and the oil is free to move again, Then the fork springs are too soft

The damping is the problem and once sorted makes a huge difference, and I run 5w oil in them too.
HTH
Dom

21-04-2004, 10:06 AM	#1
KMAC Guest Posts: n/a	Fork advice needed Sorry to gatecrash your site, I'm not a Monster owner I run a VFR and subscribe to the VFR club, which has shown me many times if you want advice, it pays to ask the right people. I've been doing a bit of spannering for a friend who has a 900 Monster. Full service, new throttle cables, WP rear shock, WP front springs and oil (which he picked up direct from their stand at the NEC). Scottoiler etc. The problem is I've managed to get the back to behave just by adjusting the rebound damping on the shock, but the front seems way too stiff. On anything other than billiard table smooth tarmac it sends jarring shocks straight through the bars to your arms, and is very off putting on B roads, upsetting the handling and taking away confidence. The oil is 5 wt, which I understand is not the recomended weight, but is what WP supplied, presumably to their own standards. Air gap is per the Haynes manual. My own thoughts are it feels like it needs some taking out, but there was some text on putting more in, depending on what year and what forks were fitted. Can I ask what your thoughts are on this? what do Monster front ends feel like on standard set-up? are they a bit harsh normally? Can anyone offer advice on getting it feeling a little more supple? Of course the upside of this is that I have to take the Monster out regularly and test it!!! :twisted: And what a cracking bike it is too.

21-04-2004, 06:10 PM	#3
spacemonkey I see dead people. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Carving a slice thru the braindead masses..(pun intended) Bike: M900 Posts: 1,464	Unless you're a lightweight like me, in which case it is a little harsh, but you get used to it... Oh, and in my recent experience the Haynes Book of Lies says "Ducati recommend adding an extra 30cc on this model to each leg". This is utter crap. Stick to the original amount, otherwise things get a little stiff up front. Ooo-er... __________________ http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/7wonders.html

21-04-2004, 12:36 PM	#2
fatbloke Guest Posts: n/a	Hi KMAC as a rule the standard monster is soft on the frontb and quite a few owners resort to putting a heavier oil in to correct this.

22-04-2004, 05:47 AM	#4
KMAC Guest Posts: n/a	Many thanks chaps, and all the best to you in the UKMOC. Have a safe and enjoyable year. KMAC