Ducati Monster Forum

I have done some searching on this so don't flame me too hard if I've missed the 'S2R suspension upgrade' thread! ;D 

Anyway, I want to move to some sort of fully adjustable suspension for my '05 S2R.  Have checked out the Ohlins route but would like to hear other options.

Thanks in advance.

Front? Rear?

Front: you don't need to buy Öhlins, much can be done with linear springs and another oil/oil level.
Rear: Öhlins are great. I chose WP.

It's a tremendous upgrade for the S2R (800). When I started to investigate my options people told me I would get a better bike, I would get a new bike. They were absolutely right. Do it [thumbsup]

Links:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=18081.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=18081.0)
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=28037.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=28037.0)
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=3882.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=3882.0)

I'll be doing this December. I know of a person that already replaced his fork innards with fully adjustable without having to replace the forks. I need to ask him again to send me the website where he bought them from, so I'll post here.

Maybe it's this one?

http://www.carpimoto.com/content/prod/l_EN/s_6_Suspensions__Wheels/fi_17_Matris/pr_28217_Matris_Fork_Cartridge_Kit_for_Ducati_Monster_400_05__620__800_03_04_750_900ie_2002_S2R_800.htm (http://www.carpimoto.com/content/prod/l_EN/s_6_Suspensions__Wheels/fi_17_Matris/pr_28217_Matris_Fork_Cartridge_Kit_for_Ducati_Monster_400_05__620__800_03_04_750_900ie_2002_S2R_800.htm)

 finally; never seen a kit for the nonadjustable Marzocchis

I want to upgrade suspension on both ends.  Thanks for the links.

Not sure if it was the Matrix. Let me talk to him today.

You can get the Matris cartridges through Paige & PJ over at pjsparts.com, if you don't feel like dealing with the language barrier at carpimoto. for the money, i think there are better routes to go.

Like? I don't want to replace my forks. Just wan to have some adjustables.

I had my suspension tuned by superbikeitalia.com and it made a huge improvement.
Their suggestion for the next step was to change the internal for the front and spring for the back, it will be much cheaper than replace with Ohlins and they can plate it gold(to look like ohline) if customer request.

I check with PJ's and it's going to cost almost $1k for the Matris cartridges. I can probably find some new forks that fit my bike for that much.

Very true... but I have been looking and looking for a set of forks to fit the bike without going the SBK route.  You can buy SBK forks all day long for $2-$300 on ebay.  Try finding a set of Monster adjustables for that price!  For some reason I have not seen them for less than $500.  There's a set on here now off a S2R1000 for $600.

Then of course they would need to be resprung if you weight over 150 pounds.

Is there an option like Matris made in the US? It's ridiculous that they have to ship them over from Italy and the dollar being so weak against the euro.

Penske should be able to fix you up with some internals, and they're in PA, USA.  Cheaper?  Nope.

Traxxion offers something, but if I remember right the external adjustment is limited to rebound.

Cogent was kicking around some ideas for the Marz forks last year - not sure if anything materialized yet.

BK

So it sounds like it's either Penske or Matris, but I think that simply replacing the forks might just be the cheaper option.

when you take into account the fact that you still have to have the matris kit installed... yea, new forks are probably cheaper. just gotta find the right ones :) i'm working on it too.

The problem will be finding something that will fit the bike. Do forks off an S2R 1000 fit?

yea, they fit perfectly.
problem with S2R1000 forks are the progressive rate springs. if you have the forks off the bike, you should definitely have them put linear springs in. that's why $600 is too expensive in my bike for those forks, no matter how new they are... basically it's like saying, here's a brand new, take-off... turd. shouldn't cost much more than a used turd in my opinion...
they are adustable though, and better than what we have.

a used set of s2r1000 forks would be perfect.
st3 showa forks are also a perfect match, though i'm not sure of the spring rates in those. i think they too might be the progressive springs. they seem to be easy to find.

s4r forks are the jackpot. perfect fit, and linear rate springs.

I have a brand new, never mounted set of the ST2 showa forks for sale, which are the same as the ST3 forks and they will bolt right on and be a big improvement over the marzocchis. I'm not sure if the springs are linear or progressive though.

There are alot of option for adjustables in the front, drop in replacements are going to be the hardest to find and most expensive.  Most will require respringing for best results, st, sbk, s2r1k, gsxr.  There are ways to improve the stock forks like thicker oil, heavier springs, and even preload adjustable caps.  I've found the rear shock is much worse than the front forks.

back to the s2r suspension threads.............
Here is the fix.
Don't even think about wasting your time screwing about with the rear shock.Fit a Penske with remote cartridge. Hands down for the money the best you will get anywhere.Byy it here from this guy.........www.gpsuspension.com and get the eibach spring for it.
Best comination money can buy.Period.
For the front end.........
Throw away the crap marzocchi forks and buy yourself some fully adjustable showa forks. Then send them to GP SUSPENSIOn and have Dave fit new springs, valves and shimstacks.
What you get back will be on par with SBK quality suspension. Thats the route I went, no regrets.
The marzocchi forks are awful, and cannot be rebuilt. The cartridge is crimped at the end and is non rebuiildable.
I have written a lot about this topic........
Dont waste your time with heavier oil etc as the valve bodys will not let the heavier oil flow in and out fast enough, resulting in an uneven and stiff ride.
Ask me how I know!!
once again all you people .......www.gpsuspension .com
Money well spent.

here's a set of S4R forks on ebay, it will be interesting to see how much they go for. I'd be bidding on them myself but I have forks from an S4 on my 695 already.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Front-Forks-w-trees-No-Res_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3356fa70a5QQitemZ220502585509QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Front-Forks-w-trees-No-Res_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3356fa70a5QQitemZ220502585509QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

You'll see this auction hit...oh.... 5-600.

Then the winner will need to spend another 400 on having someone rebuild them.

Found a local that can rebuild my forks. Looking at my budget, I can't afford new forks. I will probably replace my spring and then decide on any further changes.

Hi guys, I am an S2R 800 owner but infrequent escapee from my Local Board. I have recently had my suspension changed as well. As I don't really know what I am talking about I read as much as I could on here and TOB about the upgrade options and then got a lot of help from individuals via PM, but a brief synposis of my findings and options (obviously not definitive) and from memory.

For the forks you have a couple of options:
. change oil and springs to suit your weight ... cheapest but not optimal, still no adjustability
. swap out your forks for something adjustable ... may require other work as a consequence such as clip-ons or modifications to triples and/or brakes
. cartridge kit ... you don't want to know which path I took

As for the rear, this is what I was told by my suspension guru:
. do the front first
. the rear is not worth upgrading
. save your bucks and just replace it when you have the funds

So I went the full monty on the back ... well the half monty really ... but changed out the whole shock. So I now have a Matris kit in the front and a Penske with remote reservoir down the back - bike has been completely transformed.


It is even more ridiculous to have them shipped from Italy to PJ in the US then to me in Australia ... but that was the best option I had ... and it was before the Aussie dollar's recent surge against the US [bang]

But PJ was great (as always) handled very professionally when we had a cap fit issue ... but it was an expensive option. PJ also offered up a Bitubo kit which was a bit cheaper but did not offer the same level of adjustability - can't remember exact details but you can probably find it listed on the Carpimoto website too.

this guy also has a nice "custom" license plate bracket for sale:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Custom-License-plate-Mount_W0QQitemZ280416670610QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item414a22d392#ht_500wt_1182 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Custom-License-plate-Mount_W0QQitemZ280416670610QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item414a22d392#ht_500wt_1182)

;D ;D ;D

WOW!

I was way off....  $735!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Front-Forks-w-trees-No-Res_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3356fa70a5QQitemZ220502585509QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-Ducati-Monster-S4-S4R-Front-Forks-w-trees-No-Res_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3356fa70a5QQitemZ220502585509QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

i know. unbelievable. for that much, you may as well just buy the matris kit for a couple hundred more.

Not the first time I've seen USED forks go over $700.  Hell... makes the $600 S2r1000 forks listed on here seem like a bargain.  [roll]  Then of course ya still gotta throw a rebuild kit into them if you weigh over 160 pounds.

no kidding, I paid $350 for my S4 forks, and the only difference between the ones I got and the ones in that auction are the Ti plated sliders.

i really hope it wasn't somebody here that bought those... they got suckered.

There's another option.  I bought '99-'01 SS900 fully adjustable Showas.  Same diameter profile as the Monsters, 50/54.  The internals of the post '98 SS900 Showas are superior to the earlier versions.  I paid $160 on ebay for the forks and triples/stem, then paid $125 for new seals/caps and oil change (blended 2.5W and 5W syn Silkolene to give the viscosity of 5W Showa fluid.)

Possible downside is these forks protrude about 2.5-3 inches above the top triple.  Making lemonade from lemons, I installed Swatt clipons above the triple.  The combination is fantastic.  My test corner has a series of bumps right in the perfect line that made the stock Marzocchis dance right across the road.  Now, I go where I point the bike - everything sticks.  And the settings are the Showa baseline, haven't tuned it up yet.  Very pleasing.

Oops, forgot to mention the SS900 progressive = crappy springs.  Had a hell of a time getting a set of Race Techs to fit (they won't) so bought a set of 0.84 kg/mm straight-rate springs from an ST2 from Speeddog (thanks.)  Just perfect.

I'm reviving this thread. I got a bonus atwork and I'm planning on getting new forks. Best options and... go!

I still say a pair of adjustable showas off a monster   No triple work involved or spacers to fab.

I called a local suspension guy. He'll be doing the research now to figure out the bes course of action. I'm looking at getting this done relatively quick so that I can take the bike out to the track.

Got my hands on a set of very slightly used S2R 1000 forks for $500. Going to look at options for the rear.

Try some tighter pant's  [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

 [coffee]

The "boys" would not like that.