Picked up my monster!

[MaxPower]

Great post... Makes it even worse to look out my window and see this:

[V-twin]

Wannaducbad,,   I will raise the ride height alittle and see how it goes, I did that on the ST, not for the steering twich, but for quickier turn in. Yes there room on the front forks do what you said. I would do that as the last option.   

Raux  Yes will get one I think, costly from my point of veiw as $600+, or get those $20.00 one's on ebay...lol

Mikez Yes it one of those covers and it works very well, for such a small cost it does save the pillon siding into the back of you when braking, Here is the guy I got mine from... ebay user "Triboseat"  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DUCATI-ST2-ST3-ST4-ANTI-SLIP-PILLION-SEAT-COVER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a543Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3911Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem110325854381QQitemZ110325854381QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories     pillon finds it good as well as you just have to support your upper body and not worry sliding your butt hard up the rider's back! I guess it depends on who's on the back!..lol 

Maxpower ...   yep that looks too cold to be out enjoying a ride!!

[MikeZ]

V-Twin
Thanks for the info.
Just ordered one.

[V-twin]

No worries Mikez!  

Well cut that beer tray off this morning, just waiting on same frame plugs from "micheleracer" he  sent me some mirror plugs and caps for the cost of one set, awesome!! for such little things they do tidy up the holes etc very nice. Led tail light on it's way too.

[Scottish]

Just so you know, siding the forks up in the triples is easier than turning up you preload. just be sure you have the bike itself supported before loosing the hex bolts. Then gently lower it to the desired height and retighten... make sure you are in allignment though, when I did mine I was just a touch out and it caused me shoulder/upper back problems for weeks until I figured it out.

[V-twin]

Thanks Wannaducbad, I will have look at that then, don't want to drop it to much as it may (20mm max) as wouldn't it have a impact on handling?

[Scottish]

Well it will put more weight over the front, generally it will provide a racier position. Clip-ons provide a similar effect only more extreme. I doubt you'd notice a lot except slightly more weight on the wrists(weight on the front is the goal) and a more positive sense of feed back from the road, which isn't a bad thing unless you're on a Road King. Basically lowering the front and raising the rear gets you closer to sportbike geometry. So if you're touring on it maybe not so good, but you have the ST for that. For canyon carving and more aggressive riding it's the direction you want to head. Personally I noticed the biggest difference in handling by increasing my preload but I hover around 200-210lbs so it was way better for me after that, loading the front more has helped too, I've only had mine up to around 130mph though. At that point my bike being fairingless is just to blustery to try for any more. Ultimately you aren't doing anything to your bike that can't be undone if you don't like it. So just move one mod at a time and see what works for you.
BTW, love the tail chop, and for shits and giggles, if you have your tools out, remove the exhaust from above the udder(the pipes and mufflers) and fire it up.... sounds so much sweeter, and if you have the sawzall out you can cut the top of the air box off too, this will improve airflow, and sound.

[V-twin]

So true wannaducbad, It can be placed back to factory settings for any reason I find it not working for me, but it's doing what I want with extra loading/weight on the front so I have to try it don't I.  Thanks for the info  thanks for the thumbs up on the tail chop 

Yes I have had the mufflers off, and yes it sounds like a Duc should, and could live with that, not sure if the bike could though!!!???  run lean wouldn't it?? could you get away with just a re-tune and a dealer? has the stock setup have enough scope for that ?

[Scottish]

My little brother has a S2r800 he runs that way... I know another guy who runs his S4Rs, and a girl with an S2r1000 that way too, no problems. I see no reason it should run lean. Frankly my Termis with the baffles out probably provide less back pressure than an open system with the cat still on would. There are even dealers around that sell systems that even eliminate that as well. Watch for the boom tubes in the upper right corner(board sponser). And the open air box that comes with the Termi performance kit is nothing more than a stock box lopped off right above where the clips hook in. From what I've heard the thing you'll really need to watch as far as fueling issues go is the o2 sensor. Check the tech section, if I'm not mistaken I think a lot of the guys like to remove them as a way of solving a low speed lurching common in those models.... check that before doing it though. I don't remember the details. Mostly get out and ride the wheels off that thing! 

[DucHead]

Nice lookin' bike, thanks for the pics!!   

[Privateer]

isn't a 'light front' also a symptom of a too light spring in the rear?  Any loading on the rear sinks, unloading the front.  Steering damper will mask that instead of solving the problem.

[V-twin]

I don't think I have the o2 sensor, is that in the udder? as I have no probes etc anywere on the exhaust system. Yes have seen the boom tubes, think I will make some little pipe extensions if I ran with out the mufflers. At this time in thinking and can't really afford a new exhaust system, but can change it to get a better sound, cut out the udder or recore the muffles???

Pompetta...  cheers 

Privateer - I am no expert but yes there would be some logic to what you are saying, as wannducbad said he raised his pre-load to help. Yes a steering damper I feel would mask the problem, or smooth it out alittle, but the light front end would still be there, think a damper would be the last option after all other avenues have been tired, the damper then would be doing it's job as then with the right setup you would be able too push the bike a little harder??? 

[Howie]

SR2 1000 has an 0₂ sensor, SR2 800 does not.

[Scottish]

Ah yeah, definitely about the steering damper and such. I just know that I can't afford to replace my suspension with a set-up built for me at the moment so I look for ways to optimize what I have. THus the fiddling, and it helps. I won't argue that  it's comparable to a full Ohlins set-up but it's better than it was. As to the exhaust, I only have a system cause it was on the bike I bought, I couldn't afford one at the moment either(I got mouthes to feed). That's why I recommended yanking the cans and opening the air box... once again optimizing what I got. As for coring the udder?? Frankly I haven't looked in one and I'm completely unfamilar with the workings. Though from my brother S2R800 I would venture to say it probably isn't neccesary, I think most of the plugged up feeling is coming from the mufflers.
Thanks Howie, wasn't sure where that came into play.

[V-twin]

Your right as with the suspension, to me it's firm and fairly solid feedback, as I have said alittle light and twitchy in the front at high speeds, otherwise for me it feels damn good, at 5ft5in and 70kg I am nothing more than a blowfly on this bike!   maybe this is too that I find the brakes OK on this bike, seem better feel than the ST, but is less weight for sure than the ST.  Meaning to cut the udder right out and just join the pipes up to the stock muffler pipes etc. the udder is the cat converter and would be better off with out it.
I know coming from wannducbad, yes daily life must go on...  you wanna buy a couple of good kiwi kids??? lol   

Anyway will be Christmas in 2 days time here, so if I don't get back as I have a busy last day of work on the 24th, hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and all the best for the new year, let it be a good year for riding for all!!