Suspension settings.

[syne7]

Are there any places on the net that would list recommended suspension settings for various weight riders? 

I have a 2008 Ducati Monster s2r 1000 with a 280 lb rider.  I'm sure  I could benefit from adjusting the front and rear suspension .

[ducpainter]

You definitely need different springs before you even try to adjust any damping settings.

[syne7]

Meaning new rear shock and forks?

[angler]

Meaning new rear shock and forks?

I have an S2R 800 and weigh about the same.  I put much stiffer single rate springs in the forks and had a heavier spring installed on the stock rear shock.  The fork springs were $110 per the set (Racetech part no. FRPS 3827085) and I also had heavier weight oil (10W) put in.  The rear spring was a take off from a heavier Ducati, but I can't recall which one.  If you have a shop do it, they will charge you about an hour for the front and about an hour for the rear.

Made a HUGE difference for me.  Before the throttle let off dive in the front was downright unnerving.  Now there is no dive.

That said, my bike is in the shop getting SBK forks right now......

[Speeddog]

You definitely need different springs before you even try to adjust any damping settings.

+1 to that.

[Slide Panda]

Meaning new rear shock and forks?

Nope - just new springs for them.. unless you want fancier stuff.  It'll be a couple hundred bucks worth of parts for a new spring suite. There's some labor time too

[junior varsity]

You won't believe how much better the bike will ride when sprung for your weight. They'll pull the forks apart and replace the springs and take the shock off, replace the spring, and bolt you all back up.

The RaceTech Website has a pretty good calculator for spring rates and will tell you what came factory on your bike.

You need to put in your weight will full gear included. Go put on your boots, leathers (or whatever you wear), gloves, jacket, helmet, com system, etc, and step on a scale. Or weigh them seperately and then do the math - you'd be surprised how much your gear weighs. You want to spring for that.

Then, before you leave the shop, have them help you set the sag on the bike. Tell them you want to do that, and they should help you out. (I'd advise them on the front end that you want it resprung and the sag set, nobody likes surprises especially around go-home time). You want 25-30mm of sag typically - that's how much the suspension compresses under your weight from when it is unloaded all together.

Oil viscosity could be changed to something a little denser, but that's more in the damping characteristics than in the ability for the suspension to do anything which is what getting the springs right can do.