the s2r 800 needs new forks. UPDATE: 3/30 bike is done! what a difference! PICS!

[ducatiz]

yep. drop in cartridges that replace all the internals.

shit, that sounds great.  i might do that with my stock forks.. i assume they can do it on pretty much any model...  i have a set of clean, unused forks i want to put on my 600SS but they are plain-jane non adjustables.. those drop-ins look ideal.

[Heath]

Any update on how they are working?

[xcaptainxbloodx]

they are phenomenal. I figured I would get a better feel for sporty riding but loose some comfort or low speed handling, maybe a bit less responsive 2 up...but no.

With the cartridges GP made combined with the beefy eibach rear spring and a bit of dialing in (by GP) every aspect of handling is improved. I cant imagine that another mod will make as big a difference as this (unless some CF or magnesium rims fall in my lap)

I just got back from a 2 up ride in the rain at night, everything behaved as it should and better than it used to.

biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig  to GP suspension for everything they did

[CTKurt]

yes, direct bolt on.  i have a set on my s2r.

the only Ducati bike forks you will need to do mods for are the SBK forks or older 40mm caliper type.

anythin after 2001 on the SS, Monsters, or STs will bolt on, use the same triples, wheels, brakes etc.

you can upgrade the brakes while you have them off, the stock calipers/master stink.  i put a set of 4 pad SBK calipers on mine, but that required different rotors too (320 narrow band).

those forks are probably the second best upgrade you can do on the s2r800 for the money.

What is the first best upgrade you can do to an s2r?

[badgalbetty]

first best"performance" upgrade you can do for your money is, fit a Penske fully adjustable rear shock. First best safety upgrade is to fit Speedymoto frame sliders.

[beancounter]

For your rear - did you retain the stock sachs shock?  I'm sorry if I missed this.

I really like those red eibach springs

they are phenomenal. I figured I would get a better feel for sporty riding but loose some comfort or low speed handling, maybe a bit less responsive 2 up...but no.

With the cartridges GP made combined with the beefy eibach rear spring and a bit of dialing in (by GP) every aspect of handling is improved. I cant imagine that another mod will make as big a difference as this (unless some CF or magnesium rims fall in my lap)

I just got back from a 2 up ride in the rain at night, everything behaved as it should and better than it used to.

biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig  to GP suspension for everything they did

[He Man]

first best"performance" upgrade you can do for your money is, fit a Penske fully adjustable rear shock. First best safety upgrade is to fit Speedymoto frame sliders.

i think forks are way more important than the shock.

[ducatiz]

they are phenomenal. I figured I would get a better feel for sporty riding but loose some comfort or low speed handling, maybe a bit less responsive 2 up...but no.

so what was the final damage$ for the forks??

[xcaptainxbloodx]

so what was the final damage$ for the forks??

retail on the cartridge kits are 1,295$+labor and the rear spring is ~100+labor.

Because I was the prototype I got out for....CHEAP.  

4 months later the suspension is absolutely the best mod you can do. It may not sound as nice as a set of termis or bling like a box from rizoma (hell, look at those pics I put up, not much to look at)  but when you dive into a corner and the suspension "just works"  its prettier than anything else ive done to the bike.

[ducatiz]

$1300??

make the beast with two backs that.  i picked up a used set of SS forks for under $400..

i am sure yours are tuned far nicer, but sheesh, that's ridiculous.

[xcaptainxbloodx]

all the cartridge kits I could find are over 1k$

I went in to GP talk about swaps as they are all around 400-600$ all said and done but there are a TON of different forks that can work and for the 200$ difference between them all I wanted to get the best possible set up, through that conversation he decided I would be a good candidate for them to test on and that they would meet my budget to do so.

I have no idea where cartridges would rank in the list of possible upgrades for the S2R. Ive never ridden on Ohlins or sbk forks,I would assume its in the upper tier with them. they arent lacking tools or knowledge and if your going to re-design internals for a $$$ kit, why would you pull any punches?

 I will say that these kits are amazing, and because its done by one of the best suspension shops I know that if anything ever happens, or my attitude changes, I can take it to them and get it handled without effort.

[DucLeone]

just wondering........
could you take the innerds out of a set of s2r1000 forks and dropp them into the s2r800 forks

[badgalbetty]

well you know thats funny.........I did my front end first as well against the advice of many that race. It did help a lot ,but nothing compared to doing the rear shock. That made a huge difference. I wish I had done that first, so I base my findings on personal experience.

[ducatiz]

well you know thats funny.........I did my front end first as well against the advice of many that race. It did help a lot ,but nothing compared to doing the rear shock. That made a huge difference. I wish I had done that first, so I base my findings on personal experience.

maybe your front end was already good to begin with.  you might be one of those lucky few for whom the stock forks work well -- weight, etc

my stock setup on the S2R was crap.  i swapped the forks for adjustable ST2 forks, spent about a week tweaking them and it was 1000% better

[techno]

well you know thats funny.........I did my front end first as well against the advice of many that race. It did help a lot ,but nothing compared to doing the rear shock. That made a huge difference. I wish I had done that first, so I base my findings on personal experience.

I know its rude to mention weight but I suspect you might be lighter than the rest of us chasing fork upgrades and thats why you may not have noticed a huge difference. With the S2R800 forks, the more you weigh, the worse it is.

Please take that as a compliment.