[Bull Winkle]

Love my Duc, 800 is right size for me. I mostly use this for short hops and weekend play riding. I would love to upgrade the suspension but am not willing to put $1200+ into this bike to get it to where it needs to be. There are other bikes in this range that are cheaper, have more power, better suspension, better servicing intervals etc. I love the style and simplicity. Just wish there was a quality shock for 300 clams or so, and something could be done with the forks as well. I would drop 400-600 into this bike but not 1200.

 

[greer]

Cut 1/2" off the preload spacer in the right fork leg, makes more difference than you'd ever imagine. DouglasLee has an excellent write-up here:

http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/rear-shock-spring-mods.4648/page-2

That thread also discusses swapping out the shock spring, but it's a fairly involved job due to the lack of sizing collars on the shelf. For what could be a simple swap, look here and scroll down to post # 3056 for some discussion about a Ulysses shock:

Scrambler Ducati....yep...its back! | Page 153 | Adventure Rider

Might be worth looking in to.

Sarah

 

[Hawkeye]

What Sarah said is good advice if you're extremely concerned about budget.
Otherwise, it's just going to cost money.

For the rear, there are the Ohlins STX46 at about $500 or so, the K-Tech Bullit at about $500 (I know nothing about this one), and other choices going up in price from there. For the front, you've got the Ohlins FSK100 kit for $375 (which is springs and preload adjusters), the Andreani cartridge kit for around $600, and up from there.

 

[vincelp]

Hello

Remove 2 cm height of oïl in each fork leg and you'll get a new fork.
You can find rear shock for approx 400 Euros, here in Europe.

 

[Rick Ducati]

anyone have done this?, for a better ride?

 

[Gort]

For about $620 you can get the Hyperpro "street box" with replacement springs, fork oil, and a new rear shock. I was unwilling to pony up for more expensive options as well, and am happy with my choice. I ride a fair amount of washboard dirt roads and it really changed the ride.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

For about $620 you can get the Hyperpro "street box" with replacement springs, fork oil, and a new rear shock. I was unwilling to pony up for more expensive options as well, and am happy with my choice. I ride a fair amount of washboard dirt roads and it really changed the ride.

How's the street box doing?

 

[Gort]

How's the street box doing?

Hi Phil,
Still liking it, been riding a lot of fire roads and very happy with my choice.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

Thanks.

Could you tell me How it is compared with the oem on the road, as I don't go off-road.

Also how many miles have you done on the street box (in total).

I have maxed out my rear shock which has improved the rear but now the front seems even worse. Am thinking of removing 2cm oil from each fork leg (rather than cut some off the spacer in the r/h leg) and see what difference that makes.

 

[Max Kool]

Lowering the oil level hardly does anything except at the 25-30% end of the stroke (less progressive). All you're doing is making the air chamber a bit bigger. It doesn't change the damping rate.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

anyone have done this?, for a better ride?

Dropped the front by 10mm, added washers to handlebar bottom u bolts to eradicate rubber mounting, and added grip puppies.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

Lowering the oil level hardly does anything except at the 25-30% end of the stroke (less progressive). All you're doing is making the air chamber a bit bigger. It doesn't change the damping rate.

Have you tried it Max?
Vincehelp reckons it's the bees knees.

 

[Max Kool]

Not in the Scrambler, but on bikes in general, yes.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

Not in the Scrambler, but on bikes in general, yes.

Thanks Max.
Why not in the Scrambler?

 

[Gort]

Thanks.

Could you tell me How it is compared with the oem on the road, as I don't go off-road.

Also how many miles have you done on the street box (in total).

I have maxed out my rear shock which has improved the rear but now the front seems even worse. Am thinking of removing 2cm oil from each fork leg (rather than cut some off the spacer in the r/h leg) and see what difference that makes.

The new springs and oil in the hyperpro kit really changed the front end, both on an off road. The harshness of the stock front is gone, which was the biggest improvement for me. It floats over washboard now. You can get the hyperpro springs and oil without the rear shock if you've got that sorted, but if you are going into your forks anyway to change oil, you should do someone's springs as well, I'm sure progressive makes some by now too.
I have about 3k on the street box upgrades. Was going to do the Andreani cartridges but feel absolutely no need now.
Cheers!

 

[Max Kool]

Because I never felt the need to change the oil level on my DS.

(very simplified) rule of thumb:

Oil viscosity defines damping, it the resistance the oil has in the damping rod holes or shim stack. If the oil weight goes up (7.5W instead of 5W for instance), damping get stiffer, in both directions. Of course there's either a damping rod or a cartridge in the fork, and the latter one is better tunable for high speed vs low speed damping with the shim stack. But even then, get the shim stack wrong and the bike feels wrong. And cartridges/shims don't like thick oil, 10W and above. You don't tune a shim stack with oil viscosity, but instead by changing the stack.

Spring rate defines how far the forks compress under the combined weight. Ideally 10-15mm static sag, and about ~30% of total travel with the rider added. Again, rule of thumb. To get the sag right you either play with spacer thickness or different springs. Either linear or progressive. The right progressive spring can make a bike feel more comfortable in the working part or the stroke without bottoming out on dips. Hyperpro are really good at this.

Air chamber defines progressiveness of the forks. if your forks bottom out on potholes/landings you could use a smaller air chamber and add progressiveness to the last end of the fork stroke. the air chamber functions as an air spring on top of the oil. If you forks don't use all the available travel bit you feel you do have the right springs installed, you could finetune with the air gap. This is typically only noticeable in the last 25% of the stroke...

And if you think you got it all perfectly setup but it still doesn't feel right, you can even play with front and rear ride height... Slide the forks up or down the yokes, change the length of the rear shock.

 

[philgoodscrambler]

Because I never felt the need to change the oil level on my DS.

(very simplified) rule of thumb:

Oil viscosity defines damping, it the resistance the oil has in the damping rod holes or shim stack. If the oil weight goes up (7.5W instead of 5W for instance), damping get stiffer, in both directions. Of course there's either a damping rod or a cartridge in the fork, and the latter one is better tunable for high speed vs low speed damping with the shim stack. But even then, get the shim stack wrong and the bike feels wrong. And cartridges/shims don't like thick oil, 10W and above. You don't tune a shim stack with oil viscosity, but instead by changing the stack.

Spring rate defines how far the forks compress under the combined weight. Ideally 10-15mm static sag, and about ~30% of total travel with the rider added. Again, rule of thumb. To get the sag right you either play with spacer thickness or different springs. Either linear or progressive. The right progressive spring can make a bike feel more comfortable in the working part or the stroke without bottoming out on dips. Hyperpro are really good at this.

Air chamber defines progressiveness of the forks. if your forks bottom out on potholes/landings you could use a smaller air chamber and add progressiveness to the last end of the fork stroke. the air chamber functions as an air spring on top of the oil. If you forks don't use all the available travel bit you feel you do have the right springs installed, you could finetune with the air gap. This is typically only noticeable in the last 25% of the stroke...

And if you think you got it all perfectly setup but it still doesn't feel right, you can even play with front and rear ride height... Slide the forks up or down the yokes, change the length of the rear shock.

Too technical for me - but thanks anyway.
Would cutting 1/2 inch off the r/h fork spacer, as Greer suggests, do the job?

 

[Max Kool]

Could give it a shot, if it rides too high in the stroke...