Adjustable v.s. Non-Adjustable Forks?

[JEFF_H]

big difference between the non-adj showa and marzocchi forks.
showas can be rebuilt/gold-valved, the marzocchis cant

[Goat_Herder]

I believe that the forks in 6xx monsters are even more basic.  Only one of the 2 forks has damping, while the other only has spring with no oil.  At least that's what I was told with my M620.

[thought]

big difference between the non-adj showa and marzocchi forks.
showas can be rebuilt/gold-valved, the marzocchis cant

that's interesting... so only pre 2011 696/796's will work with the gold valves?

and how about moving to showa m1100 forks?  how do they compare to the sbk forks?  the same or are the sbk's noticeably better? 

[Link]

I really want to upgrade to Ohlins equipment front and rear. My bike is awesome but the suspension does not inspire confidence at all. I still have the rear @ the stock setting. Its a bit firm but I don't mind too much. I didn't buy a Monster to go 200 MPH, I bought it to tackle the twistys. With the stock suspension I don't see that happening like I had imagined. Any bumps in the road through a corner is very unsettling. Not that it puts the bike out of shape, but it bothers the hell out of me. I'm going to set the sag in the rear this weekend. Hopefully that will help a bit. It looks like my mod list got a bit longer. 

Well, Ohlins are great but the Showa 848/1098 forks are more then enough for the Monster trust me, I've done many set ups on street & race bikes, Race tech, Ohlins kits & full on Ohlins and many re valves along the way. As I said prior that after you get the front sorted the stock rear shock is OK. Suspension is about balance after you've done the front you will find that the SBK forks work well with the stock shock. I would do the front test it out & then swap the rear out if you feel it needs it. The bumps are what really screws with the stock fork the 848/1098 forks fix that problem. And the mod can be done for around 600 bucks. You bike will never handle right with the stock forks. If you need any help getting parts let me know cause I just did this mod a few months ago.

[Arachnosold1er]

Anyone know if I will be able to re-use my stock brakes with the SBK forks? And will my ABS stuff mount up as well? I was thinking about trying to find a set of M1100 forks and do a swap. They should be about the same as far as mounting of the ABS and brakes. I don't know about the SBK forks though.

[thought]

Anyone know if I will be able to re-use my stock brakes with the SBK forks? And will my ABS stuff mount up as well? I was thinking about trying to find a set of M1100 forks and do a swap. They should be about the same as far as mounting of the ABS and brakes. I don't know about the SBK forks though.

for the sbk forks:

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=36913.0

pretty much everything you need to know there for the upgrade.  it's for a 696, but the 796 is basically the same, though at the end motionducati says that you dont need the shim for the brakes on the 796, but i dont know how they did it.  the 796 has the same 5 bolt 10mm offset brakes as the 1100, so i cant see how they did it without getting a 5mm shim into there.

not sure about the abs, but i should mount up fine since you're still using the same front wheel/abs ring.

m1100 forks should mount right up easily, but those are harder to find than the sbk forks.  and i dont know if they are as good as the sbk forks.

[JEFF_H]

that's interesting... so only pre 2011 696/796's will work with the gold valves?

and how about moving to showa m1100 forks?  how do they compare to the sbk forks?  the same or are the sbk's noticeably better? 

no gold valves on any non-adjustable marzocchi forks
spring/oil changes only

Ohlins=awesome
Showa= good
Marzocchi= um, these were the cheapest forks we could find to put on the bike
 (they are also used on aprilia, bmw and others...)

[thought]

no gold valves on any non-adjustable marzocchi forks
spring/oil changes only

Ohlins=awesome
Showa= good
Marzocchi= um, these were the cheapest forks we could find to put on the bike
 (they are also used on aprilia, bmw and others...)

thanks jeff.  so if i found a set of m1100 forks, it should be about the same as a sbk fork upgrade since they are both showa?

[Arachnosold1er]

When I finally spring for this, I'm gonna send my "new" (new to me) forks out to be "worked". I have heard a lot of good things about Traction Dynamics. Anyone here ever used them? I hoping that my tax return will cover my mod bug for next year. At this rate... no @#$^ing way!!

[Link]

When I finally spring for this, I'm gonna send my "new" (new to me) forks out to be "worked". I have heard a lot of good things about Traction Dynamics. Anyone here ever used them? I hoping that my tax return will cover my mod bug for next year. At this rate... no @#$^ing way!!

Not sure what forks your going to send out, but if your using the ducati 848/1098 Showa they do not need much "work" just get them sprung for your weight and replace the compression valving the rebound circuit on those forks are good. T/D do great work. There's a well known suspension tuner in Ca. that knows what to do to make those forks work. (if you want his contact info. let me know) Springs plus the re valve, new oil with labor should only run about $350.00 if you don't need springs it's much less.

[Arachnosold1er]

^^ You are spot on with what I intend to do. I just want them revalved and sprung for teh weight of my and my Monster. I'm pretty sure (but not 100%) that my monster weighs less than a 1098. I mainly just want them done by a pro. I have gone through forks before, but mostly on dirtbikes. I'm too poor to do things twice. So I want it done right the first time.

[Link]

^^ You are spot on with what I intend to do. I just want them revalved and sprung for teh weight of my and my Monster. I'm pretty sure (but not 100%) that my monster weighs less than a 1098. I mainly just want them done by a pro. I have gone through forks before, but mostly on dirtbikes. I'm too poor to do things twice. So I want it done right the first time.

Give Dave a call, Dave & his crew are great & knows what to do to the Ducati showa's. http://www.feelthetrack.com/  Your 110% correct about doing things right the 1st time I've spent a lot of money on suspension doing it twice. The 848/1098 forks are actually lighter then stock POS forks. I went a step further and bought Galfer wave rotors witch have the correct off set (no shims needed behind rotors) and the rotors weigh a full pound less then the Brembos so I lost 2lbs of un-spung weight & with all the other small weight saving mods the 696 now weighs 380lbs with a full tank of gas. With the forks & the light weight of the bike it corners like a well sorted race bike. It's a blast to ride. At first I kept the exact stock geometry and loved it. But ended up tweaking the stock geometry raising the ride height by about 15mm & increased the trail from 87mm to 93mm the ride height was for a little more peg clearance and the increased trail seems to sharpen the handling a bit.

[JEFF_H]

thanks jeff.  so if i found a set of m1100 forks, it should be about the same as a sbk fork upgrade since they are both showa?

even better, they are already the right size...dont need to change the triples