Well I guess you could try, if you want to totally screw up the geometry and handling of the bike… (the Pikes peak has a different rake and trail to take the 17” wheel)
Hey your bike your choice, I wonder in a "blind" test if anyone could actually feel the difference. Every other bike I have owned had a 17" wheel and also had 1CM+ of chicken strips on the rear tyre. My MTS has nothing.
As its a Piss wet through day & I may be close to a V4S purchase I checked out the ducati specs for both. They list the V4S having a 24.5 deg rake and 102.5mm trail. The PP has 25.75 deg rake and 120mm trail so Ducati appear to have kicked out the PP front to add a bit of stability to counter the 17" front. PS both have 170mm front fork travel and the V4S has 10mm more rear travel. So the V4s appears to be setup to "steer faster" to compensate for the taller front wheel. Fitting a 17" front to a V4S will drop the front by about an inch (25mm) assuming the 120x70 tyres in both diameters have same sidewall/crown height. This is only going to make the rake steeper and trail shorter and could make it a bit of a twitchy beast in need of a steering damper (do the V4 multis have a damper?) though that mite be the ticket for those wanting to track it as I suspect Ducati err'd on the safe side with the trail rake of the PP not wanting new owners to be tank slapped off into the undergrowth. You would need to sort the front ABS ring out to stop the V4(S) getting upset at the smaller front wheel size, though wondering if the other duc 17" rim abs rings would work?. This is just wet sunday ramblings and no science was used in the above waffle.
I don't think you will be putting 120/70 on however. A check on the width between the forks will be needed as the V4S has 3.0x17 while the others have 3.5x17. I know people convert dirt bikes to supermotos, but converting something as carefully engineered as the V4S would be a challenge. Personally I don't think this would be improving the bike and would affect it's resale.
A perfectly good idea, I have looked at converting my GS and my previous GS, been very close once or twice. People who have converted a GS report excellent handling with quicker turn in. (1150, 1200, 1250) with no reported problems of instability. Does the Multi come with a steering damper? I remember my 2013 had a weave at speed. If not, that may be a good idea with a conversion. One of the things I dont like about late Multistradas (and the new PP) is the ever increasing wheelbase, I am convinced purely for stability instead of fitting quality suspension parts. But it has ended up being as long as a barge instead. From what I have seen, for best results a new rear is required too, to take a slightly wider tyre. ABS sensor rings are 'sometimes' changed up front. Clearance issues, mudguards, brake discs etc all to consider. It seems more people have been adventurous with the BMWs as there are a lot of very nice conversions out there. In fact, my introduction to the world of tractors was on an 1150 GS Adventure with 17" wheel conversion and Wilbers. That thing handled superb. It is all a leap of faith though and an investment required. If I was converting a V4, I would start with a base model and add quality suspension also...
17" on an 1150 adventure...parked at south side of Stelvio, the road down to Bormio below. I would add, the FZ1 is my bike in the picture. I spent an hour or two on the rattler. Never would have believed the handling but nobody could keep up with that guy in the twisty bits.
In theory I would guess so but if the bike is an inch lower by fitting a 17 inch front, I doubt there is enough fork length to raise the bike through. Mine sits at the top of the fork now.
Though doing that a larger rear rim might have clearance issues as the original is thinner and it's in a double sided swinging arm.
nope, not bought one. Lots of comments about 19” front, some have negative view. None of which asked the question….so, I did. Now you know.
Well that’s better than the original as it was shockingly shit standard . But the V4 s is great from standard , so no need to fuck about with the geometry as they got it rite . As most said it’s a different frame setting designed and proved at the factory .
Some more serious off road types change the front wheel to 21” on the GS. Makes me think that there is a fair degree of leeway before running in to problems. A short lightweight bike, such as a litre sports bike will have more radical geometry than these adv type bikes.
Going up is different to the reduction in wheel size as it in effect is slow speed and for a larger rolling surface to go over rough ground . I would imagine that on road at speed it would be awful . I had a Gs with 19 front and it was great , rode one with a 17 and it was well twitchy and worse than the standard 19 . That was the main reason for me to get the PP due to the recalibration of the chassis , Ducati know what they are doing better than most , don’t get me wrong as the 19 inch on the V4 is brilliant just let down by tyre choice .
