1200 Pre-load Setting For Rider Weight?

Well there are inumerable threads on this topic,
you are aiming for about 1/3rd travel when in normal gear / weight. & ideally you need 2 assistance to aid whilst measuring. so whilst the front is set & forget (because its a manual setting), the rear can be electronically adjusted for all modes.

MIke

 

I'm a fat bar steward and carry luggage and a wife, never adjusted it other than with the buttons on the handlebar. Is that not sufficient for your needs or do some of the MTS not have that function ?

 

What makes you assume that? Take it to a suspension specialist for some professional advice, getting your set up right is too important to be guided by forum chatter

 

Yes the front is manual and needs a spanner. Noot sure about the rear tho, as mine is skyhook so is done (like ymfb) by the switches

 

At over 20 stone in gear the standard springs in my 2010-2012 MTS1200 were way too soft.
I went up two "spring settings" back and front.
This costs around £350-400.
Rear spring is about £100 and the fronts around £80, the rest of the cost is fitting / shipping.
If the bike has done any miles get them to service them, as they'll probably advise this anyway. You'll need to remove the suspension yourself and then send it to an Ohlins specialist (I can recommend FTR, but there may be others).
FTR Suspension - Motorcycle suspension, products & services
Start a conversation if you want more information.

Note I'd spend the effort getting the front right first. This is a manual process on all the MTS1200 (even Skyhook). The rear pre-load is electronic on the Ohlins and Skyhook, manual on the basic Sachs.
The Ohlins shocks uses a single rate spring, so it needs to be right for your weight.
Skyhook has a rising rate spring (back and front), so has a wider operating range (less sensitive to the wrong weight/spring combination).

Once you get it right you'll fall in love with your bike all over again.

Some of the advice given on here isn't based on real engineering knowledge, more "New Scientists" type faith in buttons and advertising crap.
Of course you can always stick your head in the sand and say "it's OK".

 

If you can take the shock off yourself, be about £150 tops: 100 for the spring and the rest for fitting it

And if you can get the sag right without it then it should be ok for most circumstances

Cant help you with the measurements tho as no idea what they are on this type of bike with longer travel suspension

 

As i understand it you should aim for about 1/3 of the total suspension travel to be taken up with the rider on the bike.


How-To: Setting Suspension Sag - Touratech-USA

 

What is the travel on a multi? 140..150 front??

 

This is the rear only!

 

Yep rear only, but front less important imho on a multi as its so long etc vast majority will get close without needing to swap out or just add a little more oil.

Got me thinking now, I have to do the gixer set up now its back, think I'll check out the numpty and see what the settings are and if I can get in range without changing anything. The rear is defo ok as when you add preload it can be almost solid, not looked at the front

 

Paul I have to disagree with you on this point.

You have the Skyhook model with progressive rate springs at the front, this makes it less sensitive to riders who fail to set the pre-load correctly (MOST skyhook riders).

The Ohlins suspension on the 2010-2012 model is way too soft at the front for Solo riders of our weight.
Even on maximum pre-load it sits way too low. Just look at Pete1940's and he's at least 4 stone lighter.
FTR advised me to increase the front spring rate by two whole settings, now with around 10-12 complete turns inward the sag setting is correct. The rear is also two spring settings increased although on this I have only around 20% of the pre-load set when solo/no luggage.

The suspension at the front is critical, more than the rear.

 

P&H at Crawley offer an Ohlins technician to set up your suspension. I was very impressed after it was done, big improvement.

 

This sounds ideal.
Will they allow you to chat to the tech before the booking, to make sure they have the right bits / advice?

 

They were excellent, they talked to me about how I like to ride and what I wasn't happy with. Set all the static measurements, then the damping etc, sent me out for a ride, I gave feedback and they fiddled a bit more, then set a touring and sport option, we didn't bother with the Urban and Enduro. I got a sheet of settings and then set my own wet weather option.

 

Ducatis drive from the rear, ie spend money on therear, the front is less important

 

I changed the feel of the bike by putting more weight over the front and dropping it slightly. It made it quicker steering, less input effort to turn and lost it's tendency to drop into corners

 

170mm i believe.

Ducati Marzocchi fork

 

170mm