Yep, it's been a big challenge to get it sorted. The suspension has been the biggest issue, between binding forks, wrong springs, leaking rear shock etc the suspension alone was a mission. Turns out the steering head tightness was what was holding me back after replacing the rear shock and new springs at the front.
I've learnt a lot about suspension over the last six years between starting racing and also rebuilding some classic forks (not the upside-down ones on the Ducati) and trying to sort this particular bike. Understanding the complex relationship between worn components, springs, sag, preload, rebound, compression and the front and rear balance of the aforementioned settings on the bike, has been a massive challenge. I could imagine how a lovely little bike like this could bounce from owner to owner if they didn't have the perseverance to troubleshoot these issues. I threw in the towel several times but over the last year I've persevered and kept working on it I feel like I'm in the final throws of sorting it. The steering head was the final key to the puzzle, its helped make the bike feel much more planted, I think the smallest play in the steering head interferes with the feel and performance of the whole bike. We're not quite home and dry, I know what it should feel like, but I feel like I'm just a tiny bit of adjustment away from cracking it.
