Centre Stand Grounding On St4s

Go guy a spring and change it. Probably cost £100 or £150 if you give it to someone else, and it will transform the bike imho

 

Spring preload is not for ride height adjustment, the adjustable rod in front of the shock is though. It has an eye end top and bottom one with left hand thread and one with right hand thread. Undo the lock nuts and then turn the rod and ride height will increase or decrease.

 

Couldnt remember if they were adjustable on the ST series. Alternatively the shock can sometimes be adjustable or add a link.

But putting the right spring in there, that with minimal preload puts the bike in the right 1/3 travel area static rider, means that add luggage and another rider and adding more preload may be able to keep in the same range.

 

I had a Yamaha sports tourer with a serious centre-stand grounding issue.

In my case, the answer was simple. I removed the centre-stand. Weight-saving and ground clearance, at a stroke. In my case, I was still able to employ the centre-stand for servicing purposes by lining it up and slotting bolts in place. The springs were put away for safe keeping. All perfectly safe.

This may not suit your purposes but it's an idea.

Of course, I then had to start modifying the side stand because that was grounding-out but that's another tale.

 

I never had a stand problem and it had 50000 miles on the clock.

 

not too much, but when 2up with 2 adults never had the stand issue.

 

I have to admit that I thought that the only stand stop was on the silencer ..... doh!

I've had a more careful look and find that the stand does indeed stop clear of the silencer when in pannier free mode but actually just rests on the bung in pannier fitted mode. See photos. Also the front tyre I've just removed ... you'll see that it gets virtually to the edge before the stand scrapes.

With the new tyres fitted I had to back the ride height off a smidge and it's now about 8mm.

Why don't you get the ride height to about 10mm clearance between tyre and ground on the stand and then play with the preload to get the sag right. Try a search on this forum for loaded sag .... from memory about 20mm?

I still think there's something odd going on with your stand if there's that gap between stand and silencer when the silencer is in the low position.

 

Static sag for that, so rider etc, going to be 25mm - 30 range is imagine rear. 45 front

 

Static sag for that, so rider etc, going to be 25mm - 30 range is imagine rear. 45 front

 

The stand looks ok in that picture? If it's too tight, grounding will lean it lifts the rear and you fall off!

Try and set sag: if it's max preload and the sag is only just there that's your issue (along with probably a shock that needs a rebuild)

 

The rear shock is a relatively poor quality Ohlins branded unit made down to Ducati spec and price. The seals do go on these, so if you have no fluid left in then that will not help the situation,

 

Looks to me that you may need a new stand spring and a new rear shock spring. I up rated my rear shock up 2 slots some time ago.

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/40-sport-touring/116853-ohlins-shock-spring-st4s.html

 

Would of thought so.

 

If you are within riding distance of colchester then you are probably close enough to MTC (16A Charles Industrial Estate, Stowupland Road, Stowmarket) 01449777161. I used them to set up my ST4S for 2 up european touring. The rear shock was tired and needed a stiffer spring by the way. They rebuilt the forks on one visit and the rear end on another, i went back becuase i was so happy with what they had done to the front end.
It will be better when they have finished with it.
If your grounding issue is not suspension related i am sure they can advise you, they see enough of them.

Cant see why a leaking rear shock absorber would have any effect on the ride height, preload requirement or anything else under discussion here.