Multistrada 1200s Skyhook 2013 I am a bit confused about Preload / Skyhook connection/relation and hope some of you will be able to clear it up for me. I have read a lot about preload and I think I have a good understanding about having the right sag for my weight etc.. I have been trying to get to the recommended 25%-33% of total travel which is about 55mm on both front and rear. Still trying to get to that or as near as possible ( not easy on my own and misses always busy ). What is not clear to me and puzzles me is this. From my understanding preload sets the bike height for the riders weight and also the geometry. In effect preload is set and as long no additional weight goes on the bike it stays at that setting. On Skyhook Multi we have different modes, Sport, Touring, Urban & Enduro. Looking at the default Solo rear preload Sport=8, Touring=8, Urban=1, Enduro=24 - Front preload is the same on all modes (cannot remember the default number). To me this mean that the height and geometry changes from the ideal setting which in effects defeats the sag exercise (means in Urban will be slow turn-in and faster turn-in Enduro). Possibly I am looking at the whole thing completely wrong and there is a good reason why Ducati have these defaults .... any clarification will be greatly appreciated
Urban is just set up soft and low as it’s for bimbling around town or in the wet , so I guess turn in not all tha important at urban speeds Pretty sure enduro setting is just for max clearance for the rougher stuff - anyone wanting more would configure this themselves , I guess Where it matters in Sport and Touring with full power , the default geometry is the same Front preload is set manually so always constant
Is important to have the right sag for the type of bike still. Adding preload shouldn’t be used for overcoming a too-light a spring. One thing worth noting is that SH tries to keep the bike in a movement range, so upping preload too much can mean the system will over/under compensate in comp etc and can make what should be a softer ride to a harder one. As de o started by a few on here until they swapped the spring out.
Read what you want on here then watch a good super bike race. The front suspension should use 90% or more of it,s travel or it is pointless having that travel. Put a tywrap around the fork leg & go out & ride as you will. When you finish your average ride look at the tywrap. It should have consumed around 90-95% of the total travel of the stanchion. If it has not then you have it too stiff,,, preload too high. If you have bottomed out the forks then you need to up the preload. Other comments please.
Preload still only helps some you also need the right spring If you have too light a spring you can get preload correct but will bottom out fork and exceed 90% travel which is ideal leaving 10% for breaking hard and hitting pot holes at same time If you have too hard a spring then you you have to set less preload to get correct ride hight but then may only use 60 % of the travel which means you are wasting suspension and making things tough for you Also changing the compression damping will effect the ultimate % used of the stroke So if you are using say 95% of the stroke on a normal ride upping the compression damping a little may reduce it to 90% Every system is different The damping makes it more difficult to move the oil out the way so effectively acting as a slight aid to the spring as it controls the oils speed as it’s displaced Rebound damping controls how fast it allows the springs to push back It’s all a balance if you do not know what you are doing - it’s not easy - better to pay someone to help and set it up As long as no springs are needed then normally should be 50 to 100 for someone to set it up for you I had my scrambler forks done by FTR - springs and cartridges and then they helped me by phone and email to set up bike but offered the service if I took the bike to them - but as I was a long way away I used post for forks and email for support Unfortunately I had to send forks back to have springs lightened. Because even though they used the ones for my weight it was too heavy and I was only getting about 60 % stroke. So lots of trial and error on settings and fork oil volume did not help. When they come back with one weight less spring all was good.. emphasising spring rate is very important.
FTR have done work for me... Great company. I'm harder to kidnap than most and strongly disagree with these sorts of silly statements.
If the sag is in the right area, and you bottom out, it’s heavier springs you need or different ones (linear not progressive) probably.
Thats where skyhook comes in. If you have adjusted right leg preload & still bottom out, then surely up the skyhook settings for that mode on front leg.
Depends on how much over compensation you have for too light a spring. I have had plenty of bikes that are fine at rider sag and still bottom out on bumpy circuits. Normally a spring higher, mess with air gap and/or comp settings solve it. If bottomoming out on te road and rider sag was correct, chances are you are over compensating with preload and then it upsets all the other paratemeters, as I said above.
