My name is Skybarney and I am an addict.

[Skybarney]

Are there meetings for this addiction?  I am afraid to even think about the things I have left to do.  I have done my best to keep the changes subtle.  I will post up some pics when I charge the real camera.  The darn phone just does not do it justice.......

AME heated grips
Carbon World front hose cover.
Carbon World rear hugger.
Carbon World exhaust heat shield.
Carbon World mid-pipe cover.
Carbon World chain guard.
Catalyst Reaction suspension setup.
DID ZVMX 520 chain
Driven 15t 520 front sprocket
Driven quick change sprocket carrier
Ducabike rear carrier cover.
Ducabike front sprocket cover.
Ducati tank guard.
ECU Remap.
Evap removal with Euro oil cooler shroud.
Evo-Tec  exhaust bracket.
Go Cruise throttle control.
Moto Dynamics smoked integrated taillight
Moto Wheels folding ¾ levers.
Oberon bar end turn signals
Oberon clutch slave cylinder.
Ohlins 737 rear shock.
Rizoma tail tidy.
Rizoma rear sets.
Rizoma “New Gen” frame plugs.
Rizoma MA005 handlebar.
Rizoma "Next" F/R brake and clutch reservoirs.
Saddlemen Track  Seat.
Shortened front signals (wired in synch with bar end signals).
Superlight 43t 520 Black Steel  rear sprocket
Sylvania ZXE Headlight Bulbs.
Zard low mount carbon exhaust.

I call her the catalog queen.  I won't play with serious mods until the warranty runs out and I get a better shop.

[Barney]

that's quite a list!

how much of an improvement is that ohlins rear shock over the stock?  I'm no expert, but I don't understand how something like that can have an improvement on anything other than perceived ride quality, unless it gives you more control over the adjustments...

and also, as always, pics or it didnt happen.

[Skybarney]

The rear shock was the best money I spent on the bike.  It flows across the road.  In retrospect I should have bought the S model as Ohlins is a huge bonus.  I will be doing a front Ohlins if I can ever find a deal.  Although a company did just come out with a cartridge for the Marzzocchi's.  Supposed to be quite nifty for $700.00 or so.

Pics are coming,  I still have to fit a couple of things to the little beast before I am ready to post pics.  Primarily one rear set and the handlebars/grips.  I have just been waiting for the grips to show up to put them on.  Trying to decide on which bar end mirrors as well.  With the heated grips and the Oberon signals there is a bit of wiring to run and I don't want to do it twice.

[Triple J]

The rear shock was the best money I spent on the bike.  It flows across the road.  In retrospect I should have bought the S model as Ohlins is a huge bonus.  I will be doing a front Ohlins if I can ever find a deal.  Although a company did just come out with a cartridge for the Marzzocchi's.  Supposed to be quite nifty for $700.00 or so.

I wouldn't sweat it too much. IMO, getting a high quality aftermarket shock, and a good cartridge kit for your forks gives you a better end product than the "Fauxhlins" that come on the Duc S models. Even with the S model you would still need to have everything set-up for your weight, which would likely cost on the order of $1,000 to have it done right.

[spolic]

What are you going to replace with your next knock over?

[ducpainter]

I wouldn't sweat it too much. IMO, getting a high quality aftermarket shock, and a good cartridge kit for your forks gives you a better end product than the "Fauxhlins" that come on the Duc S models. Even with the S model you would still need to have everything set-up for your weight, which would likely cost on the order of $1,000 to have it done right.

I'd have to disagree about the 'Fauxlins' comment.

An Ohlins unit is Ohlins..and any suspension part regardless of lineage needs to be set up for every rider to work as advertised.

[SpikeC]

 I read disparaging comments about the Ohlins on the m1100S with some consternation. The set on mine were delightful, nicely compliant in town, and the bike was dead nuts stable in the local twisties, some of which are not particularly smooth. Mine were setup as stock, I weigh just over 160 without gear, so maybe I was just lucky that it was good for me, butt I have nothing butt good to say about them.

[koko64]

The only support here are enablers!

[Skybarney]

The problem with the internet is that anything you read and start to believe usually has a "just as believable" counter-argument somewhere else on the net.  To me as long as it works well I am happy.  The rear Ohlins made a huge difference.  I would have to imagine that a front Ohlins would make a difference as well.  I am not trying to set lap times, I am trying to play in the twisties as confidently as possible.  A well setup suspension is a huge bonus.

Meanwhile I just installed my Rizoma rear sets.  Awesome!  Damn to bad the Zard mid-pipe does not allow me to finish the install.  I had to take it to a muffler shop to extend it 1.5 inches as the brake return spring is totally in the way.  Now I have to figure out how to quickly change or modify the existing bracket on the pipe to allow it to move 1.5 inches back.  Nothing with this bike has been real simple.  So many things should fit, but don't.  Long list of parts returns due to some things not quite fitting......  The Bi-tubo damper and Ducabike slave cylinder were the two most recent.

[jcmjrt]

I have a '10 Monster 696 ABS and went to Chain Reaction too. I had a set of front cartridges put in and of course they set up my suspension as well. Wow! is all I can say. I expected good changes but really this transformed the bike into the bike that I wanted. I can feel the road but it's not beating me up. I don't know if the rear suspension being upgraded could be quite as good....but maybe I'll find that one out someday too... I love the twisties too and a smooth line is so much easier to obtain with a well setup suspension system.

I was thinking about that motodynamics integrated tail light someday too. It just looks so clean with a good tail tidy.

[Triple J]

I'd have to disagree about the 'Fauxlins' comment.

An Ohlins unit is Ohlins..and any suspension part regardless of lineage needs to be set up for every rider to work as advertised.

They're still good units, but they're a lower quality part compared to the aftermarket Ohlins you can purchase...hence the fauxlins. Agreed that any suspension part needs to be set-up.

My only point is, you can get a better set-up by saving the money on the S model, and just getting aftermarket suspension upgrades (Ohlins, Penske, etc) that are purchased set for your weight...Skybarney shouldn't sweat not getting the S model if suspension is the issue.

[Barney]

The problem with the internet is that anything you read and start to believe usually has a "just as believable" counter-argument somewhere else on the net.  To me as long as it works well I am happy.  The rear Ohlins made a huge difference.  I would have to imagine that a front Ohlins would make a difference as well.  I am not trying to set lap times, I am trying to play in the twisties as confidently as possible.  A well setup suspension is a huge bonus.

Meanwhile I just installed my Rizoma rear sets.  Awesome!  Damn to bad the Zard mid-pipe does not allow me to finish the install.  I had to take it to a muffler shop to extend it 1.5 inches as the brake return spring is totally in the way.  Now I have to figure out how to quickly change or modify the existing bracket on the pipe to allow it to move 1.5 inches back.  Nothing with this bike has been real simple.  So many things should fit, but don't.  Long list of parts returns due to some things not quite fitting......  The Bi-tubo damper and Ducabike slave cylinder were the two most recent.

"The problem with the internet is that is that you can't always depend on the accuracy of the information you're looking for."

-abraham lincoln

[Skybarney]

The reason I did not buy the "s" model was thinking that the money would be better spent on aftermarket parts.  I am not trying to set record lap times so I had hoped the stock suspension would serve me as well as it did some of my previous bikes.  It did not.  The beast was a bucking bronco until I changed the rear shock and had the suspension setup by someone smarter than myself.

Needless to say I will far exceed the additional cost of an "S' model.  Now I am off to go fly some people around and then to the metal shop to see if I can create an exhaust bracket for the beast.  Gonna build something out of aluminum and cut and drill the stock mount from the Zards until I can get someone to fab up a nice bracket.

Should look a bit rough as my primary metal working tool is a die cutter and a Dremel.

[Steve.In.Atlanta]

Okay, when are these pictures coming?

[Lucumon]

Okay, when are these pictures coming?

+1