pre '04 ST2/4 clipon/bars vs ST4s

[BlueST2]

Does anyone know the difference (if any) between the earlier style (pre 2004) ST2/4 handlebar clipons and the ST4s clipons?

I recently picked up a pair of ST4s forks (fully adjustable) to replace my stock '01 ST2 forks (non-adjustable) and will be having NCRick from Cogent Dynamic revalve and respring the ST4s forks for a suspension upgrade to my ST2.

The triple clamps appear to be the same for ST2/4/4s (50mm top tube diameter and 54mm bottom dia.) but the ST4s utilizes different clipon bars. I noticed this as the Ducati part # is different for the ST4s clipons and both Helibar and Cycle Cat use a different part number for their ST4s clipons.

Rick from Cogent Dynamics seems to recall the ST4s forks maybe protruding more through the top triple clamp compared to ST2/4 forks. Could this be the difference?...more space in the ST4s clipons to accommodate the forks with their adjustable top caps?

I currently have a set of Helibar clipons on my ST2 and would like to use them with the installation of the ST4s forks. Helibar has discontinued the pre '04 ST4s bar clipon setup and I don't want to go back to stock ST (4s?) bars if I can avoid it as I much prefer the increase rise and feel of the Helibars.

Any ideas on this matter of ST4s fork transfer and clipon application would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[ryanr256]

The '03 ST4s in my garage doesn't have clip-ons. The handlebars are on fixed risers that screw/bolt to the upper triple clamp. The riser base has an opening for the fork tube to pass through. Nothing clamps to the fork tube.

Quote from the Cycle Cat web site:
The DBR5 and DBR15 differ only in the hole patterns for installation of the stock controls on the handlebars.

The DBR5 is the system for the ST2/ST4 and the DBR15 is for the ST4s.

I don't have any experience with the Helibars so I don't know if your ST2 models will work with the 4s forks.

[edit]
Looking at the pic on the Helibars site, if yours has the opening like the one in the pic you should be o.k.. If the ST2 model doesn't have the opening, they probably won't work.
[/edit]
-Bob

[BlueST2]

Thanks Bob, your info sound promising! Question, do the fork tubes protrude through the top of your triple-tree/clamp? I am aware that the adjustment cap feature of the ST4s forks will protrude for access of (preload?) changes, but does the actual upper fork tube rise above the level of the triple-tree?

Thanks,

Thomas

[ryanr256]

Honestly, I can't tell. I have the Cycle Cats on my bike and it's not obvious.

Here's a pic of the stock setup:


Don't know if it helps. Maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in.

-Bob

[dharhay]

The tubes do not protrude above the top surface of the fork top triple clamp on the 02 03 ST4s. The stock cast aluminum bars have a depression that is about .5 inch deep and it is 50.7mm in dia, so the forks should slide into them a little ways.

The Heli bars will not allow the fork to be moved up into their ID. Unless of course they have changed their design, my set dont allow that.

Many of the flat risers that are on the market are similar in that they dont allow the fork to go up into them either. You can open up the ID and they will work fine, as I have done this on my .5 inch thick flat risers.

[BlueST2]

Thanks Dave, good info and good to know. I'll have to do a trial fit of the ST4s forks into my ST2 and see if my Helibars will work. If I have to by new clip-on bars then I may have to go with Cycle Cats as they are still available for 2002-2003 ST4s bikes, but $395.00, ouch!

I got my Helibars from a member of the Yahoo ST owners group for $75.00 + $40.00 for new powdercoat through Heli Modified Inc.. I e-mailed Heli Modified Inc. to see what the difference is between the two sets of ST bars, but no response as of yet (1 Day thus far only).

My newer 2003 ST4s forks arrived at Cogent Dynamics and Rick measured them comparing them to another set of ST4s forks he had. He stated that my forks were a bit shorter in total length and thought that perhaps Ducati had changed the specs of their forks with model year changes. Seeing that they were from the 1st generation of st4s bikes (2002-20003), they hopefully will fit without issue.

Cheers,

Thomas

[andrucati]

I think I read somewhere that the only difference in the
5 and 15 models is the placement of the holes in the bars that anchor the position of the controls.

[guido]

Hello
I believe that the fork tubes "should" be able to be set above the top clamp. There are actually a lot of variables here, as I recently discovered.
I, too, use the CycleCat bar riser system, and frankly, I can't imagine any system working better or providing more adjustability.
When I replaced my fork tubes after fork upgrades/rebuilds I was faced with the question of how to set the "elevation" of the tubes vs. the top clamp.
As it turns out, the Ducati manual specifies a dimension from the top of the bottom clamp to the top of the tube cap.
I set the tubes to this dimension (I forget what it spec'd, but it's in a previous thread) and they were actually below flush with the top clamp.
I was pretty certain that my tubes protruded a few mm above the top clamps when I received the bike from AMS.
So, I went about adjusting them to match what I recalled, and then realized that the top clamp pretty much "floats", since there are no lips or stops machined in to it. There is quite a bit of adjustability over the bearing adjuster nut as well, so the simple answer is, if the dimension is set from the bottom clamp as called out, the top clamp can be just about anywhere on the assembly.
I think it looks best, and most people will set it, with the top of the top clamp more-or-less flush with the top of the steering-stem adjuster nut. That doesn't mean much as far as the tube protrusion, though.
I have mine 6mm above the top clamp, which is 8mm higher than Ducati recommends. I reckon this is the same as raising your rear ride height, at least to a point. Don't want to be scraping stuff off.....

Hope this helps....

guido in Houston
'03 ST4S ABS