[Vlad Drac]

Hello fellow HM owners, the Race-Tech cartridge thread has raised some questions for me. I too have considered the upgrade but probabaly not until next year. But until then.....

My question is: What have you guys found initially with the stock "S" suspension and what have you guys been doing regading the settings? Now before all the weight/sag comments begin to flow, I understand that this is the obvious. Im more interested in knowing things like...."the front has too much compression", "not enough rebound", "the front rides high", etc! What kind of settings are you guys finding that improved things....even if a little? Im looking for a general place to start because with my other bikes, I'd take all the recommended settings from magazine testers, compile them together, then start my own findings from there. All your advice/recommendations are greatly appreciated!

 

[PedroHM]

i put 5w oil in with the stock setup and it made it better. don't worry about sag on the front. Get your sag right at the rear and tune the front for balance in the corners and turn in. I ran very little rebound and it made a big difference but I now know better. spend the money on that rather than bling and you won't be sorry

 

[elliott5]

I have been talking with Marzocchi USA and Marzocchi UK and asked the question if their RAC 50 Cartridges and Springs will fit into the 'S' forks.

It's only been 2 days but I am eagerly awaiting their reply!

Lets hope so!

 

[Vlad Drac]

Thanks pedro, elliot!

Pedro, what weight oil does the HM"S" come with from the factoy?

Elliot, doesn't the HM"S" come with the RAC 50 Marzocchi already?

 

[elliott5]

Thanks pedro, elliot!

Pedro, what weight oil does the HM"S" come with from the factoy?

Elliot, doesn't the HM"S" come with the RAC 50 Marzocchi already?

Howdy, PSJ,

Marzocchi are telling me the HM 'S' forks are not RAC 50's

They are based on the design but have differences in the cartridge and fork top cap, as well as minor differences in the bottom casting.

I'm trying to establish if there is a possibility of an improvement by fitting the RAC 50 bits. Maybe get some 'tunability'.

I don't know if anyone has investigated this line before!

 

[PedroHM]

Thanks pedro, elliot!

Pedro, what weight oil does the HM"S" come with from the factoy?

Elliot, doesn't the HM"S" come with the RAC 50 Marzocchi already?

who knows!! what you tip out your forks in no way matches what either the manual says or the other listed value. I think i put 500ml of 5w in, I used the 480 as stated in the book and it crash bottomed out as there was no air spring. 500 or 550 I think. don't really care any more.

 

[MOTO BISTRO]

Thanks pedro, elliot!

Pedro, what weight oil does the HM"S" come with from the factoy?

Elliot, doesn't the HM"S" come with the RAC 50 Marzocchi already?

Front suspension ( MY08 1100S)

Reference Technical specifications
Type Marzocchi hydraulic upside-down fork, featuring adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping, fork legs Ø 50 with TIN treatment
Travel along leg axis 165 mm.
Fork Standard damping force setting. Undo adjusters from the fully closed position (turn counter clockwise). Compression: 1.5 turns ± 1/4 of a turn
Rebound: 1.5 turns ± 1/4 of a turn
Spring preload 10 mm (3 turns from the fully open position)


Recommended oil:
SHELL Advance Fork 7.5 or DONAX TA
Standard capacity:
0.480 cu.dm per leg.
Standard oil level:
104 mm.

For custom valving, springs, lowering and suspension set-up I recommend contacting Industry Suspension @ [email protected] I have had several of my motorcycles suspension components re-worked by Jayson Lubben. He has great prices, great service, giving great results and is just an overall great experience. Jayson definitely knows his stuff!

Here are a few of the racers he has worked for:

* Miguel Duhamel - American Honda - Showa/Ohlins

* Jason Pridmore - Yoshimura Suzuki - Showa

* Jaime Hacking - Yoshimura Suzuki - Showa

*Paul Carpenter - White Brothers Honda - White Bros /Showa

*Spud Walters - White Brothers Honda - White Bros /Showa

and a few more

*Tommy Hayden / Nicky Hayden / Larry Pegram / Johnny Murphrey / Matt Wait / Chris Carr...

 

[freezer16801]

Howdy, PSJ,

Marzocchi are telling me the HM 'S' forks are not RAC 50's

They are based on the design but have differences in the cartridge and fork top cap, as well as minor differences in the bottom casting.

I'm trying to establish if there is a possibility of an improvement by fitting the RAC 50 bits. Maybe get some 'tunability'.

I don't know if anyone has investigated this line before!

I am eagerly awaiting your info. What would something like this cost? I am wondering if it is a costworthy alternative to what racetech is selling?

 

[elliott5]

Hmmmm

Marzocchi have not replied, yet!

Will I get an answer? I don't know!

 

[PedroHM]

Front suspension ( MY08 1100S)

Reference Technical specifications
Type Marzocchi hydraulic upside-down fork, featuring adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping, fork legs Ø 50 with TIN treatment
Travel along leg axis 165 mm.
Fork Standard damping force setting. Undo adjusters from the fully closed position (turn counter clockwise). Compression: 1.5 turns ± 1/4 of a turn
Rebound: 1.5 turns ± 1/4 of a turn
Spring preload 10 mm (3 turns from the fully open position)


Recommended oil:
SHELL Advance Fork 7.5 or DONAX TA
Standard capacity:
0.480 cu.dm per leg.
Standard oil level:
104 mm.

For custom valving, springs, lowering and suspension set-up I recommend contacting Industry Suspension @ [email protected] I have had several of my motorcycles suspension components re-worked by Jayson Lubben. He has great prices, great service, giving great results and is just an overall great experience. Jayson definitely knows his stuff!

Here are a few of the racers he has worked for:

* Miguel Duhamel - American Honda - Showa/Ohlins

* Jason Pridmore - Yoshimura Suzuki - Showa

* Jaime Hacking - Yoshimura Suzuki - Showa

*Paul Carpenter - White Brothers Honda - White Bros /Showa

*Spud Walters - White Brothers Honda - White Bros /Showa

and a few more

*Tommy Hayden / Nicky Hayden / Larry Pegram / Johnny Murphrey / Matt Wait / Chris Carr...

I'd be keen to see how he cuts open the stock cartridges and welds them back together. its not an impossible job but very costly when you don't get it right first time.

 

[MOTO BISTRO]

I'd be keen to see how he cuts open the stock cartridges and welds them back together. its not an impossible job but very costly when you don't get it right first time.

Who said anything about cutting and welding?

 

[PedroHM]

the cartridges are all sealed up and crimped together. you'd have to cut / destroy them to get into them. Unless you have a new 'S' with the different forks then I would not have a clue

 

[elliott5]

I have been talking with Marzocchi USA and Marzocchi UK and asked the question if their RAC 50 Cartridges and Springs will fit into the 'S' forks.

It's only been 2 days but I am eagerly awaiting their reply!

Lets hope so!

Well, I have heard form Marzocchi and it goes something like this;

"Marzocchi provided the Hypermotard forks in responce to a request from Ducati to provide a fork of a certain specification, being the extended travel required for this installation. These forks are not RAC 50's and are a completely individual design not related to any existing Marzocchi product. There is no intention for Marzocchi to support these OEM installation forks with any upgrades to the internal mechanism, only to provide the OEM with spares as requested"

So I guess it's going to be 'after-market' for all of us!

 

[Vlad Drac]

Thanks elliot!

I wonder why would any manufacturer use anything from Marzocchi anyway?

They've done nothing in the motorcycling industry...... and they prioritize their MTB stuff!

My MV used junk Marzocchi forks too, worthless!

 

[doon]

Thanks elliot!

I wonder why would any manufacturer use anything from Marzocchi anyway?

They've done nothing in the motorcycling industry...... and they prioritize their MTB stuff!

My MV used junk Marzocchi forks too, worthless!