I had Ducati Newport Beach install the factory lowering kit last week. They charged 4 hours labor in addition to the price of the kit. For me it was well worth it! I have a 29.5" inseam with a Russell seat and getting the balls of both feet down was very difficult in Tour and impossible with the stock preload settings in Sport. I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell is different that nets a 20 mm drop in seat height. The free standing height of the rear spring is the same as the original, the wire gauge is exactly the same, the coil count is the same (so the wire isn't any longer), the twist pattern looks the same.... so what the hell did they do? Is it in the material or the processing? I don't know. I've lowered bikes before and other than a factory lowered GS, the results have never been satisfactory. Usually the ride deteriorates and the bike develops a propensity for grinding stuff. So this one was a revelation. None of the above. It rides almost exactly the same as it did before other than a it seemed a little stiffer in the front on the freeway but reducing the front damping from medium to soft even eliminated that. It's amazing the difference 3/4" can make when it comes to feeling secure at a stop. Besides that, I have the new software update installed and turning on the Min preload option has me flat-footed at a stoplight, unbelievable! I put 460 miles on it Sunday including 200 on the freeway and the rest at speed in the twisties. It did not touch anything down and handled the same as it always does. Between the lowered suspension, Pikes Peak handlebar and the Akra full system, Sunday's was a very, very good ride. 
Marc
Marc
