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Losing traction on bumpy corners

Psyclotron

Psyclotron

dance magic dance
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Location
Friscoville
Moto(s)
Mule-tee-strah-dah
Name
meat n2veg
So just gettin into the swing with my new Multi; it has Pirelli Scorpions, pressure currently set to 28/32 front rear.

I'm not sure if I'm just not used to the huge amount of leverage available on the steering, but I can feel the front end getting squirly when I hit any bump, especially when turning. I haven't got the adjustable suspension set up for me, though the setting seem rideable enough for now. The tread seems about half gone (4400 miles), so not sure if a bigger, top heavy bike will feel like this compared to the Ninja 250 I'm used to, but any input's welcome.

btw, the manual says "95 octane"; what type of 'average' octane does that translate into at our (USA) pump?
 
28psi tire pressures are a smidgen on the low side for a middle-heavy weight bike. Experiment with low-mid 30's.

Get your suspension sorted.

Yes big bikes steer different than light weight Ninja 250's.
 
You have to special order the fuel...:teeth

91 octane is fine. I have the OEM Pirelli Diablos and am running 34/35 right now and it feels pretty good...

Change your profile so we can see exactly which model you're referring to. Also if you haven't already, go sign up at www.multistrada.net
 
put it up to 37/39 and it's feelin' much better. i can actually feel the suspension.

it was strange before, like the steering was torquing away from me. much improved; although there still were some jitters on certain bumps in turns but i'd assume that's mostly normal.

i've heard you should get a few weeks on a new bike before getting the suspension set up. thoughts?
 
calmike79 said:
put it up to 37/39 and it's feelin' much better. i can actually feel the suspension.

it was strange before, like the steering was torquing away from me. much improved; although there still were some jitters on certain bumps in turns but i'd assume that's mostly normal.

i've heard you should get a few weeks on a new bike before getting the suspension set up. thoughts?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't wait, no real reason not to have the suspension set up by Dave Moss immediately, and depending upon your weight you may want to get new springs.
Congrats on the new acquisition.
 
calmike79 said:
...btw, the manual says "95 octane"; what type of 'average' octane does that translate into at our (USA) pump?
Click to expand...

Based on the threads at multistrada.net, I think most MTS owners are just running the cheap 87 octane gas. I haven't heard of anyone having a problem with pre-ignition / engine knocking
 
TTTom said:
Based on the threads at multistrada.net, I think most MTS owners are just running the cheap 87 octane gas. I haven't heard of anyone having a problem with pre-ignition / engine knocking
Click to expand...

I can't bring myself to put anything but premium in any of my bikes. Might be excessive, but it's a highly tuned engine.... maybe a sloppy old single or v-twin would be less of a deal.
 
i filled it was 89. guess that's the conservative, by the book choice. but theoretically you should run the lowest octane that doesn't cause pinging, eh? (i dont even know what that sounds like; hopefully not anything like backfire popping which seems pretty common on engine braking on this bike)
 
Hi CalMike79,

As some mentioned, there is a great site dedicated to the MultiStrada. You can find most of these questions already answered there.

http://www.multistrada.net

But I also see some of the MultiStrada faithful are already present in BARF.

TTTom
jboat

Cheers
Vern748
 
New Multistrada, eh? I told you that you were gonna like it ;)

Re: suspension, do it immediately. Once the suspension is dialed in for you its going to feel much, much better - it'll definitely fix the choppiness you're experiencing.

I'm not sure why anyone would recommend waiting to dial in your suspension, unless the purpose is to become acclimated with how the bike rides so you can decide what you want your settings to be. Of course, I have no idea how to set suspension up, so I just let the experts handle it - in which case I can't see why you shouldn't just take it in right now.

Oh, and congrats. :)
 
If you are losing traction it is a suspension problem. Get with someone who can help you adjust it. Low tire pressures won't make you lose traction, but they will screw up your handling. It does sound like you are running your tire pressures a little too low.
 
I just chatted with Desmoto. Sounds like they have a lot of expertise with suspension set up. Quoted me 1/2 hr labor, which seems very reasonable. I guess they're not as specialized as Dave Moss, though. He did say that the Sachs / Marzocchi combo isn't as easy to dial in as the original Showa stuff they used to use. In any case, for basic street use think Desmoto would do the trick ok?

(incidentally, it looks like Nichols has the best prices on valve adj service on Ducs. anyone have experience of Nichols vs Desmoto vs Modesto on service? Ace seems expensive, so even though they're somewhat close to me and I got my MTS there, I'm not inclined to pay dealer-rate on service)
 
Last edited:
calmike79 said:
I just chatted with Desmoto. Sounds like they have a lot of expertise with suspension set up. Quoted me 1/2 hr labor, which seems very reasonable. I guess they're not as specialized as Dave Moss, but I couldn't get a hold of anyone there today. He did say that the Sachs / Marzocchi combo isn't as easy to dial in as the original Showa stuff they used to use. In any case, for basic street use think Desmoto would do the trick ok?

(incidentally, it looks like Nichols has the best prices on valve adj service on Ducs. anyone have experience of Nichols vs Desmoto vs Modesto on service? Ace seems expensive, so even though they're somewhat close to me and I got my MTS there, I'm not inclined to pay dealer-rate on service)
Click to expand...

Aight, heres the deal. Nichols is The premiere shop for Ducati service, they are the most reliable knowledgeable and trusted shop in the Bay. Dave moss IMHO is the best for suspension setup. The best way to get ahold of him is to go to his website and go find him at a track day. You dont have to pay for the track day, just sign in as visitor. Its only $40 to have Dave Dial in your suspension. Usually once he does his initial adjustments he then ask you to ride a few miles and come back so he can finish dialing in the suspension when its hot. Yes certain dealerships say they can dial in your suspension but none will even come close to what a real suspension professional will be able to do for you.
 
calmike79 said:
I just chatted with Desmoto. Sounds like they have a lot of expertise with suspension set up. Quoted me 1/2 hr labor, which seems very reasonable. I guess they're not as specialized as Dave Moss, though. He did say that the Sachs / Marzocchi combo isn't as easy to dial in as the original Showa stuff they used to use. In any case, for basic street use think Desmoto would do the trick ok?

(incidentally, it looks like Nichols has the best prices on valve adj service on Ducs. anyone have experience of Nichols vs Desmoto vs Modesto on service? Ace seems expensive, so even though they're somewhat close to me and I got my MTS there, I'm not inclined to pay dealer-rate on service)
Click to expand...

If you get the suspension set, be sure to arrange an exact time with Desmoto. It's best to adjust the suspension while the shock and forks are still warm. Take a nice ride, pull up, and have it properly tuned. If you pull up and have to wait while your suspension cools, the setup may not be ideal.

For what it's worth, I think Dave Moss is the best way to go.
 
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