KTM 990/950 Adv thread

**warewolf** · 8th March 2010, 20:27

Originally Posted by Eddieb

Where Joe's had sag and was compliant and absorbed everything mine had very little sag, was rock solid and bounced over everything. At rest mine sat about an inch higher.

Any ideas on where to look for differences?

If they have the same springs, then the primary difference will be preload - more preload will make the bike sit up higher and feel harsh.

Measure the static & rider sag on both bikes, with the same rider on board. From that you should be able to work out if the preload and/or springs are different... maybe.

**Eddieb** · 8th March 2010, 20:48

Originally Posted by warewolf

If they have the same springs, then the primary difference will be preload - more preload will make the bike sit up higher and feel harsh.

Measure the static & rider sag on both bikes, with the same rider on board. From that you should be able to work out if the preload and/or springs are different... maybe.

Thanks Colin, I've already played around with the preload to see what difference it made, softening it up just made the ride harsh over bumps but didn't give anymore sag. It's now on 6 turns in from fully out which is factory recommended soft.

**offrd** · 8th March 2010, 20:48

Bout an inch difference between the 950 adventure and the 950 adventure S....

Part from that, Fork oil thickness, preload and rebound settings will change things too.

My RMX used to buck like an old mule till i had a bit of a tweek with a few turning thingies....

My .0000002cents

**Eddieb** · 8th March 2010, 20:56

Originally Posted by offrd

Bout an inch difference between the 950 adventure and the 950 adventure S....

Part from that, Fork oil thickness, preload and rebound settings will change things too.

My RMX used to buck like an old mule till i had a bit of a tweek with a few turning thingies....

My .0000002cents

Yeah, except they are both the standard model, and the spring markings confirm mine has a standard shock and spring in it, not an S one. I've played with the preload enough to decide it's not that. Next will be rebound then. The shock was rebuilt because the rebound adjuster was seized, now that it's working I set it on the factory soft setting also but will try backing it off a bit.

**dino3310** · 8th March 2010, 21:03

just eat a shit load of pies mate, an extra 10kgs helped with my suspention issues

**Eddieb** · 8th March 2010, 21:05

Originally Posted by dino3310

just eat a shit load of pies mate, an extra 10kgs helped with my suspention issues

Thats because you've become a townie, you've gone soft.

**dino3310** · 8th March 2010, 21:09

i live to close to a bakery and im getting softer the longer im off the bike, hope im still man enough to start her when she comes home

**Taz** · 8th March 2010, 21:19

Eddie are you sure your hydraulic preload adjuster is working at all?

Here's a thread I found on how to top up the preload reservior, See post #9.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...oad+adjustment

And then there's this thread
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...oad+adjustment

**Eddieb** · 8th March 2010, 21:27

Originally Posted by Anthrax

Eddie are you sure your hydraulic preload adjuster is working at all?

Here's a thread I found on how to top up the preload reservior, See post #9.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...oad+adjustment

It's working to some degree, as I could feel a difference between fully out and 6 turns in but the difference wasn't great though, certainly not spongy to firm but firm and a bit harsh fully out to firm and harshness removed after 6 turns in.

It's hard to turn and I haven't tried to see how far in it goes.

**cooneyr** · 8th March 2010, 21:28

I've a feeling, but you should definitely check, that the starting point for the hydraulic preload is not a fixed point i.e. it is still a screwed on collar that is the anchor point. Even with the hydraulic preload backed right off there still may be more preload than recommended. I think KTM does preload in mm from free spring length. Maybe you can JMJ's spring length with 0 hydraulic preload vs yours?

Cheers R

**Eddieb** · 8th March 2010, 21:41

dunno. I've just been down to the garage and the dial has a definate start and end point, with 19.5 full turns from one to the other.

**junkmanjoe** · 8th March 2010, 23:11

i rode eddies bike off road and on the gravel,
it is not as spongy as mine, but over all didn't feel to bad, it dose sit a tiny bit higher than mine,
mines set up good and im happy how it preforms,,, enough to fukn make me shit my pants again on the motor cross track today....fuk i lov this machine...
these young fellas down there just couldnt get over how big the back tire was...
lucky they didnt see my little moment, which did involve a little free air....

JMJ

**cooneyr** · 9th March 2010, 12:24

Originally Posted by Eddieb

dunno. I've just been down to the garage and the dial has a definate start and end point, with 19.5 full turns from one to the other.

Sorry I didnt explain myself very well, I'll try again. On the shock body itself the hydralic preload adjustor (think of it as the slave where as the knob you were turning is the master) has to be attached some how. I strongly suspect that there is a collar (or set of rings) that is screwed onto the shock body that the hydralic preload slave pushes against. There has to be something like this so that the spring can be removed. Have a look at the WP 4014 Fusion shock vs the 4014 Emulsuion shock. The hydralic preload slave ring is pretty obvious and the collar with all the holes is comon to both shocks.
Emulsion

Fusion

So if this colar is screwed on to much then even with the hydralic preload backed right off you may have more preload than JMJ does with a few turns on the hydralic preload. Think of this as the "base preload" that you cant go below with the hydralic preload.

As I mentioned before KTM is bound to have speced the mm of "base preload". Two ways to check this base preload. A - extend the shock as far as it will go, measure the spring length and compare with free spring length (no idea what this is) and diff is base preload. Does it mach KTM spec? B - second and best way is to take of all preload measure spring length and then put on KTM spec base preload.

Hope this helps. I've not had a look at the shock on my bike so I may be barking completelty up the wrong tree but I suspect I'm right (else I wouldnt have typed this). Feel free to tell me I've got it all wrong and I'm a complete plonker. A quick look at my bike tonight will confirm one way other the other.

Cheers R

**Eddieb** · 9th March 2010, 12:52

Yep, the Ohlins on the PD has exactly the arrangement as the Fusion.

I've not pulled all the panels off the bike yet to see if the 950 is the same but having a look through threads on the net indicates it's not.

As i interpret it on the 950 winding the adjustment up pushes oil into a hydraulic arrangement in the top of the shock which preloads force against the spring.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...oad+adjustment

This is the best pic I could find.