640 cockpit mods

[earthmover]

I think I've just about got the cockpit of my 640 how I want it now. A Scott steering damper, mated to a Stenhouse Racing mount, to keep the plot straight and add an extra 20mm raise to the bars. I got new throttle and decompressor cables 50mm longer from Venhill, they weren't absolutely necessary, but I was able to route them better than the standard ones. Cycra handguards, with the U-mountings to allow me to have the levers set lower, and provide much needed crash protection. A roadbook holder from Acerbis, fastened to a stainless steel bracket made by a local fabricator to avoid the bars hitting it, as the KTM part does. (He has kept the pattern, if anyone else wants one). ProGrip handgrips, as I can't get on with the foam ones it came with, far too fat for my liking. I tried various methods for positioning the GPS, but none of them worked particularly well. A Malcolm Smith bracket from the handlebar bolts was fine, until I compressed the forks and the brake hose tried to rip the aerial off. Mounting it under the roadbook obscures the clocks, unless I lift the roadbook up, which puts it too far above the fairing. Without completely rearranging the dash, I settled on the faithful Ram Mount, with a Touratech bracket, very soon to be powered from an extra socket on the dash.
Big thanks to Colin Stenhouse, off the ADVrider site, for his assistance with getting the right parts.

Mark

 

[louisdut]

That looks GREAT

makes mine look very much DIY

 

[MarkN]

Hi Mark,

I'd be really interested to learn more about the Scott steering damper, does it take out all that high speed wobble you get at 80mph plus? Mine shakes like a 1960's teenage girl!

Do you have the part numbers available and the costs involved please?

Also, have you changed the bars or used any bar risers? I've been looking around for some but just can't find anything to suit.

Cheers

Mark (another one)

 

[earthmover]

Hi Mark,

I'd be really interested to learn more about the Scott steering damper, does it take out all that high speed wobble you get at 80mph plus? Mine shakes like a 1960's teenage girl!

Do you have the part numbers available and the costs involved please?

Also, have you changed the bars or used any bar risers? I've been looking around for some but just can't find anything to suit.

Cheers

Mark (another one)

I don't really know if it stops that, I got it to help take the strain out of long off-road rides, and to help cure the headshake when braking over bumps. I would imagine it must help. I don't tend to do 80+ anyway, only in short bursts.
KTM sell bar risers which lift about 25mm. The Stenhouse mount lifts them about 45mm.
Scott have a website from which you order the under-bar (or Sub mount) damper, and the bolt-on tower for a KTM (unless you fancy weld on)
Stenhouse racing have a link from the ADVrider site, Colin is very helpful indeed.
Total cost, in April, was £325.00 for the lot.
HTH
Mark

 

[MarkN]

I don't really know if it stops that, I got it to help take the strain out of long off-road rides, and to help cure the headshake when braking over bumps. I would imagine it must help. I don't tend to do 80+ anyway, only in short bursts.
KTM sell bar risers which lift about 25mm. The Stenhouse mount lifts them about 45mm.
Scott have a website from which you order the under-bar (or Sub mount) damper, and the bolt-on tower for a KTM (unless you fancy weld on)
Stenhouse racing have a link from the ADVrider site, Colin is very helpful indeed.
Total cost, in April, was £325.00 for the lot.
HTH
Mark

Thanks Mark,

All good advice, will look into it.

Cheers

Mark

 

[KTMmartin]

Just to clarify, you used the scotts' damper with which brand of bar risers? I was looking at also going 2-3cm higher, but was concerned that this wouldn't work with a damper - though it clearly does. What work was involved installing?

Also, where did you get the Cycras?

Looks cracking!

 

[earthmover]

Just to clarify, you used the scotts' damper with which brand of bar risers? I was looking at also going 2-3cm higher, but was concerned that this wouldn't work with a damper - though it clearly does. What work was involved installing?

Also, where did you get the Cycras?

Looks cracking!

The Stenhouse Racing mount comes complete with the riser tubes needed to clear the damper. I am at work, so not near the bike to measure the actual height gain. The hardest part of installing it was the bolt on "tower" which has to go round the headstock, and needed a small amount of persuasion to fit flush. You do need to take the front end apart, but it's a good excuse to check and re-pack the steering bearings.
The Cycra handguards were ordered from the internet, can't remember where exactly, but it was in the UK. The U-bend brackets are hard to find though.
HTH
Mark

 

[ChubbyThumper]

Bike is mint Earthmover, you should have brought it to Ruthin!

I changed my rear sprocket to 44 teeth, made a fantastic difference off road. I find the gearing similar to my CRF250X.. Haven't the cojones to go much over 80 on AC10s, it all gets a bit sensitive and wandery. Think a damper would help that?

 

[earthmover]

14/42 on mine, 15/42 still runs away a little too much for my liking on steep downhills. It is in pretty good order for a bike with over 10,000 miles on the clock . Previous owner did a lot of distance work on it though. I've not had much chance to really test the damper at speed, I did run up and down the same rocky lane 6 or 7 times to find the optimum setting for off-road stuff, much to the bemusement of the sheep! Problem is now I don't get the same deflection from rocks, I'll probably smack the rims up or get snakebite flats. May get chance to do some more tetsing this weekend before the Rydale.
Mark

 

[earthmover]

Hi Mark,

I'd be really interested to learn more about the Scott steering damper, does it take out all that high speed wobble you get at 80mph plus?

Just for you Mark, at great risk to life, limb and tyre wear, I have tested the damper at the velocity you refer to.
With Desert front and Baja rear, both at 15 psi, and the damper set at 14 clicks out from hardest setting, there is a slight "shimmy" from the bars. Not scary, but noticeable. At 13 clicks, it reduces, at 12 still further and so on, until at 10 clicks out (limit of my adjustment range) it is a solid as a rock.
I can't move the adjuster more than 4 clicks with the plastic pointer on, but don't need to as the difference between 10 and 14 clicks out is all I have tested it on at the moment.
HTH
Mark

 

[The Other PaulG]

fastened to a stainless steel bracket made by a local fabricator to avoid the bars hitting it, as the KTM part does. (He has kept the pattern, if anyone else wants one).

Mark

Yes, I do!

Pls could you provide his contact details, and approximate price?

Thanks,

PG

 

[earthmover]

Hi Paul,
Unfortunately the guy is harder to pin down than a politician! Loisdut wants one as well, but no end of phone calls and reminders seem to have had any effect. I must have been lucky and caught him on a good day. I''l nip round at lunch time and bend hid ear.
Mark