Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

discussion about the 750 Sport and '89/'90 900SS, which share many mechanicals with the Paso series
bbeen71
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:18 pm
model: 900 SS
year: 1990
Location: Norway

Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by bbeen71 »

Hello
Just got a 90 900 w/ the 40mm MR1BB forks. What upgrades are available for this fork? Revalve kits, catridge kits etc?
Anybody have personal experience w these
And as we are not going classic racing; is a fork change a better way forward?
Mc tool
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1874
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:35 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: Newzealand

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Mc tool »

I guess the 1st thing to do would be to change the oil and seal and try them out . What is actually wrong with them?
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
Kmamac
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:56 pm
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Kmamac »

Hi, I picked up a 750 sport about 6 months ago. A non runner but the forks (same as yours I think) had something done to them by a company called maxton. They are in Cheshire UK and are a suspension specialist. Contacting them would unleash the information you require as they have obviously done work with this rather oddball 40mm fork that only Ducati seem to have used and for only a couple of years (as opposed to the much more popular 41.7 MIR’s!!
If you do get any information on what they do to these forks please post on here and let us know- kind of curious as to what was changed inside mine!
Best regards
Keith MM
bbeen71
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:18 pm
model: 900 SS
year: 1990
Location: Norway

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by bbeen71 »

Will change seals and oil, given that I was not happy with the Showa USD forks I just imagined that an older non adjustable fork would not improve on this. Also I would like to have some poss. for external adjustments

Kmamac; saw that they offered cartridge kits for 40mm Marzocchi forks at least som might be these or a revalve kit. Does Yours have the same top caps as original?
HIGHWAY89
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:35 am
model: 900 SS
year: 1989
Location: Australia

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by HIGHWAY89 »

I rebuilt mine as standard just new seals and oil, yet to experience how they perform
Kmamac
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:56 pm
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Kmamac »

Hopefully photo attached. Those more wise on such matters will tell us if the top is standard or part of the maxton upgrade
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bbeen71
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:18 pm
model: 900 SS
year: 1990
Location: Norway

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by bbeen71 »

Thats different from my top cap, but also different from the top cap on the kits they sell now I think.
Mc tool
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1874
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:35 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: Newzealand

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Mc tool »

Ah, so thats where the missing fairing screw went
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
bbeen71
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:18 pm
model: 900 SS
year: 1990
Location: Norway

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by bbeen71 »

:P
Mc tool
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1874
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:35 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: Newzealand

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Mc tool »

There is a lot to be said for having no adjustment ,lots of peeps seem to be able to make a pigs ear of "tuning" their suspension. I would be inclined to change the oil (and flush out all the gunge ) and spent a bit of time getting used to them before changing anything , and then I would go for a different weight and/or level oil if I had to do anything. Do these forks have the same set up as the M1r's with the comp dampening in one leg and the rebound in the other ?
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
bbeen71
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:18 pm
model: 900 SS
year: 1990
Location: Norway

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by bbeen71 »

I know what You are saying and dont disagree. And I will do just that for now. However I know from MTBs with fancy suspension that some fancy dials can do a big difference sometimes also.
And Yes the legs are compression in one and Rebound in the other. Quite basic stuff. Always a joy to see no copper washer and loads of silicone..
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angelix
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:38 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by angelix »

bbeen71 wrote:...........Always a joy to see no copper washer and loads of silicone..
yeah like the idiot who fixed by siliconing, then carefully filling , skimming , masking (not to ruin the labels..) and painting (two coats) the underside of my gas tank 750 Sport "nuovo"

the "job" was so well made I spotted it only when , while I was preparing the tank for repainting it, I used a produt that reacted with the clearcoat on the "repair" .

of course this all happened after welding the other bracket, cleaning the inside and sealing it with a POR15 treatment kit.

I was so pissed off I could burn the whole project.

sometimes I think hanging certain assholes by their testicles could be a good thing for humanity
Mc tool
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1874
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:35 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: Newzealand

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Mc tool »

Separate forks for each dampening has gotta make it easier to tune them .
And yeah, it is mind boggling what some people will do
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
HIGHWAY89
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:35 am
model: 900 SS
year: 1989
Location: Australia

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by HIGHWAY89 »

IMG_27042020_153728_(1024_x_768_pixel).jpg
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Better late than never, I think and hope this is the original topnuts for the standard forks on the 89/90 900 SUPERSPORT, I've rebuilt these but not had the chance to see how they work
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Frank.61
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:21 am
model: 750 Paso
year: 1989
Location: Belgium

Re: Fork upgrade 40mm MR1BB

Post by Frank.61 »

Honestly, I like the outlay of the Paso frames with their square steel tubes and all, BUT ….. it will never look as good as a (trellis) round tube frame coated in bright red, GORGIOUS !!! :beer:

Also the round tube frames from those days were much better finished in my opinion (weldings and all).
The only thing, sofar ;) I regretted during my restoration project is that I just powdercoated the Paso frame (as such beautifully done) but I should have asked a professional welder to redo all the welding on my Paso frame (tidy up).

I did read somewere that Tamburini, seriously pissed of :thumbup: , did send the first batches of frames back (supplier???) due to the fact that they were made with a below par quality.
O yeah, when he returned the frames he cut them to prevent the frames from being patched up (I admire Tamburini :cool: ).
I don't wonder if I compare the welding quality of the Bimotas from his days to my Paso's frame.
Although I have to say he used the same steel quality as his Bimotas (25Cr-Mo4).

Frank
Bimota SB4-S - 1984
Ducati Paso 750 - 1989
Suzuki SV1000S - 2008
Ducati Monster 796 abs - 2010
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