7. Bridgestone ultra heavy duty tubes and I use the following tyres for different trips.
Dunlop 606 front and rear for 2-4 day trips
Mefo super explorer for 10 day trips on the rear. 28psi in front and rear tyres. As sonn as I put nobby tyres on I balance both wheels.
When putting the front wheel back in I make sure the disc are centred in the brake calipers. This can be done by just doing up the big hub nut to just past finger tight then slightly toghten one on of the top nuts and then push the front end up and down wit the front brake on.
There is little margin for error and if one disc is slightly touching the caliper housing you will get a shudder in the fron tend when you come off acceration above 80 km. This problem has produced more sales for steering dampners than i would like to think off.
P.s The front rim will get dints in it no matter what you do. Sm pro on the front is the best i have found so far. Part of the reason i run 28psi is to limit rim damage. The 990 is a special animal that can hit shit hard but this is where you will get the carnage.
Another p.s : swann insurance offers rim insurance and no 990 owner who goes bush should not have it.
8. Weld large washer onto side stand so it can work on sand or in the mud.
9. The suspension should be set to sport setting. If you are getting the bottom end bottoming out we have found that dave at suspension matters has got some magic valving to help wiith this issue.
I have never had valing work done on the front forks because I reckon stock is so bloody good.
On all my bikes I will adjust the front pre load . Usually i will turn it in just one revolution both sides and then test.
Here are some things I look for with 990 suspension.
I find the best testing ground for suspension is a gravel road with off camber corners. What i am looking for is the softest settings I can run without the bike bottoming out too often and it wallowing when I am applying power or diving too much when braking hard.
Usually if the rear is kicking out when applying throttle the rear compression is on too much. If the bike wont stay in a corner and turn into the corner the rear is usually too hard. Solution. Step1 just unwind the big rear knob under the seat. If you cant solve it there just un load the spring a revolution. If you cant get it right with that you usually need a new spring and set your static sag again.
If the front is not turning into the corner the front pre load needs to be backed off. I will then go for my compression settings. I find that the 990 standard set up is really good on the front forks you just need to play with the preload which you need a spanner to adjust.
When I put new springs in a bike I always replace the fork oil with high end racing fork oil. You have to pay for the stuff that doenst heat up and then fade.
I get my rear shock serviced after every 10,000 km,I also make sure my rear brake pedal is perfectly level with the footpeg. To get a 990 to brake in an even manner and have the bike compress in a nice smooth manner is really the key to riding one quickly through corners.
When a bike is set up right all i have to calculate is how much weight I have to put on the outside peg to stay in the corner and be keeping on the throttle in an even manner so i dont load my suspension with braking and then have the bike lose shape and then have a wheel break traction.
