• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

What weight fork oil

  • Thread starter Thread starter Quick Cal
  • Start date Start date
Q

Quick Cal

Guest
I'm changing the forks on my 650. The manual calls for 15w oil. A couple of dealers said to use 10w, that 15w was too heavy.

Everything is stock, I'm the only rider @ 200#'s. I can get the 15w for just under $20 by the time I pay tax. Or, I can have my brother bring me some Honda 10w,,,from the Honda dealer that he works at, for $5. :D

I really don't care what the cost is. I just want the right stuff. What do you guys recommend. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
I used 15W on my 850 & I used 10W on my 1100. It's a matter of personal preference...

I will be switching over to 15w in the 1100, as I ride a little "spirited" at times, and like you I'm around 200#.
 
At that price, I would give the 10W a shot. If it is too light, you can always change it out without much of a loss of $$.
 
Like the others have said, it's a matter of riding style and comfort preference.

I have adopted the philosophy that I saw put forth by a racing tuner some years ago, "use the lightest oil that will do the job".

The purpose of fork oil is not to hold up the front of the bike, it is merely to damp the movement that is allowed by the springs.
The springs will be what determines how much the forks move, the oil only determines how quickly.

My riding style is not quite as "spirited" as others, and I do enjoy my comfort, so I use 10w in all my bikes.

.
 
I agree with Steve.
It depends a lot on what YOU like and how you ride.
12.5W seems to be a happy medium on some of my bikes. ;)
I am using 5W-30 synthetic motor oil in one and it seems to be working fine also. The hotter it gets, the firmer it rides.
As I ride a few of my bikes all-year from 25ish to over 100 degrees, I have experimented with many different ideas.
15W works on some of the more spirited summer rides.

Eric
 
A) is it leaking ... B) how does it ride now ....?

The best way is to fill it with want the maker says and then tell us how it handles for there ...
 
haztoys said:
A) is it leaking ... B) how does it ride now ....?

The best way is to fill it with want the maker says and then tell us how it handles for there ...
Click to expand...
Afraid I cannot agree with this. Fork oil technology has changed greatly in the last 30 years, and I would go with modern trains of thought.
 
koolaid_kid said:
Afraid I cannot agree with this. Fork oil technology has changed greatly in the last 30 years, and I would go with modern trains of thought.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:... OK ....LOL...This is the madding part about forums..
 
Last edited:
Well, I guess I'm not a very "Spirited" rider,,,lol. My bike is used 90% for commuting back and forth to work. And I only go about 5 mile's, if that. I don't get a chance to get out and hit the twisty's. But I'm hoping that's about to change. Truthfully, I never felt real comfortable taking turns very fast on this bike. The shocks are shot, along with trashed forks. The tires are not too great either.

I had just got my new fork seals and was getting ready to rebuild the fork's. Then someone backed into my bike at work. The worst it did was smash the chrome fender (that doesn't exist for this bike) and rack the forks. It did brake out one of the mounting bolts for the fender. Now I've got it tore down changing out the triple trees and forks. I'm going through the bike front to rear,,,as much as cash permits. I did get a new Avon for the rear. Hopefully I'll be able to get one for the front this payday.

Well I guess you guys weren't really needing to hear all that. But there it is. Sorry. :rolleyes: I guess I'll start a thread about the crash.

So I guess I'm going for the 10w. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Steve said:
That's OK, fresh 10w is probably much better than what's in there now. :D

.
Click to expand...

Anything (Practically) should be better than the 25-30 YO worn out, dirt filled, yucky stuff that is in there currently.
True enough. ;)
 
I use 10w because 15w or 20w gets a little stiff for all the cold weather riding in NH. Remember that different brands of fork oil vary....their 10w is really 8w or some their 10w is really 12w. I'll see if I can find the web link that listed the true ratings.
 
Who's 10 is really 8,,Honda?? A chart would be great. Then I can see how the Honda 10w compares to the Suzuki.
 
Last edited:
Quick Cal, you are over-thinking this. Use the 10W that is available and go from there. Keep it simple, don't overload yourself with extraneous information. Look at it this way: Using the available 10W will give you a benchmark. After adjusting preload (usually with spacers) go for a ride. See what you have. If you are pleased, you are done. If you feel it is underdamped, change it out. Easy peasy.
 
koolaid_kid said:
Quick Cal, you are over-thinking this. Use the 10W that is available and go from there. Keep it simple, don't overload yourself with extraneous information. Look at it this way: Using the available 10W will give you a benchmark. After adjusting preload (usually with spacers) go for a ride. See what you have. If you are pleased, you are done. If you feel it is underdamped, change it out. Easy peasy.
Click to expand...

This is what I was try to get at Koolaid when you told me I was "wrong"..:rolleyes:..lol

Get a base line and go from there ....Or as a guy thats been dealing with the black art of suspension for sometime dealing with Fox shock right now at work there look at the shock valve body I come up with some time ago..:D ... Put half 10w and 15w add a 1/2 inch spacer and see where that gets you ...Dr Haztoys would say with your style and 200 pds
 
Last edited:
Quick Cal said:
The manual calls for 30w oil.
Click to expand...



From the Suzuki factory service manual...

forkoil.png
 
Nessism said:
From the Suzuki factory service manual...

forkoil.png
Click to expand...

Ah geez. That was a typo on my part. :o I mean,,,I didn't say that . Proof it. And no I didn't edit anything,,,,lol. :D;) Thanks for catching that. I don't know what I was thinking. But I had it right in the second sentence where I contradicted myself. :rolleyes:
 
Quick Cal said:
Who's 10 is really 8,,Honda?? A chart would be great. Then I can see how the Honda 10w compares to the Suzuki.
Click to expand...


Here's a study chart you can overthink with!;)

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/marzocchi/forkoilviscosity.html

Sounds like your bike called for 15W so just go with that or 10W to start. IL can have a lot of chilly riding too. Funny how the chart shows some major discrepencies. BTW, I buy a quart of 10W and 15W cheapest fork oil off the shelf and mix my own as needed. I just found straight 20W when I tried it, was too stiff, but I guess I didn't test it on a 90+ degree day and I don't weigh 200+ pounds. I do ride aggressively and with a passenger alot too. I was able to mix the 20W with 10W to use up somewhere along the way, since I've had so many bikes over the last few years.
 
Last edited:
Nessism said:
From the Suzuki factory service manual...

forkoil.png
Click to expand...
haztoys, this is what I was getting at. Motor oil? Heck no, use fork oil. Different composition between the two. I would no more run fork oil in my engine than motor oil in my forks. I did not say you were wrong, I merely said use today's suggestions rather than ones that are 30+ years old. And I don't remember the last time I saw straight 15 weight motor oil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top