Fork Oil to do with me! - SV650.org

21-11-05, 09:13 PM

Sorry about the Subject title it just amused me! Anyway, l am wanting to stiffen up the front forks as cheaply as possible, so l am obviously not expecting miracles but l read somewhere a simple fork oil swap could harvest results any advice anyone, or anything else spring (Get it?) to mind?

Sid Squid · 22-11-05, 07:55 AM

You can provoke an improvement by setting the preload to something sensible - the standard springs are quite soft, thus there's a lot of suspension sag - if your bike has adjusters use them, if it doesn't then fit a spacer above the spring. Using 15W fork oil is also a common mod, but then sometimes just having oil that isn't shafted works quite well too, how long has it been since it was changed?

22-11-05, 09:09 AM

I changed the fork oil on mine. It stiffen up the front a lot, but the effect was quite sensitive to how large an air gap you leave.

22-11-05, 11:09 AM

thicker fork oil will not in throey stiuffen the fron t end it only seems liek it. It will merely increse compression and damping slowing the rate the suspension can rise and fall.

Stronger springs are what is needed to make the forks properly stiffer. and while your at it put new fork oil in

22-11-05, 06:08 PM

Sorry, i should have given more info, It is a 2000 model and it's the better halfs. She will probably kill me for this but fully kitted l guess she will weigh 10.5 stone. I would assume it is on original fork oil and it definately hasn't been changed in the last 2.5 years.

Sid Squid - the spacers you mention, where would i get them from, Bandit Mania is pretty close to me, is it a case of trial and error with different size spacers or is it a one size fits all scenario.

One last question, l have an old carbon can kicking around the garage off an R1, the end caps are knackered so l am thinking of getting new caps and a link pipe for the sv, any thoughts on who supply end caps?

thanks

21-11-05, 09:13 PM	#1
Daglad Guest Posts: n/a	Fork Oil to do with me! Sorry about the Subject title it just amused me! Anyway, l am wanting to stiffen up the front forks as cheaply as possible, so l am obviously not expecting miracles but l read somewhere a simple fork oil swap could harvest results any advice anyone, or anything else spring (Get it?) to mind?

22-11-05, 07:55 AM	#2
Sid Squid No, I don't lend tools. Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Skunk Works, Nth London Posts: 8,680	You can provoke an improvement by setting the preload to something sensible - the standard springs are quite soft, thus there's a lot of suspension sag - if your bike has adjusters use them, if it doesn't then fit a spacer above the spring. Using 15W fork oil is also a common mod, but then sometimes just having oil that isn't shafted works quite well too, how long has it been since it was changed? __________________ If an SV650 has a flat tyre in the forest and no-one is there to blow it up, how long will it be 'til someone posts that the reg/rec is duff and the world will end unless a CBR unit is fitted? A little bit of knowledge = a dangerous thing. "a deathless anthem of nuclear-strength romantic angst"

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22-11-05, 09:09 AM	#3
thor Guest Posts: n/a	I changed the fork oil on mine. It stiffen up the front a lot, but the effect was quite sensitive to how large an air gap you leave.

22-11-05, 11:09 AM	#4
chunkytfg Guest Posts: n/a	thicker fork oil will not in throey stiuffen the fron t end it only seems liek it. It will merely increse compression and damping slowing the rate the suspension can rise and fall. Stronger springs are what is needed to make the forks properly stiffer. and while your at it put new fork oil in

22-11-05, 06:08 PM	#5
Daglad Guest Posts: n/a	Sorry, i should have given more info, It is a 2000 model and it's the better halfs. She will probably kill me for this but fully kitted l guess she will weigh 10.5 stone. I would assume it is on original fork oil and it definately hasn't been changed in the last 2.5 years. Sid Squid - the spacers you mention, where would i get them from, Bandit Mania is pretty close to me, is it a case of trial and error with different size spacers or is it a one size fits all scenario. One last question, l have an old carbon can kicking around the garage off an R1, the end caps are knackered so l am thinking of getting new caps and a link pipe for the sv, any thoughts on who supply end caps? thanks