Im updating my front springs(.95kg front) and rear spring(16kg)..To get the sag correct for my weight .Also to help the dive i get under moderate to heavy braking.

Bike is not gonna be track bike or race at all.100% street driven.
Here are the questions:
should or do i need to change my fork oil, if all im doing is swapping the front springs?Bike has 6k on it.
If yes to changing the oil .what weight/brand?

 

The suspension gurus say to service your fork annually, Thats what they do for a living, so a grain of salt applies. I think fork oil needs to be changed every couple of years on a 'street bike" with normalish use.

What weight of oil depends on your weight and the way you use the bike. At the end of the day, what you want the fork to do is extend and compress in a controlled and compliant manner. In a perfect world, it would remain in contact with every surface edge a bump has and follow every countour without using its full range of travel.

The oil in your forks has to travel through small orifices in two directions. under compression its forced upwards and under extention, downwards. Thicker oil will not move as quickly and cab cause your supension to pack down over a succession of bumps to the point it is essentially locked.

We have had a couple of exchanges and I know you are a fair bit over 200 lbs. Once your bike is correctly sprung (congratulations on that) you may find that the stock weight oil is fine. My guess is that you could use a 5 weigth increase, but I also suggest making only one change at a time.

What I suggest you do is pop the springs in and ride it for a while. Your fork oil is probably still okay. Pay attention to how your suspension reacts with a single change. Play with the clicks and see if damping adjustments give you a controlled ride. You have all winter to change your oil and I repeat "I suggest making suspension changes one step at a time".

 

i would just stick with stock...the change with the spring itself is so drastic...you'll see...just plain wierd initially.
as for changing fork oil, yea john is correct with annually...or every other year...which breaks down to about 10K. if you only have 6K on them and it's been 3 years...change it...you'll love the smell of old fork fluid...cross between belly button gunk, toe jam and fish.

T

 

If you are still wondering what brand and weight and all that like you asked above, according to the service manual it says "Pro Honda suspension fluid SS-8"

 

Actually thats 6k in 3 mnonths lol..I actually ride the hell out of mine.

 

How much do you weigh? That seams pretty stiff for a bike that not going to see any track time.
Just change the oil, but not sure I would do it yet. You really aren't any close to changing it because you have the caps off. Pulling the front tire off is half the work. that's when I do mine. Once a year for me. It so easy, why would I leave that **** in there and it gives me something to do in the winter.

 

255 with no gear.

 

255...that would explain it. Those stockers have to be quite the discipline to keep settled.

 

Yea.I know when a suspension setup is not working correct,it just feels soft and not as "responsive" as i feel it could be
I figure, i will be able to have a "cadillac" ride with a "vette" handling per say



Gonna do one change at a time..
swap the springs and see how it does.After a month or two im gonna change the shock oil to see what it does.
The only thing that may throw off how my changes feel ,is i have to get new tires soon (based on the front tire chop ,in the next 1~2k miles)..
Already have a new set ready to go on the bike(trying the qualifers first(mainly because i got the pair on sale for 189.00 shipped) even though most rave about the michliens and diablos).

 

Just updating incase anyone comes across this..WIth 8k on the speedo(in under 8 months) the shock oil looked black ,compaired to the new honda oil i got (which is cherry red)..Changed it and added the new springs(front and rear).

Still got to setup sag when i get a chance(temps starting to get into the 20's and lower ,so ill have time to set it up later on)..For now i used the stock spring spacer but loosened up the preload a couple of notches compaired to stock..I know there will be some more setting up to do.The stock springs were about a 1" shortier than the race techs.

Out of the box ,the bike seems to ride a lot smoother,have a lot less dive under braking and stay in the corners easier(still havent installed the new tires yet).That way i can compair apples to apples.

Thoughts on the preload and spring hieght differnce?