MC22 Fork Oil & Seal Replacement

[Parlane]

15w or 10w oil? Will I even notice a difference? What are the stock oils ?

[sir.b]

Yes, how heavy are you?

Justin.

[Parlane]

(14/07/2011 04:04)sir.b Wrote:  Yes, how heavy are you?

Justin.

~ 65 KG.

[Lane]

For 65kilos stick with 10w

[sir.b]

At 65kgs I agree you could get away with 10w and a few 20's, but I would go 12.5w (mix a bottle of 10w and 15w together) if you intend to track it.

Justin.

[Aduro]

Even if you dont. Pretty sure most of the guys on here have their bikes set up for the extreme end of riding even though they mainly commute on their machines.

[Parlane]

I don't plan on tracking it.

[sir.b]

Aduro, while that's very true, it's also silly. The job of suspension is to keep your tyres on the road. Stiff suspension does well on smooth roads but doesn't do a good job of keeping the tyre connected on rough bumpy roads. Soft suspension handles the bumps, but makes the bike "blunt" and boat-like.

Oil weight specifically impacts the resistance (damping) the forks have to compressing (compression) and extending (rebound). Someone like Ken could give a full explanation, but basically, if the oil is too thin the bike will dive and bounce on the springs like a pogo stick and if it's too thick it won't react in time to bumps making you lose grip.

So, going too stiff for the intended road surface doesn't just impact ride comfort but also negatively impacts grip.

Justin.

[Parlane]

I should maybe point out that I live in Christchurch and most of our roads are still fucked (even before the quakes). There are potholes and ripples in the road everywhere.

[sir.b]

10w would be a good idea then

Justin.