fork oil change

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Old 05-15-2007, 08:28 PM
Transman's Avatar
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Default fork oil change

I have a KL250 super sherpa with standard forks. I'm changing the oil and would like to know what everyone else recommends,wight/amount? It looks like motor oil but i don't think so. I removed the spring andmeasured about 6 3/8 from the top of the oil to the top of the fork leg.I'm going to add some oil because it dives as soon as i get on the brakes. I have never worked on a dirt bike,only sport bikes so any help would be great.
 
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Old 05-15-2007, 09:18 PM
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Default RE: fork oil change

The oil you use should be fork oil. You can get it at your local bike dealer or even someplace like Dennis Kirk. If the suspension seemed a little soft you might up the weight of the oil. I can only assume that it had maybe 5 - 10 weight in it. You can get heavier, say maybe 15 - 20 weight. As far as putting more in it, you need to find out what the proper amount is, and do not overfill. If you over fill you will blow the seals out right away.
 
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Old 05-15-2007, 10:02 PM
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Default RE: fork oil change

I've got a KL250 Sherpa as well (2006)... It seems like it's setup for 120lb rider (perfect for my wife) but really soft for me.
Anyway, just thought I'd add that - the springs are just way too soft for any normal sized man.
A thicker fork oil will help (some).
 
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Old 05-16-2007, 12:03 AM
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Default RE: fork oil change

thanks all
 
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Old 05-16-2007, 02:49 PM
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Default RE: fork oil change

ORIGINAL: vfrpilot

The oil you use should be fork oil. You can get it at your local bike dealer or even someplace like Dennis Kirk. If the suspension seemed a little soft you might up the weight of the oil. I can only assume that it had maybe 5 - 10 weight in it. You can get heavier, say maybe 15 - 20 weight. As far as putting more in it, you need to find out what the proper amount is, and do not overfill. If you over fill you will blow the seals out right away.
Raising or lowering the fork oil is a way to alter the way the forks respond to compression. If you raise the oil level it helps the forks so they don't dive so fast,its called a air spring. This works on all forks. My forks have no adjustment of any kind so oil weight/amountis the easy way to tweak how i want then to work
 
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Old 05-16-2007, 05:12 PM
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Default RE: fork oil change

ORIGINAL: Transman

ORIGINAL: vfrpilot

The oil you use should be fork oil. You can get it at your local bike dealer or even someplace like Dennis Kirk. If the suspension seemed a little soft you might up the weight of the oil. I can only assume that it had maybe 5 - 10 weight in it. You can get heavier, say maybe 15 - 20 weight. As far as putting more in it, you need to find out what the proper amount is, and do not overfill. If you over fill you will blow the seals out right away.
Raising or lowering the fork oil is a way to alter the way the forks respond to compression. If you raise the oil level it helps the forks so they don't dive so fast,its called a air spring. This works on all forks. My forks have no adjustment of any kind so oil weight/amountis the easy way to tweak how i want then to work
Oil weight will affect the dampening. If you increase the amount to more than what is specified you will create a hydraulic effect that will not allow your forks to travel the amount that they are designed to. The factory spec for the amount is based on the volume needed to fill the tubes up when the suspension is fully collapsed. If you fill to a higher point than thatthere is no air left inside and something has to go. Usually the seals.
 
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