Posted by Tim Schroeder on April 19, 2001 at 23:27:52:
Hey all,
It's been a while since I've been to Bert's site, too many obligations, too little riding time. Over the winter I did change my 1996's fork oil and instead of using the manual's recommended 15w, I used 10w as I've always thought the fork's damping was a little stiff. Now, the fork absorbs more road bumps, and overall the 10w ride seems much more "relaxed" without being too mushy, much better than before. I'd recommend the 10w oil highly.
I've got 4K miles on the bike, and the old fork oil was really gray and dirty. According to a Honda mechanic buddy, changing fork oil should be a yearly task as the oil is in constant use by the suspension, but is often overlooked by most riders. If you've never changed yours, you'll be surprised at how raggedy the old stuff looks when you pour it out. Changing the oil is an easy job, but it does require supporting the front end, taking the fork tubes out of the triple clamps and removing the wheel, brake assembly, etc. No special tools required except the usual items, and a fork oil measuring gizmo, about $15 from several sources for a cheapo one, $35 for a good one. See the Clymer or Suzuki manual for clear instructions. A liter of oil, plenty for the job, was about $10. I used Belray's 10w product.
Safe riding to all !
Tim