Which Fork Oil?

[vinnyb]

 Following on from my previous post. I need to buy some 15w fork oil. I'm thinking of Motul but I don't really know why. Does anyone have any recommendations or otherwise. Thanks.

[darrsi]

Definitely 15w, but brand won't matter, it will still have to meet specs.

[red98]

     I used halfords oil when I last changed the fork seals , as with engine oil I dont buy the expensive stuff but I do change it before its due...

[vinnyb]

 Hi, just bought a litre of Valvoline SynPower 15w for £9.49 at the local motorist discount shop. Hopefully that'll be ok, anyone on here used it before? Thanks.

[midden]

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorcycling/motorcycle-oils/valvoline-synpower-fork-oil-15w-1-litre?_br_psugg_q=fork+oil




off you go 

[darrsi]

I saw that you mentioned mixing 10w with 15w to get 12.5w.
I remember reading about this years ago and it doesn't work as simple as that at all apparently.
You literally won't know what the result will be, it will be very trial and error.
Not sure why it's not that straightforward but if you Google it you will see several people say the same.

[celticbiker]

The weight stayed in the bottle had nothing to do with viscosity when it comes to fork oil and different manufacturers vary hugely in viscosity from one to the other.
Here's a fairly comprehensive chat for comparison.

https://transmoto.com.au/comparative-oil-weights-table/

[celticdog]

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorcycling/motorcycle-oils/valvoline-synpower-fork-oil-15w-1-litre?_br_psugg_q=fork+oil


off you go 

That's a good price! I might just buy a bottle and put it past for later in the year.

I usualy go for Castrol Grand Prix 15W mineral oil, which was the cheapest oil I could find at the time from the bigger brands. Not had any problems.

[vinnyb]

The weight stayed in the bottle had nothing to do with viscosity when it comes to fork oil and different manufacturers vary hugely in viscosity from one to the other.
Here's a fairly comprehensive chat for comparison.

https://transmoto.com.au/comparative-oil-weights-table/

  So you could buy a 15w and it be thinner than the 10w you're replacing it with? Bugger!

[celticbiker]

Now you're getting the idea.
It's always best to choose a brand and stick to it. Personally I always use castrol so I know where I'm at but TBH I find castrol 10w to work well all year round  and you can fine tune with the damping adjusters.
All this assumes of course that you change your fork oil every year.

[darrsi]

Now you're getting the idea.
It's always best to choose a brand and stick to it. Personally I always use castrol so I know where I'm at but TBH I find castrol 10w to work well all year round  and you can fine tune with the damping adjusters.
All this assumes of course that you change your fork oil every year.

I was gonna say, i very much doubt that the majority of people change their fork oil every year, i certainly don't.
So with that in mind any new fork oil will tend to feel better than before, regardless of weight if it hasn't been changed for quite a long time.

[celticbiker]

That's very true, I actually change mine every six months and get my rear shock refreshed every Christmas, you can't beat a bike that handles properly.

[darrsi]

That's very true, I actually change mine every six months and get my rear shock refreshed every Christmas, you can't beat a bike that handles properly.

Makes no difference to the cars, buses and potholes i face to and from work every day, but i totally agree with what you're saying.   

[midden]

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/motorcycling/motorcycle-oils/valvoline-synpower-fork-oil-15w-1-litre?_br_psugg_q=fork+oil


off you go 

That's a good price! I might just buy a bottle and put it past for later in the year.

I usualy go for Castrol Grand Prix 15W mineral oil, which was the cheapest oil I could find at the time from the bigger brands. Not had any problems.

It's doing the job for me