Fork Oil

[adam15]

I'm going to change the oil in the fork's...early 600 monster, but it states SAE 7.5 and I can seem to find this locally only on the Net.
Does anyone know if you can use the standard of a SAE 10w fork oil or does it have to be the 7.5?
Thanks

[slob]

I found SAE10 great on track but too harsh on the road (M620ie)
http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/Fork_Springs.htm

[adam15]

I found SAE10 great on track but too harsh on the road (M620ie)
http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/Fork_Springs.htm

so if i do put 10w in then the forks will still move and not suffer from too thicker oil reducing the forks to non movement as a friend once found out

[slob]

Not if you put the correct amount in. I changed back to 7.5 anyway.

[Sparky]

You can always buy SAE10 and SAE5 and mix 50/50 to give you the equivalent of SAE7.5. Obviously use the same brand of oil if you do this.

Chris

[BluprintZ]

so if i do put 10w in then the forks will still move and not suffer from too thicker oil reducing the forks to non movement as a friend once found out

When i first got my `97 m900 in April this year, the suspension was practically solid, especially the front.
My mate who has raced in Ireland and the TT/Manx for the last 19 years, replaced the belts and did a general service on it a couple of weeks after i bought it.
When i picked it up a few days later, he mentioned that he had took it out for a test spin after the service and noticed that the suspension was way to hard.
He turned the fork adjusters as far as he could to soften them but he still felt that it should be a bit softer, so he changed the fork oil and put in what he uses in his 750 Sport (SAE 7.5).
That improved it no end and with a bit of adjustment tweaking, front and rear, it became a totaly different ride, no front end jarring and the back end seemed to dig in more.
From something that gave hardly any road feedback, to a bike i can now throw into a bend with a damn sight more confidence than i had before the suspension was sorted.
I rang the mate who did the service after i saw this post and mentioned about the oil thickness, he recons my bike probably had SAE 10 in the forks, as the 7.5 seemed to alter the bike quite dramatically, along with a bit of tweaking.
I love my Monster, i really do!

[Scotty]

oh cock , just bought 10 wt cos I wasn't quite sure what I wanted

[BluprintZ]

oh cock , just bought 10 wt cos I wasn't quite sure what I wanted

Quick Scotty, swap it!

[Gilps]

Personally I would give the 10 weight a go. The standard forks are way too soft and rebound too quickly anyway. Thicker oil will slow down the rebound as it will be harder for the oil to pass back through the valves. The oil weight has very little if any effect on how quick the forks dive, or their "hardnes". What is more crucial is the spring weight and the airgap. The airgap is your only means of damping the compression. Too small a gap and the forks will feel too hard and will not compress fully. Too large a gap and the forks will feel soft and spongy.