What weight fork oil

[Nessism]

The manual calls for 30w oil.

From the Suzuki factory service manual...

[Quick Cal]

From the Suzuki factory service manual...

Ah geez. That was a typo on my part. I mean,,,I didn't say that . Proof it. And no I didn't edit anything,,,,lol. Thanks for catching that. I don't know what I was thinking. But I had it right in the second sentence where I contradicted myself.

[lurch12_2000]

Who's 10 is really 8,,Honda?? A chart would be great. Then I can see how the Honda 10w compares to the Suzuki.

Here's a study chart you can overthink with!

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/marzocchi/forkoilviscosity.html

Sounds like your bike called for 15W so just go with that or 10W to start. IL can have a lot of chilly riding too. Funny how the chart shows some major discrepencies. BTW, I buy a quart of 10W and 15W cheapest fork oil off the shelf and mix my own as needed. I just found straight 20W when I tried it, was too stiff, but I guess I didn't test it on a 90+ degree day and I don't weigh 200+ pounds. I do ride aggressively and with a passenger alot too. I was able to mix the 20W with 10W to use up somewhere along the way, since I've had so many bikes over the last few years.

[koolaid_kid]

From the Suzuki factory service manual...

haztoys, this is what I was getting at. Motor oil? Heck no, use fork oil. Different composition between the two. I would no more run fork oil in my engine than motor oil in my forks. I did not say you were wrong, I merely said use today's suggestions rather than ones that are 30+ years old. And I don't remember the last time I saw straight 15 weight motor oil.

[7981GS]

Crisco is a good alternative too!

Eric

[tkent02]

As are squished up bananas.

[Quick Cal]

It wouldn't surprise me.

When I pulled the dust cap off it was full of grease. I think the po put it in there to slow down the oil leak.

[koolaid_kid]

Ahhh, they have crawled out of the woodwork.
Personally, I just go by Kentucky Fried at the end of the day and talk to them. Strain it with some cotton cloth and you are GTG.

[7981GS]

As are squished up bananas.

I forgot all about bananas!
And you can often find the turning ones on sale CHEAP!!!

Eric

[haztoys]

haztoys, this is what I was getting at. Motor oil? Heck no, use fork oil. Different composition between the two. I would no more run fork oil in my engine than motor oil in my forks. I did not say you were wrong, I merely said use today's suggestions rather than ones that are 30+ years old. And I don't remember the last time I saw straight 15 weight motor oil.

Its all good my friend .. My point on the oil was to A) find a base line as I (we) had said ... And B)... Doing this as long as I have and knowing the GS's as I do even with stock good oil weight they wallow and can shake their head on turnin into a fast corner ... So the cheap oil would get Quick Cal a place to start from ... Then he can do it right with the good oil ...

On a side note some bikes even came with ATF in the forks ...

[koolaid_kid]

And some still use ATF, even though it has no true defined viscosity.
AFA wallowing, bwringer put a fork brace on his 850 but removed it. He told me it made it too rigid and he was used to the flexing and knew what to expect. Hmmm.

[haztoys]

And some still use ATF, even though it has no true defined viscosity.
AFA wallowing, bwringer put a fork brace on his 850 but removed it. He told me it made it too rigid and he was used to the flexing and knew what to expect. Hmmm.

I can see where bwringer coming from ...

Set up for the track does not always work good on the street ... Race tracks are smooth (for the most part)...So having the bike rigid is ok .. Fast street riding the roads are not smooth at all ... So having fex is good it keeps the wheels on the ground ..When a bike is leaned over the chase needs to move around some do to the fact the supension is off line ...That gets worse on the street ...Flex keeps the tires on the ground .. New sportbikes are realy to rigid for the street ..Guys like the real low profill tires and thats a mistake you want side wall on the street ...The reason bikes shake so much on the Isle of Man is there set up loose ...A motorcycle is a compormise you can either have it handle good when its on its side and shake when up right ..Or the other way around ...Tire profill is a BIG thing too... Seems know one ever brings that up ...I lol at the tires on new sportbikes there made to ride nice up right with no shake ...People just freak if a bike moves around under them ...But it has to move around to stay up right and the tires in contact with the tarmac ...The best thing I ever did to get my riding skills up was racing a modded 74 H2 Kaw 750 .. Never was planted on the ground it was always moving around under me ...Did not get on the Kaw tell I was 35 I wish I had gotten on old iron at 16 ...Now I can ride a bike really moving around .. Nothing moves around like a H2 ...I was fast before the H2 I'm realy fast now ...Your skills go NO where if you ride new iron on the street there to push button at street speeds ...One big mistake people make is pointing their knee and moving their butt off the seat as a new rider racer.. You should be "Hailwooding" strate up untill your brain and skills will let you get a bike over on its side with hard parts draging ...Once you get parts draging then you can point you knee and hang off...If you point your knee as a new racer you'll never be fast ...

Sorry to run off here got on a roll.. I could go one for days lol ...

[Quick Cal]

So according to the chart, does it look like the Honda Pro 5w would be a close match for the Suzuki 15w.

I think so. But I'd just like an ah-men.

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/marzocchi/forkoilviscosity.html

[lurch12_2000]

So according to the chart, does it look like the Honda Pro 5w would be a close match for the Suzuki 15w.

I think so. But I'd just like an ah-men.

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/ma...viscosity.html

Well, your manual says motor oil 15w, so I wouldn't necessarilly equate that to Honda 5W fork oil with a viscosity of 17.
I use Pro Honda Suspension Fluid SS-8/10W in both my GS1000G and GS750E. It's reasonably priced even at the dealer and works fine and you can check out the new Hondas while you're there. Buy 1 pint should do ya for 7+/- ounces in each fork tube. If you don't like it, then you can blame me! Just do it!!
...btw, it looks just like ATF.

[mrbill5491]

I use PJ 30 wt fork oil or BellRay 30 wt. in my stock 750 forks, works fine. Firm but not shoulder pain firm. Gonna use in my 1100E forks as well.