Suspension heaters

[CTD]

Just as a point of reference and a little of track....and no Dr Bob didn't bribe me........when I put the stock cartridges back in my 08 Blade I used the same Ohlins oil as in my race forks. I was very surprised at the difference and compliance having "good oil" up front. I was expecting the same harsh feeling from the factory delivered bike, even more so having had the 25mm cartridges in prior.

For $60 odd bucks I'd not hesitate in future if I get another road bike in swapping the oil............great bang for your buck!

Tony, was the ohlins oil the same weight as the factory oil?

[Robert Taylor]

Tony, was the ohlins oil the same weight as the factory oil?

Yes, the centistroke rating at 40 degrees celsius is very close to oem. While Tonys findings are not as controlled as ours were with Craig Shirriffs he has noticed the same difference.

The only correct way to rate the flow properties of suspension fluids is by either the centistroke scale or the saybolt scale. SAE ratings that we see on bottles are misleading and are definitely not apples for apples but that is what the market is conditioned to. Its a flipping motor oil rating, not a suspension fluid rating. Consumers are fickle and wont always accept what would be a correction. Motul had multigrade ratings on many of their suspension fluids a few years back, nothing incorrect there except there was buyer resistance because consumers did no understand it.

For example, drain your SAE 5 Maxima out of your forks and instal SAE 5 Silkolene ....See how much you have to withdraw the compression and rebound clickers outwards to achieve exactly the same feel and performance. The Silkolene 5 ( a good quality oil ) has approximately the same centistroke number at 40 degrees celsius as Maxima 10. Its a ''thick'' 5.

We ( CKT ) do not even talk the SAE language for suspension fluids, only centistrokes. Its time manufacturers of suspension fluid all universally labelled the centistroke rating on the bottles. Ohlins do it and to the best of my knowledge only they ( my beloved viking friends ) do this...

[Pussy]

It's "centistoke", Robert!

You're welcome!

[Robert Taylor]

It's "centistoke", Robert!

You're welcome!

I deliberately mispelt it as you speak that language and I knew youd pick up on that!

[Pussy]

I deliberately mispelt it as you speak that language and I knew youd pick up on that!

You're picking on me now... not my fault I have a mild case of Tourettes. Fuck it!!

Back on topic... one 750 that lives in the shed here has the 20mm Showa cartridges in the forks (with the rebound mod)... and operate appreciably smoother with the Ohlins oil they have been filled with.

[Yankee Doodle Dandy]

I remember reading that a lot of NASCAR teams were using them as it helped them get up to speed and set up the shocks quicker.

[vifferman]

Back on topic... one 750 that lives in the shed here has the 20mm Showa cartridges in the forks (with the rebound mod)... and operate appreciably smoother with the Ohlins oil they have been filled with.

It's amazing how smooth the action is on my CKT-fettled forks too - courtesy of the expensive Ohlins BabyAfghaniLesbianFurSealPeguinWhaleOil, and some attention to making sure the internals have concentric and well-spec'd bits'n'bobs.