SV 650S Forks

[Lou Girardin]

A mates just bought a 2001, but the forks are like pogo sticks. Anyone know of a way to stiffen them, other than a spring kit?
Maybe different fork oil, etc.
Lou

[pete376403]

Is the problem spring rate or damping? Oil level correct?

[El Dopa]

A mates just bought a 2001, but the forks are like pogo sticks. Anyone know of a way to stiffen them, other than a spring kit?
Maybe different fork oil, etc.
Lou

Something your mate might want to consider as a long-term solution is to swap the whole front end out and replace it with a 2001 GSX-R 1000 front end.

This site, www.sv650.org has a lot of info on this and other SV650 stuff, so there might be a cheaper solution there as well......

pommy site i'm afraid, sorry about that.

[spudchucka]

A mates just bought a 2001, but the forks are like pogo sticks. Anyone know of a way to stiffen them, other than a spring kit?
Maybe different fork oil, etc.
Lou

Have the seals shat themselves and lost oil??

Maybe too many whelies by the previous owner?

I'd get them checked over and work on it from there.

[bluninja]

Standard SV650 fork damping is pretty woeful. Cheapest mod is to replace the 5wt oil with 10wt oil. Otherwise a better one would be to get a racetech gold valve emulator.

TTFN

[Lou Girardin]

Sorry I should have been more specific; the rebound damping is terrible, almost none. Static sag is 50mm out of 125mm total travel. He doesn't want to spend serious money, so I guess a fluid upgrade is next and maybe 15-20mm preload spacers. Anyone know the factory specs for fork oil level?
Lou

[svs]

Cheapest 'fix' is some pre-load spacers + 15 to 20 wt oil
(note bike oil isn't standardized so viscosity varies by brand)
Factory oil level is (I think) 450ml , but recommend to fill to 4" from top (fully compressed with springs out).

Would recommend race-tech springs tho. How heavy is your mate - I might have some 1kg race-tech springs for sale...

[White trash]

Correct fork oil is #15.

Capacity is 489ml.

Level is 102mm from top with fork fully compressed, no spring.

[Lou Girardin]

Great stuff, thanks White trash and SVS.
Lou

[Eddieb]

Anyone know how to go the other way? I need to soften my suspension up as they are designed for either someone that weighs about 130kg (I'm 75) or a billiard smooth surface like a race track with no bumps.

I need to do front and rear with front more important.

Eddie

[White trash]

That sounds a bit odd, Eddie. They're normally pretty good.

Try a lighter weight oil and maybe 5mm less level. That should sort it. Are you the first owner of yours though? Sounds to me like someones pissed around with it.

[Eddieb]

Normally they are but 888's are known to be horrendously oversprung.

Being that it is 11 years old I'm the 4th owner. The previous owner in the UK had it about 4 years and I still have regular contact with him. He is confident it still has the original springs. When he got the bike the mileage was very low and there was no indication the springs would have been changed.

I found it fine in the UK but here i get hammered through the wrists and shoulders especially with the state of the Rimutaka hill now.

[White trash]

You can take the springs out and take 'em to Superior industries, I think they're in Taita or somewhere now. Specify how much lighter you want them (say maybe 10%?) Whack the new ones in with new oil and try it out.

Costs Sweet FA as well.