Front fork SV650 -- Which fluid?

Upgrading the fork of a street SV for some more serious riding. Fitting new springs and a Racetech kit.

Racetech site states wt20, but does not suggest a brand. My experience is that different brands vary significantly, even for the same weight.

Any ideas on which will be the best fluid to use? What are you using for track riding/racing?

Thanks

 

30W Silkolene has worked well for me. I'm sure you'll get plenty of other recommendations.

 

Thanks LDR.

Any other ideas, guys?

 

Except for Ohlins forks, I use Silkolene Pro RSF in just about everything.

 

Gosh, I wanna say when I had an SV I used 15W Redline or something.

 

That's strange. When I did the rebuild of my F3 forks about 2 weeks ago. The site said US1, which is 5wt on the printout. Just checked it and now says USF05 which I guess is 20wt.

 

20wt here.

 

RTech sent me 20w BelRay when I installed the kit a year ago

 

Check the chart at the bottom of the page for list of actual oil vis. for most fluids available. All 20wt's are not the same. http://www.peterverdonedesigns.com/lowspeed.htm

 

The Sv650 has damper rod forks. They need heavier oil than the typical cartridge fluid used in cartridge forks.

The Gen one SV, I have had best luck with about 3/4 20 weight and 1/4 thirty weight. That is with gold valve emulators.

The gen two I think you will go with lighter oil. But check with someone who had done it. Maybe 15 and 20 mixed.

PS: Unless someone has raced a season with the setup, don't listen to them. I've run gen one forks on the track for ten years and spend some serious time finding the right oil combos, air gap, and gold valve pre load.

Brand is not that important. Using it every time is.

 

I just recieved an email from Race Tech about the new code USF05. USF05 is 5wt oil.

 

Silkolene Synthetic 5 here.

 

Thanks guys. this is what I was aiming at with my first post.

Racetech points to the 20wt from Bel-Ray with the gold valves for the SV. I looked around a bit and found a number of fluids with about the same viscosity.

I will start experimenting.

At any rate, actual track experience, with the same setup, is definitley a great starting point.

 

Gen one or Gen two? That counts. If you are racing in the summer, 20 weight will probably be too light. The problem with the damper rod forks is winter and summer temp differences mean you ride a much stiffer front end in the winter unless you change oil.

With the SV the rebound damping you get is determined by the oil weight. It is the only adjustment.

 

VERY nice page. :up:

 

You can also braize shut the rebound hole on the damper rod. Optional, but very worthwhile IMO.

 

Yeah I do that on all emulator fronts. It works.