Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Enthusiasts from around the world dedicated to the preservation and ritual flogging of the infamous Kawasaki 2-stroke Triples
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 3:42 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:18 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:32 am
Posts: 615
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Looks like the only source for the emulators is direct from Race Tech, at around $200, a bit painful, but what the hell. I spent $185 on rear shocks and it was well worth it, so the emulators it is. I'll post stuff about them as I figure them out.
H2RTuner: 40WT for fork oil? My first bike was a '74 F7 175, and not knowing much, I put 20 wt fork oil in it, the forks on that bike were almost bound up and didn't move much.

_________________
1974 Kawasaki H2B 750, 1981 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, 1986 Kawasaki KDX200, 2003 Honda XR100, 2004 SDG140. 2006 Ninja 500R Turbo intercooled fuel injected.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:47 pm 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 2691
Location: Dandridge, TN, USA
https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-da ... 00-00.html

_________________
Answers are here: http://kawatriple.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 5:01 pm 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
Posts: 3137
It would take overfilling the forks to almost full to lock them, and not much farther down to make them extremely uncomfortable.

I have a couple of F7's, an F5, two F9's, F8, F81m and F11, all have either straight 20W or 30W engine oils in the forks, none ride like a tank.

I also don't do the 'fill to a specification" fill. I just cover spring seat, cycle the tube until the oil gets all the way distributed into the fork, then, bring the oil level to one inch over the spring seat, no more oil. Works good.

I have seen stock, heavy later H2's (only a handful of them), and more then a few Z series bikes need the 40W oils.

The ONLY thing I have seen that messes up the works, no matter the bike they are fitted to, is AIR FORKS/AIR SHOCKS. Adding air was Japan's way of giving "adjustable spring pressure" to front forks and rocks when different riders, with different weights rode these bikes. Only positive thing I have seen with adding the air to the forks, and to rear shocks, is LEAKS, (OIL, AND AIR). That is why Progressive Suspension made the different fork springs they have for various bikes, so air didn't have to be used for a 400 lb American rider, vs a 110 lb Japanese one. Progressive even made rear shock change over kits for rear shocks, full kits that took the air bladders off the shocks, and added a better, real, live rear shock absorber, and a SPRING to them, how very clever.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 3:58 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:22 am
Posts: 865
Location: Dayton, Ohio
DGA..........I run Racetech Springs and Gold Valve Emulators with 175cc of 15w oil and 23mm PVC preload spacers.............In my H2B\C Awesome Improvement, Really makes the bike handle good..........you can now run a good EX500 or Brembo Brake system and not have all that dive............comes down from wheelies nicely, rather than crashing the soft front end

I had HVCcycle set them up, they also can get the Racetech springs, knowing what I do now, probably would have done it myself, some holes need to be drilled and a couple filled

THX Phil


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:51 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:45 am
Posts: 796
Location: Cen Tex
BBP wrote:
DGA..........I run Racetech Springs and Gold Valve Emulators with 175cc of 15w oil and 23mm PVC preload spacers............


These?


https://hvccycle.net/gold-valve-cartrid ... 550-gt750/


Thnhttps://hvccycle.net/gold-valve-cart ... -gt750/aks for the info, thinking of this for my H2B. Anything else I need to know?

_________________
H2B..... H1E..... Z1B ..... RD350...... X6 Hustler..... TS250.... CB750 ..... CB550...... and a Bomber!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:07 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:34 pm
Posts: 9826
Location: North Central NC
You might ask OEM Cycle if they can get them. They show some others for much less than $200.

_________________
If it surges, that's normal, upshift.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 8:58 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:32 am
Posts: 615
Location: Indianapolis, IN
I bought a pair of these https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-da ... 00-00.html , will have to machine parts to adapt them no doubt, but they look to be well made, and a good deal for $65. My new front brake is part of the reason I need to do this anyway.

_________________
1974 Kawasaki H2B 750, 1981 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, 1986 Kawasaki KDX200, 2003 Honda XR100, 2004 SDG140. 2006 Ninja 500R Turbo intercooled fuel injected.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:36 am 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
Posts: 3137
Yes, 40 wgt engine oil for a heavy bike like the later H2 and at that time, Z1. I then did mods to the guts that we did to the H2R's, and ran the viscosity lighter, but, still ran 4 stroke engine, or electrical transformer oil. We really didn't know how dangerous the transformer oils were back then.

As far as how much, we set the fully extended fork oil to an inch above the top of the spring seat on the damper. This didn't bind over fill the tube, but compensated for oil that did migrate up the spring not causing the damper to become uncovered.

I also never ran viscosities thicker than 20 wgt in light bikes like the F7, especially with the good Hatta fork sets.

It was very different back then for all this stuff.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:35 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:22 am
Posts: 865
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Steve-O........I would call HVC, they are really friendly...........they can tell you about the Racetch springs (they may have to be cut a bit as I recall)............and their suspension guy could tell you how he set the Gold Valve Emulators on my bike...........as they have different colored spring options and turns out..........I am not sure which springs he ran in mine, they asked my weight, how tall and long the bike was, etc..........perfect and spot on........I would do both the springs and emulators, think you would be pleased !

DGV, there is a Chinese set of knock of emulators, I think you may have gotten............not sure if they are as adjustable (different springs), but I do see the screw for turns out.........maybe they are good

THX Phil


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Fork oil weight
PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 4:59 pm 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
Posts: 3137
One point I will make on springs.

IF they are too long, and do not have a closed wound end, as in all the coils are the same distance apart, cutting a section of coils off will INCREASE spring tension.

IF one end of the coils is tight wound together, and that end does not compress, then, cutting that end coils will not alter the spring tension, only the length.

Make sure you know what will happen when you cut a spring, consult those that have done so previously, go from there.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group