Service time!

[bunker]

After neglecting this longer than I should have (and with a wee bit of cash to spend), I'm finally getting round to getting some overhaul/service time on the auld bus.

Managed to borrow a hoist to get the old girl in the air and start with the front end.  Now the forks have been a tad, shall we say, soft? So its off with the wheel and strip the forks down....the smell from the black gunk that came out of the forks was awful.  I guess I'm possibly the first person to tackle this in a while (or ever!) 

[ssevy]

Old fork oil is nasty smelling stuff!
Get some springs that are correct for your weight and go with some thicker oil.
These two changes transformed the front end of my Tiger.

[bunker]

Old fork oil is nasty smelling stuff!
Get some springs that are correct for your weight and go with some thicker oil.
These two changes transformed the front end of my Tiger.

Was thinking of going with 15w fork oil instead of the 10w that the manual recommends?

[ssevy]

You might go with new springs and 10 wt. 1st, and then if you want it stiffer, drain and replace with 15 wt.
I can't remember the actual oil weight in mine, but new 10 wt. won't feel like old factory regardless, as that stuff is shot.
If your road surfaces are really smooth you might try the 15 wt. first, but if your roads are rough, 10 wt. might keep the rubber in contact with the road better.
Although it is easy to think of suspension as the flexible part of the bike that keeps the bumps and potholes isolated from the rider for more comfort, I think of well-tuned suspension as something that keeps the tires touching as much of the road as possible as consistently as possible. Same idea really, just two ways of thinking about it.
Without changing out the stock springs though, you may not feel much difference?

[Geoff W]

Motad used to a set of progressive springs for the steamer, I have them in mine. Not sure if they still make them.

[bunker]

Thanks for the advice guys, waiting for the damper piston rings and fork oil to come. In the meantime i'll mostly be cleaning my fork legs and contemplating the steering headbearings which is the next job