- Joined
- Feb 11, 2006
- Messages
- 9,715
- Location
- Jacksonville
- Bike
- GL1800 R1200RT NC700
- 2024 Miles
- 013531
- STOC #
- 6651
Degradation is gradual and if that’s the normal state then never changing it is perfectly just fine. It’s what the rider is used to.
I guess I missed in the thread who said they never changed the oil.Degradation is gradual and if that’s the normal state then never changing it is perfectly just fine. It’s what the rider is used to.
Why?I change synth motor oil every 2k so.. maybe.
Not trying to gaslight or anything remotely like that, but you’re using Raymond and your one bike as the data points?I shake my head in wonder as I read the repeated advice of posters who swear you need to change your fork oil at 15-20K. WØQNX's real life experience says he put 262,000 miles on his with no issues. He's put more miles on his ST than probably 10 people combined. I only had a BMW, but still, I put 107,000 miles on my F800GT and only changed the oil once...and then felt like I made a mistake afterwards. And I never changed the seals. I never pulled the forks off. And the bike felt great. (Well, as good as you can expect in the Seattle area's pothole filled roads.)
Respectfully Raymond, I maintain my bikes the way I like too and I change the fork oil in them because I want to and not because I have to because the suspension is deteriorated to the point where it is plainly noticeable. Because deterioration of fork damping is gradual it's easy to miss changes in suspension operation and still consider the ride as normal at 262,000 miles as it was at 20,000 miles. Changing the oil, besides restoring or changing the qualities of it, allows flushing out the fork leg and depending on fork type, the cartridge and damping rod orifices, thus removing the build up of gunk in small passages and orifices that affects how well the fork does it's job.I guess I missed in the thread who said they never changed the oil.
What ST1300 did you ride ride with fork oil at 262,000 miles to know the ride is any different than one with 20,000 miles on the fork oil? Gee whiz that would mean someone else would have a different longer tested result than you but that may be perfectly just fine.
And from someone who rode their bike until the rear wheel bearing "grenaded" and left them on the side of the road. Could have been avoided if inspected on regular intervals.Not trying to gaslight or anything remotely like that, but you’re using Raymond and your one bike as the data points?
The one thing for sure is it’s somewhere between once and never, and having changed this bikes fork oil three times, that oil gets real nasty and crud comes out when cleaned.
First, you have no idea what was inspected, and what wan't. Nor how to inspect that bearing.And from someone who rode their bike until the rear wheel bearing "grenaded" and left them on the side of the road. Could have been avoided if inspected on regular intervals.
? ? ?Second, what happens on one end of the bike, does not have any application to the other end of the bike.
His analogy was pretty bogus.? ? ?
Not so sure that blanket statement would garner unanimous support among riders.
I hope nobody is using me as a data point. I know that my data points are all way way off all of Dave's Honda stealership charts.
I'm not sure how I was even able to ride my old chart breakin bike today over 300 miles. The fork oil or bushings haven't been changed since Feb. of 2022. That's over 80,000 miles, totally off the charts.
I guess I'm one of the few that bought the ST1300 to ride the $$$$ out of and put it up wet.
Shifts smooth and effortless. After 1500 miles I can feel the difference. Every bike I've owned, every oil I've used. Yes, I'm thatWhy?
Well the SS hose will likely prevent gradual loss of available preload due to rubber hose expansion over time and constant pressure.Getting it going now. Am I the only one that orders fork seals only to open the drawer and see a new set of fork seals already there...
20k ish on Honda fork oil, the one bottom bolt came out and drained into the pan, it was easy to clean the tubes. The other bolt was stubborn and required multiple flushings to clean it out.
Currently drying and awaiting refill. Going with the expensive stuff, let's see if I can feel a difference. Also having a stainless steel preload adjuster hose made up, not sure why, but SS has to be better than soft rubber(?)