When do you change out fork oil? Valve adjustment?

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by 25thVFR800, May 23, 2018.

  1. 25thVFR800

    25thVFR800 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    May 24, 2017
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Map
    My RWB VFR has 24,000kms on it.
    Just wondering when most of you have changed your fork oil.
    I have no fork seal leaks.

    With reference to valves adjustment I have no intention of adjusting them.
    I feel have no mechanivc I have confidence enough to let them take my VFR apart to do it.
    Also, I have read enough info of those who have never done it and bike continues to perform.
    Some of you may disagree with me but thats what I have decided.
    Anyone out there have a higher mileage VFR with no valve adjustments.
    Thxs and ride safe.
     
  2. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    52,000 here, never done and runs like a champ


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  3. Darth Vader

    Darth Vader New Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2015
    Messages:
    311
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    melton mowbray
    Map
    If it aint broke, dont fix it.
     
  4. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2016
    Messages:
    503
    Likes Received:
    194
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Denver, Colorado
    Map
    there's two types of people in this world: them that do, and them that don't.
     
  5. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2011
    Messages:
    6,479
    Likes Received:
    949
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    Anaheim, Ca.
    Most suspension gurus have their intervals, I belive DMr recommends 20k miles. I recently replaced the fork oil in my 09's forks as I was replacing the steering head bearings and figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. I'm possitive they had may more thn 20k miles on them.

    As far as valve inspection, considering I like to do my own work and that dealing with the VTEC valves/shims is kind of a PITA, I have not taken the time to get into it but tackle it at some popint, preferably without any incidents before hand! I'm rounding up to about 80k miles so way beyond the Honda recommended intervals.
     
  6. zombie

    zombie New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2012
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    90
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Guelph Ontario
    I'm at 80 something Km on mine and I know that I have never checked them in the last 30 Km. I'm planning on doing the fork oil soon.
     
  7. Jeff_Barrett

    Jeff_Barrett Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2015
    Messages:
    3,569
    Likes Received:
    76
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Winnipeg, MB
    Map
    That's a loaded question ... funny thing is that most manufacturers aren't publishing this information. It's thought that 10,000 to 20,000 miles is the recommended interval based on your bike type, riding style, and the roads you ride.

    Most riders don't think anything of it, but really, it does affect the handling of your bike in a significant way.

    Here's a decent article on it ...

    https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/how-to/oil-change-intervals-your-suspension-street-savvy
     
  8. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    New Zealand
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,728
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    My assumption with the VTEC valves is that they are going to be in use for a fraction of the time of the other 8 valves so they should need attention at a much lower frequency (or never). I check my 5G valves about every 20,000km, and would change fork oil at least as often as that. I'd rather ride along knowing everything is correctly adjusted than waiting for a failure, but that is just me.
     
    Jeff_Barrett likes this.
  9. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2008
    Messages:
    1,727
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    53
    Location:
    Alaska
    Map
    I have 32,000 miles on my 2004 VFR. I paid a shop to check the valve clearances at 16,000 miles. They were perfect. The bike is due for another valve check, but I think I'll skip it this time. Maybe . . .

    The bike has 20,000 miles on the fork oil. Time for a change!
     
  10. Dav668

    Dav668 New Member

    Country:
    Australia
    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2018
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Sydney
    Map
    I have 2000 km on mine and haven't done either :Rofl:


    vfr2.jpg
     
  11. chris murphy

    chris murphy New Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2018
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Fork oil degrades over time the same as any oil. It can also be assumed that more mileage = more oil degradation.
    It is constantly being compressed and forced through orifices in the cartridges, it goes through heat cycles, it attracts debris/dirt off the internals and consequently it loses it's viscosity. That's when it starts to have an affect upon your suspension capability. Have you seen old fork oil? Putrid stuff.
    Bearing in mind we don't have the benefit of adjustable damping on our forks, I would suggest that when you consider the function of the fork oil I am surprised that we don't change it more frequently.
    Then we move on to what weight oil to use ..... aaaaaaahh ......
     
  12. dannll

    dannll New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2012
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Springfield, OR
    Map
    Fork oil, i change mine as part of annual winter maintenance. (using 5000-7500 miles), along with brake fluid and clutch fluid change. It is plenty dirty at that point, i changed once at about 3000 miles and was surprised how dirty it was. I keep a quart of very thin (2 wt) fork oil that i use to flush and flush well after initial draining...it usually takes about 3-4 flushes to get it to come out relatively clean. Some folks will use kerosene to flush and then immediate flush with fork oil to rinse out kerosene.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page