SE "Heavy" Fork Oil
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
SE "Heavy" Fork Oil
For those of you that have changed your front fork oil to SE Heavy on an otherwise factory stock front end, what are your observations? The bike I'm talking about is a 2011 Limited.
I changed mine last week. I took the bike for a short ride around the neighborhood and my initial impression was "all is well". It felt a touch firmer, reduced the brake dive a little, and felt generally ok.
But now after riding it for a week or so and about 500 or 600 miles later I have a different opinion. I have found that during high speed cornering the front end does not absorb the road bumps as well and the front end feels like it's "pogo-ing" over the bumps. Especially the tight washboard type bumps. The front tire doesn't feel as planted and traction is compromised.
I'm now feeling that the improvement in the brake dive (which is what I was initially looking for) is not worth the sacrifice I seem to have made to the high speed handling.
I'm considering changing back to the standard type E oil although I may just ride it out for a while and change back at the next scheduled change.
Anyone else with the same set-up have any observations to share?
I changed mine last week. I took the bike for a short ride around the neighborhood and my initial impression was "all is well". It felt a touch firmer, reduced the brake dive a little, and felt generally ok.
But now after riding it for a week or so and about 500 or 600 miles later I have a different opinion. I have found that during high speed cornering the front end does not absorb the road bumps as well and the front end feels like it's "pogo-ing" over the bumps. Especially the tight washboard type bumps. The front tire doesn't feel as planted and traction is compromised.
I'm now feeling that the improvement in the brake dive (which is what I was initially looking for) is not worth the sacrifice I seem to have made to the high speed handling.
I'm considering changing back to the standard type E oil although I may just ride it out for a while and change back at the next scheduled change.
Anyone else with the same set-up have any observations to share?
Last edited by 2black1s; Sep 27, 2012 at 12:17 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: ALABAMA
I did the first stage SE oil swap on my old SG ( I think that is SE Heavy)......... kind of liked it at first.. then just forgot about it.. until I rode one of the newer bikes, then I realized just how stiff it actually was. I think when I change the oil on the RG I will do a 50/50 E and SE. Hopefully that will give me the best of both worlds... stop most of the nose dive (which is kind of ridiculous right now) when you hit the front brake but still ride pretty well............ HOPEFULLY
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: Northshore in Massachusetts
depends on what you weigh and if 2 up or solo or loaded down with tonnage of crap in your saddlebags and trunk.. 20wt works great for me, i add an extra oz in each fork leg to help keep from bottoming out. front is lowered and so is rear but bike is near stock height due to 21" and 18" tires..
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 31
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
After reading about the pro's and con's of the SE heavy, I changed the oil in my wife's bike. I mixed the standard stuff with the SE heavy 50/50.
It's slightly stiffer than stock, doesn't dive (as much) ...... but the ride and stability is still really nice.
It's slightly stiffer than stock, doesn't dive (as much) ...... but the ride and stability is still really nice.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 855
Likes: 1
From: Puyallup, WA
I've heard Amsoil makes a 10Wt fork oil that is pretty much in between the SE heavy wt, and the stock. I have the SE Heavy Wt in mine and over time it feels like it is stiffer and I have the same issues on the corners. Going to be changing to the Amsoil next week
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
Spectrol has 5Wt, 71/2, & 10Wt. I have tried 10 and got the PoGo effect. Almost like the more consecutive bumps you hit the harder the frontend gets. I did not like that so changed back to the stock 5wt then later I changed to 7 1/2wt to stiffen it up.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,323
Likes: 37
From: NJ
Yea it fixed the dive for sure but it did take away some comfort.
Between the SE heavy in the forks...the progressive 440s in the rear and my true track stabilizer I'm pretty much riding like a BMW car...lol
Between the SE heavy in the forks...the progressive 440s in the rear and my true track stabilizer I'm pretty much riding like a BMW car...lol
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 413
Likes: 7
From: Oklahoma
Oil weight is not the only factor in fork operation. You might consider adjusting the oil level in your forks also. That alone does have a big iimpact on dampening.........If you think you like the SE heavy weight reduce the oil by maybe 2 oz's and try that.. or go back to the stock wt and add 1 to 2 oz's......
I think you'll be suprised.
I think you'll be suprised.
