Raising fork oil viscosity a good idea for heavy rider?

[Gitta]

Hey guys!

So I went back to college and therefore have a low budget for dirt bikes(and I'm contemplating marriage), but I love em. Ok now that I got that out of the way, I have a 1996 that I got for a steal and all it needed was a new pipe($200ish) to get it to run right. The pipe was SO smashed that it had no power, the guy I bought it off of thought it needed a new top end and cylinder bore/sleeve. Enough bragging about the steal I got.

I'd like to ride the bike on some local tracks and maybe even race it someday so my biggest concern is the suspension, especially coming off of a Crf450r with much more modern suspension. Again I'm on a budget for at least another year until I graduate so I will probably fix it up piece by piece.

The first thing I'm going to do is redo the fork and shock seals, as the shock seal blew out when I took it to sand mountain. In a few months I'll go in and respring the forks and shock for my weight. Maybe gold valves, but that's really pushing my budget. I'd rather have money for gas and track fees.

My question is, being that I'm 6'4 and 205 is it a good idea to raise the fork oil viscosity from 5w to 7w? Also what are the advantages/disadvantage? I understand that spring rate is the most important thing to do first but since I'm doing the fork seals I'd like to just up the oil viscosity sooner than later.

[Kawafornication]

Marriage? Get a pre nuptial or a gun , it's all good when it's all good but if the milk sours.... Hindsight is a double edged sword you do not appreciate until you age 😜


Fork seals, don't try to save a few $$$ with All Balls just get SKF, just go on youtube and watch the tests if you need any convincing!


If it is all about budget then i'd definitely give the 7w a go (was going to try myself as am similar weight to you but my plans changed) and id try different oil level heights as trial an error only costs time and a few $$$ for oil 👍🏼

[umberto]

Marriage? Get a pre nuptial or a gun , it's all good when it's all good but if the milk sours.... Hindsight is a double edged sword you do not appreciate until you age 😜


Fork seals, don't try to save a few $$$ with All Balls just get SKF, just go on youtube and watch the tests if you need any convincing!


If it is all about budget then i'd definitely give the 7w a go (was going to try myself as am similar weight to you but my plans changed) and id try different oil level heights as trial an error only costs time and a few $$$ for oil 👍🏼

I agree on the SKF seals.  All the major suspension shops I have dealt with (N2Dirt, Stillwell Performance) use them.  They will be $20 or so more, but well worth not having to replace the cheap ones once you factor in a new bottle of fork oil. 

I would try the switch to heavier weight, and also maybe putting in a little more oil than the manual asks for (in 10cc increments so you don't overdo it).  This compresses the air in the fork more, and can stiffen them up a little bit.  Make sure that you don't fill it up too much, as the forks will hydraulically lock and you don't want that.  This will help, but as you said the springs will make the biggest difference by far. 

That's a really nice bike by the way.  And while we are on the topic of marital advice, take it from a guy who just celebrated 25 years; learn how to fight in a way that isn't about winning.  You have to at least acknowledge the other person's feelings and concerns, no matter how wrong they may be.  That, and don't make your dirt bike the most important thing all the time.  Maybe only 65-90% of the time.   

[Kawafornication]

"That's a really nice bike by the way.  And while we are on the topic of marital advice, take it from a guy who just celebrated 25 years; learn how to fight in a way that isn't about winning.  You have to at least acknowledge the other person's feelings and concerns, no matter how wrong they may be.  That, and don't make your dirt bike the most important thing all the time.  Maybe only 65-90% of the time.   "


I have been with Mrs since I was 17 and I still tell her she is lucky to have me!

She still thinks I am punching way above my weight! 🤣

I learned how to phase out the white noise long ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss2hULhXf04  she just reads a book when she's had enough of me!

TBF we both started off with nothing so no prenuptial was needed, she is still welcome to half of nothing to this very day so no gun needed 👍🏼

[Gitta]

Ok thanks for the recommendation on the better quality fork seals, I didn't even know about them. In the past I've used oem but yeah I was going for All Ballz this time. I appreciate good quality products. Yeah I'll go for the higher weight oil too.

HAHA and thanks for all the marriage advice, I wasn't expecting that but glad to hear it. She's okay with dirtbikes. I took her for a good 20 min ride out in the sand dunes but there were braking/accelerating bumps the size of whoops everywhere. I think the 23 year old seal just didn't like the repetitive up down up down, the sand didn't help... She does however, get jealous of my RC car, she always tries to talk to me while I'm driving it but I guess I don't hear her 

[Heniz]

I got a 97 kx250 and in my hoenst opinion all ive done is used race techs website and put my weight and riding ability into the calculator and it gave me all the numbers i needed to have a good setup. All i have done is fitted correctly sprung springs with new bushes and seals and i couldnt be happier. its not to much more you will get a much better setup but its seriously all it needs is a good clean out with some good oil and the right weight springs takes all the guess work out and you wont regret it tell the misses its only lifestyle credits   

Bike looks tidy hasnt had a hard life. But take note the linkage bearings will have a hard life so look at having a replacement linkage knuckle to keep them fresh it really helps the performance of this bike.

http://www.racetech.com/ProductSearch/12/Kawasaki/KX250/1996