Fork oil question -

[ScottyCBR650F]

I've had a search and nothing quite matches what I'm after.... It's a bit long winded so please bare with.

Bought my bike last year from a dealership.... The price was decent and they delivered it to the house. Once we got it my wife rode the bike up to the in-laws garage and lay off the road (September) till the start of this season.

I've done roughly 1000miles riding and I've noticed that the suspension is very, very soft especially the front, it's better handling one way Vs the other.... To the point that my wife weighs 8st 5 and can sit on the bike, it settles and she can flat foot it.... She can't do this on her own bike, she can only get the balls of her feet on the ground, tip toe if you like, on her own bike (a triumph Daytona 660)

There was an open day or our local Triumph dealer and a specialist was there setting up people suspension etc.

They said the couldn't do anything with it as the fork oil was past it's best.... Alas we're here.
Phoned the dealer, not helpful at all and begrudgingly wanted to see the bike. So it's with them now. They said when the bike came in they "allegedly" changed the oil in one of the forks..... And the bike has very soft suspension that's it's quirks - it's a 2015 on 21k - naturally and our concerns about oil "being past it's best" is rubbish.

I've looked through loads of literature and can't find anything recommending what the serviceability of the oil is? When should it be changed? - We've seen every 12k but unsure if that's a generic bike recommendations or one specific to the 650F. Should you only change the oil in one fork?

Apologies for the long story and any help and advice is appreciated.

Tia Scotty

 

[miweber929]

Service manual download is located in the resources section of the forum, that will give you a full breakdown of service intervals.

Fork oil service interval is usually number of years or number of miles, whatever comes first. 12k miles sounds right, 5 years is about the timeframe going by memory. Airgap, not oil volume, is the biggest factor; if they filled by volume it could be squishy.

The first gen, non inverted fork bikes are easy to do and nothing too complicated. Like at all, if ANYTHING about this throws your shop, you need a new shop. They are the most basic motorcycle maintenance including service intervals; you would be surprised how beat fork oil can get in a short time. Your bike was built in ‘14, you’ve got 12 year old fork oil in it. That should go, you shop shouldn’t even question that.

 

[ScottyCBR650F]

Service manual download is located in the resources section of the forum, that will give you a full breakdown of service intervals.

Fork oil service interval is usually number of years or number of miles, whatever comes first. 12k miles sounds right, 5 years is about the timeframe going by memory. Airgap, not oil volume, is the biggest factor; if they filled by volume it could be squishy.

The first gen, non inverted fork bikes are easy to do and nothing too complicated. Like at all, if ANYTHING about this throws your shop, you need a new shop. They are the most basic motorcycle maintenance including service intervals; you would be surprised how beat fork oil can get in a short time. Your bike was built in ‘14, you’ve got 12 year old fork oil in it. That should go, you shop shouldn’t even question that.

That's what we were thinking, we are more car savvy and than bike, although the basics still apply for fluid changes etc.

We have loads of questions and I will definitely have a look at the service manual.

Right I get you, so the air gaps also equally important as well as volume.

Awesome we need amo for these guys lol - when you ask them questions on the phone they're sniggering/condescending and down playing everything (there are a couple of things we've asked them to look at) but this has been helpful for a start.

 

[Brammers]

If they're sniggering at you, walk away - that kind of arrogance around motorcycles will get someone hurt, or worse killed.

J

 

[ScottyCBR650F]

If they're sniggering at you, walk away - that kind of arrogance around motorcycles will get someone hurt, or worse killed.

J

We will be, we're collecting the bike today at some point... There's other issues as I said in my reply to Miweber that we're asking to be checked out, the bike is still under warranty with them.... We're not asking for a full tear down of the bike and demanding a full nut/bolt restoration.

Both front and back brakes squeal loudly coming to a stop.

We were told that the clutch is almost at the end of its life - it's quite jerky, so we had a garage change the cable for us.... Where we bought the bike from are now saying the clutch is void from the warranty because the cables been changed -

The techy that changed the cable was 8years at a Honda dealership (Victor Devine in Glasgow) said with the leaver that engages the clutch should be sitting further to the rear of the housing and straight out from the bike - there is only a small adjustment at the top.

Im very new to the biking life so I don't know if what were being told is good info and the garage we bought the bike from are like check these bozos out (not that they should be doing that).

 

[miweber929]

That's what we were thinking, we are more car savvy and than bike, although the basics still apply for fluid changes etc.

Yup, basics all apply but know that bike fluid volume is far less and exposed to the elements more so things like brake fluid should be changed every 2 years, coolant every 3 or 4, etc. Thats why the service manual is so handy.

Right I get you, so the air gaps also equally important as well as volume.

Yup!!! When you do a fluid change not everything will come out no matter how hard you try so getting that proper air gap is the key.

Awesome we need amo for these guys lol - when you ask them questions on the phone they're sniggering/condescending and down playing everything (there are a couple of things we've asked them to look at) but this has been helpful for a start.

Then as @Brammers said you need to find a better shop, warranty or not. A flat tire, oil leak, blown shock, etc. on a car is more of an annoyance than dangerous but on a bike it’s very easily deadly in outcome. You need to trust someone else working on your bike understands you, your issues and your questions. Trust me, it’s worth finding a shop you trust.

 

[ScottyCBR650F]

Yup, basics all apply but know that bike fluid volume is far less and exposed to the elements more so things like brake fluid should be changed every 2 years, coolant every 3 or 4, etc. Thats why the service manual is so handy.



Yup!!! When you do a fluid change not everything will come out no matter how hard you try so getting that proper air gap is the key.


Then as @Brammers said you need to find a better shop, warranty or not. A flat tire, oil leak, blown shock, etc. on a car is more of an annoyance than dangerous but on a bike it’s very easily deadly in outcome. You need to trust someone else working on your bike understands you, your issues and your questions. Trust me, it’s worth finding a shop you trust.

We picked the bike up and "out of courtesy" they changed the fork oil, and it's definitely not as soft/spongey feeling as before and definitely feels a lot better on the road. They did admit when it was traded in they done one side as it has a leaking seal.

That's exactly why I'd prefer to use a garage for the bike. I's all critical components especially the suspension and engine, for me I don't have to confidence to do all the servicing, I might get on to oil and filter changes eventually.

We're going to speak to other shops near us for sure... The person we spoke to is full of his own importance and was telling us about his in-depth knowledge of tyres and this and that - "I mean I don't like to criticise other people's work, but what do xxxxx know about this or that". Then proceeds to pull faces when you mention other places or people.

The brakes - they changed 1 disc out of the 2 on the front and it's still making a brake squeal.... Despite many, many, many.... Many road tests the guys "couldn't find anything wrong and it was silent the whole time" lmao.

Brakes and chain maintenance I can do so I'm going to have a look myself.

They also said the clutch is ok and has plenty of life in it.

So we will wait and see.

Thanks for all the replies.... They've been helpful. I will be sticking around for sure. Great to be back on a forum

 

[Brammers]

I'd be slightly aware of having a new disc and another with 21k miles on it.

I'd be inclined to challenge the shop and say that you'd prefer two matched discs.

Otherwise he sounds too cocky for me, I'd find someone else.

J

 

[ScottyCBR650F]

The discs front and rear (as it was pointed out many, many times) have decent serviceability left on them, the rear are 4.5mm and I can't remember what the other front was.... We will swap them out I think.... I would always replace both of I was doing any work myself.

But we are definitely looking for new garages to look after the bike.