Removing the fairings and fork oil weight?

[andirsv]

Guys, I am planning on stripping the bike tomorrow in readiness for the falco forks and befs tcx shock arriving!!

Basically, with being the first time I'll be stripping it, is there any wee tips I need when removing or pretty straight forward?

Also, I'm going to change the oil in the forks and give them a good check over before fitting and wondered what weight oil I should look to replace the standard stuff with? The bike is used equally for me commuting to work and away for week long trips with mrs G.

Advice welcome!!

[northern phil]

Fairings aint a prob, no4 and 3 allen sockets to remove both sides. 3 bolts for the mid fairing are beside the front wheel ie from behind the fairing near the rads. For the lower there is a bolt each side of the oil rad behind the front wheel You taking the top fairing off? Its the headlight and both topfairings bolted together. You need to take out the dash, screen lockups etc first. then remove the mirrors, then remove the screen. the two bolts at the back of the ram airs and two tiny screws under the headlight screw the top fairing to the plastic ramairs, then the whole headlight and top fairing comes away forward. Sounds a lot but not really too bad.

Fork oil should be 5w.

[Motech]

I don't care who says it's easy-peasy, Futura fairings are a pain in the ass, especially compared to Mille. Fock man, like 30 screws to remove all lower, side and top fairings alone!

My best input is invest in a set of 1/4" drive, short allen sockets like the Stahlwille set below. It will save you a lot of time and cursing removing those front fairing screws near the tire.

[deefred]

I just removed my fork legs to replace the seals and the only fairing piece I removed was the one just below the lower triple.

The rear shock is not as easy however.
I had the rear subframe tilted forward for access but others have managed to get the shock out with less work

[andirsv]

Thanks guys, yeah I'll be removing the front/nose fairing and dash as also fitting a gear indicator.......so is this a real pain in the arse then guys!!! As for fork oil, will 5w be good then for two up touring etc.... As well as solo??

Thanks for your help again

Andi

[Motech]

Not, like, GoldWing pain in the ass, just annoying.

[rblue02]

Thanks guys, yeah I'll be removing the front/nose fairing and dash as also fitting a gear indicator.......so is this a real pain in the arse then guys!!! As for fork oil, will 5w be good then for two up touring etc.... As well as solo??

Thanks for your help again

Andi

I've used 7W in Florida in the summer. Feels stiffer, but not really better.
Probably depends on your climate and load, and bikes milage.
Most riders stick with the 5W.

[Befbever]

Andi, if you're preparing for the rear shock, take the rear exhaust and link pipes off too. If you still have the front 'breadbox' exhaust, you better loosen that too by removing the rear PITA bolt.
And of course, take out your OEM rear shock.

[deefred]

I don´t recall needing to remove the PITA bolt for shock replacement unless the pre-muffler is to be removed for other reasons.

[andirsv]

Thanks guys...... Much appreciated...... Got started today so will post an update when complete!! Hugo.........I'll strip everything back tomorrow in readiness!!! I'll be sending the remainder tomorrow morning.........payday at last!!!!

[andirsv]

I've used 7W in Florida in the summer. Feels stiffer, but not really better.
Probably depends on your climate and load, and bikes milage.
Most riders stick with the 5W.

Thanks buddy, I was thinking of going 10w due to the extra weight that will (75% of the time) be on the bike. Climate in Scotland is...........not as warm as Florida!!!!! Got me thinking now that maybe 10w will be too heavy????

[RAS]

Thanks buddy, I was thinking of going 10w due to the extra weight that will (75% of the time) be on the bike. Climate in Scotland is...........not as warm as Florida!!!!! Got me thinking now that maybe 10w will be too heavy????

The shocks control the movement of the wheels/brakes - unsprung stuff. The springs handle the weight. Considering most of that extra weight will be well back of the forks(on the Fut, a lot of the passenger sits behind the rear axle)and you'll compensated that weight by either a heavier spring or cranking preload up in back, going to 10W oil in front will just leave you with a harsh ride and might even cause the front to pump up and not work well at all. Stick with 5W or go to 7w at the highest.

Ball end hex keys - especially T handled - come in real handy for jobs like those fairing screws. Nice heavy T handles allow you to spin screws out once loosened. If you organize the screws by panel (small box/tray, whatever) as they come out, it's far easier to put them back.

[Pars]

I've put 10W in the Falco forks an i find it to be too soft. I am 99kgs.

[deefred]

Problem with fork oil viscosity is that a 5W or 10W can have different real viscosity depending of the manufacturer.
There is a chart somewhere showing how much it differs between the manufacturers.

Found it http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/lowspeed.htm

Also the oil level does a lot for the last quarter of the stroke.
More oil gives a more progressive rate as there is less air to compress.

[RAS]

Problem with fork oil viscosity is that a 5W or 10W can have different real viscosity depending of the manufacturer.
There is a chart somewhere showing how much it differs between the manufacturers.

Found it http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/lowspeed.htm

Also the oil level does a lot for the last quarter of the stroke.
More oil gives a more progressive rate as there is less air to compress.

Nice info. So if 16cSt@40 is mostly recommended for cartridge forks, if I'm reading this correctly, I'm pretty sure i have either Belray(17.1) or Maxima(15.9) oil in mine. So pretty close.

But yur right, there are a couple 5Ws that are twice those Maxima numbers and some 10Ws that are 3 times more. Talk about "your results may very"