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Searching for the best fork oil for motorcycles? If so, look no more around. This post has reviewed the best fork oils for your motorcycles.
Fork oils are the most ignored repair in motorcycles. Most people change their engine oil. But they forget that their fork also has oil that needs renewal as well with a proper schedule. That’s why they lose handling and don’t enjoy smooth riding.
Since you’re here, you’re not one of those who don’t take care of their fork oil. We will give you a hand in picking the best fork oil for your motorcycle. How to change the fork oil and other frequently asked questions will also be answered in this article.
So without further ado, let’s unbox the best fork oil for motorcycles.
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Maxima 56901 15WT Standard Hydraulic Fork Oil – The Best Fork Oil for Motorcycles
- Maxima Fork Oils are formulated from the highest quality base oils and advanced additives to prevent foaming, seal hardening, oxidation and stiction
Pros:
- Temperature Stable Viscosity
- 15 Weight
- One Liter Bottle
- Better fork movement
- Reduce friction and corrosion
- 9 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches
Cons:
- Low amount oil – single use
- Non-synthetic oil
Check out this first product of the list – The Maxima 56901 fork oil for your motorcycle. This oil comes in a one-liter bottle and is made of high-end base oil plus additives. This combination ensures high performance to your motorcycle fork.
You can use this Maxima oil for both standard and cartridge forks and all front suspension systems. It prevents foaming, and seal hardening, and oxidation which then prevents corrosion to your fork.
The friction produced in the fork could damage your motorcycle’s internal parts in the suspension. But if the friction is lower, so low heat and hence no internal damage. Thanks to the Maxima lubriconol fortified oil that delivers low friction so that it saves internal components from wear.
The oil gives you temperature stable viscosity so your motorcycle forks perform well both on hot and cold days. This is anti-foam, reduced drag oil of 15 weight. Speaking of the weight, check out your manual for the right weight and amount of fork oil.
Bel-Ray 99330-B1LW Parts
- For all standard and cartridge forks.
- Anti-wear chemistry greatly reduces friction wear in suspension tubes and sliders for longer lasting suspensions and more responsive and reliable performance.
Pros:
- High viscous oil
- For cartridge and standards forks
- Anti-wear chemistry in the oil
- Reduces friction
- Delivers smooth operation
- 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches
- 2 pounds
Cons:
- Not as good as compared to other products on the list
Bel-Ray is another US brand that produces the best fork oil for motorcycles. They make oils for all standard and cartridge forks. So if you have either fork in your motorcycle, you can opt for this brand if not for the Maxima.
The chemistry in the Bel-Ray oil is designed for reducing the friction as much as possible so that it then lowers the wear in the tube and sliders. With these features, you will experience a long-lasting performance and responsive suspensions.
It also features viscosity stability that will deliver better suspensions on even hot days. If you’re often driving on irregular terrains, you will have better handling over the bike when the Bel-Ray oil lubricates the suspension system.
The high viscosity in this oil helps your motorcycle suspension system to work effectively in all temperature ranges. It helps with smooth operation as well. For more information and other customers’ reviews, click the image.
Motul 105931 Fork Oil EXP M/H 15W 6X1L
Pros:
- 15 Weight
- Reduces friction
- Delivers smooth riding.
- 4.53 x 2.48 x 8.07 inches
- 2 pounds
Cons:
- Only one litter oil
This Motul fork oil features one litter oil, enough for the fork tube in your motorcycle. You can use this oil for either on-road or off-road purposes. Your bike’s suspension system will work effectively with this oil in irregular terrains and off-road.
The Motul fork oil has 15W viscosity. It ensures that the suspension system will deliver its top performance in summer as well. The oil has a greater lubricity, which will save your fork’s internal parts from any wear and tear.
Such lubricity also reduces the friction between the piston and the tube, providing smooth and comfortable riding. If you’re looking for a top-notch fork oil for your motorcycle, and if you’re not interested in the above brands, this Motul fork oil should be your next choice.
For the product description, customers reviews, and the price, click the image to explore all of them yourself.
Buying Guide – All you need to know about the Best Fork Oil for Motorcycles
If you’re a new fork oil buyer, this section is important to read. This buying guide will open everything before you about choosing the right oil for your motorcycle fork. You will also know about some of the key features of the fork oil so that you check them out in the product you want to buy.
Weight of the Fork Oil
Just like engine oil, fork oils also have a specific weight for a particular use. What weight oil is best for your motorcycle depends on the model and the riding season, which could be found in the manual as well.
Using 15W fork oil is perfect for most motorcycles. 10W and lower than that are also available in the market. If you’re a heavier and aggressive rider, you should go for 15 W. The 10 W oil works as well if you’re not the first one.
In summer, a thick viscous oil – 15W – performs well over thin viscous oil. If you’re living in a cold area where the weather is not hot most of the year, opt for 10W oil. Some fork oils have temperature stable viscosity, which works well in all seasons.
Buy Sufficient Fork Oil
The fork oil that comes in a bottle is mostly one liter. And it’s enough for a single-use. But you should check the manual for the amount of oil the forks need. So that you end up buying sufficient oil for your forks.
Top Brands
Let’s talk over some of the top brands of fork oil. And this is important because the market is filled with many brands. If you don’t have some leading brands in your mind, you will probably opt for low-quality oil. So let’s see what are the top brands for purchasing fork oil.
Maxima – The Best Fork Oil for Motorcycles
The top brand on the list is the Maxima company. It launched its first product back in 1979. This US-based fork oil brand not only produces fork oil but their other products such as engine oil and synthetic oils are also leading the market.
So if you want to purchase the top fork oil for your motorcycle, choose the Maxima. It gives you better control and smooth performance.
Motul
Motul is another top-notch fork oil producer. This company was founded in 1853 in New York. It’s a French-based oil brand that makes motor oil, brake oil, shock, fork, and gear oils. Their fork oil reduces the friction in the fork to prevent wear inside the tube. That’s because of its great lubricity.
Bel-Ray
Bel-Ray is the last top brand when it comes to fork oils. If you didn’t choose from the first two brands, this would be the last top brand you can find. Below are some of its top features.
- High viscous oil
- For cartridge and standards forks
- Anti-wear chemistry in the oil
- Reduces friction
- Delivers smooth operation
Also Read: The Best Motorcycle Tires for Harley Davidson
FAQs
What does a motorcycle fork do?
A motorcycle’s fork joins the front wheel with the frame of the motorcycle. It also helps to control your motorcycle, just like steering. There’s a suspension system inside the fork tube. Any obstacle or shock coming your way is absorbed by the spring inside the tube.
Also, there’s a piston inside the tube that slides through the tube. In short, a motorcycle fork helps you turn your motorcycle to left and right. It also absorbs shocks that are coming your way. It delivers effective braking and a smooth ride.
What types of motorcycle forks are there?
There are two types of forks in motorcycles. You can check out the manual to know about the type of fork used in your bike.
Damping Rod Forks
This is an old and basic fork used mostly in old motorcycle models. Here a rod is damped in the oil and spring. You will find this basic suspension system in cheap motorcycles. It could be found in some new bikes as well. This type of fork gives you soft and low damping at a low speed.
Cartridge Forks
On the other hand, a cartridge fork is used in the latest and modern motorcycles especially in the latest sports motorcycles. In this suspension system, the damping effect comes when the piston slides through the tube or cartridge. That’s why it’s known as a cartridge fork. And this works as a shock absorber.
Conventional Forks vs Upside-Down Forks — What’s the Difference?
The conventional fork which is also known as the right side up fork has slides near the axle, while the upside-down fork gives you better support due to its length. They are longer than the conventional forks.
Gold valve emulators/cartridge emulators
If you got this damping rod fork in your motorcycle and want to make it a cartridge fork, use this thing called a cartridge or gold valve emulator. It is a device that you will need to put into the fork so as to experience better compression damping. Race Tech is the company that makes such devices.
Why change motorcycle fork oil?
As you change your motorcycle’s engine oil for better performance, the fork oil also needs to be changed with a proper schedule. It works as a shock absorber. It gives lubricity to your motorcycle. And you will experience a smooth ride.
What happens if you don’t change the fork oil?
Fork oil gets dirty and loses its lubricity with time just like engine oil loses its functionality and becomes dirty. And you change the oil to get better and lasting engine performance. So does your fork oil need renewal? In order to get smooth riding, and better shock absorption, you should change the fork oil as yearly maintenance in your motorcycle.
What is the best fork oil to use?
Maxima 56901 15WT Standard Hydraulic Fork Oil is the best fork oil that you can use in your motorcycle’s fork. It gives you a stable viscosity at all temperatures. You can find a review of this fork oil in the article above. Plus you can see some of its pros below.
- Temperature Stable Viscosity
- 15 Weight
- One Liter Bottle
- Better fork movement
- Reduce friction and corrosion
- 9 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches
How often should you change fork oil?
To get the most out of your motorcycle, you need to have proper maintenance in it every year. As you change your motorcycle engine oil with a proper schedule, it’s essential to mark a date for the fork oil as well.
Your motorcycle manual will give you the right period to change the oil. You can check that out as well. But the period should not exceed 10,000 miles. Change the fork oil in around 6,000 miles. Or one a year is also the right time if you don’t ride more than 6000 miles in a year.
How do you change the fork oil and fork seals?
Below is a quick summary of changing fork oil and seals in your motorcycle.
- Loose the brake calipers and remove the fork
- Then drain off the oil
- Put things back as you removed
- Install new fork seals
- Put in new oil
- Install the fork and make all the lug and nuts tightened
What causes fork seals to fail?
A fork seal is a rubber ring. It fails due to wear and tear in the fork. With age, it also gets worn out. If the damage is not big enough to weep out the oil, no need to worry about it.
What do you need to change the fork oil?
In order to change your motorcycle fork oil, you’ll need a new fork oil plus seals. A pot or jar to put the old oil in. And a cloth to clean the fork. You will also need torque specs to change the fork oil.
How hard is it to change your own fork oil and fork seals?
It’s a bit hard to change your motorcycle fork oil and seal yourself if you’re not a DIY person. If you’re familiar with using torques, following a manual, and especially if you’ve done any repair before in your bike, you can do that. Just follow a proper method to change fork oil and seals. It’s recommended to do it by a professional if you haven’t done it before.
Conclusion
You’ve gone through the best fork oil for motorcycles. You can choose any of the products reviewed here. If you need a hand in picking the top item on the list, the Maxima 56901 has no competitor. It gives you better fork movement and reduces the friction inside the tube.
Last update on 2023-05-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
