The question may sound dumb, but I would like to know what those fluids which are sold as Fork/Suspension Oils really are.
Since the motorcycle oil market is relatively small (compared to industrial and automotive oil markets) I doubt that the oil manufacturers are really developing fluids for mx/enduro forks.
I rather think the suspension manufacturers ask the oil guys for a hydraulic fluid that fulfils certain specs, then they fill that stuff into 1-Litre bottles, sell it as "Fork Oil" and raise the price for 500%.
Some of my thoughts:
I have read here that some people use ATF in their forks (when I'm correct, ATF is basically a hydraulic fluid, right?) with no probs. When an everywhere-to-find-fluid like ATF can do do the job, why should I buy something that is at least twice as expensive?
I was told that KAYABA Fork Oil is the best available, but everybody that told me so got this information from someone who's selling KAYABA Fork Oil.
I doubt that KAYABA makes its own oil. They rather buy it from somewhere else.
BTW I definetely know that the BelRay Products sold here in Europe were produced by TOTAL in France, because it would be very uneconomic to ship 1-Litre bottles of motoroil across the atlantic.
I think the same applies to Fork Oil, so those KAYABA fluids sold in Europe are probably from another manufacturer than those sold in Japan or in the US.
On nearly every Fork Oil bottle I find the advertisement for the "very special seal-swelling additives", but as far as I know seal swellers are to find in every hydraulic fluid for telescopic movement.
So I think there is is a lot of marketing-BS involved here.
Can someone enlighten me what those fluids are?
Howdo I determine the correct viscosity, since the SAE viscosity classes don't apply to industrial fluids?
Has anyone a source of information on hydraulic fluids, links etc.?
Since the motorcycle oil market is relatively small (compared to industrial and automotive oil markets) I doubt that the oil manufacturers are really developing fluids for mx/enduro forks.
I rather think the suspension manufacturers ask the oil guys for a hydraulic fluid that fulfils certain specs, then they fill that stuff into 1-Litre bottles, sell it as "Fork Oil" and raise the price for 500%.
Some of my thoughts:
I have read here that some people use ATF in their forks (when I'm correct, ATF is basically a hydraulic fluid, right?) with no probs. When an everywhere-to-find-fluid like ATF can do do the job, why should I buy something that is at least twice as expensive?
I was told that KAYABA Fork Oil is the best available, but everybody that told me so got this information from someone who's selling KAYABA Fork Oil.
I doubt that KAYABA makes its own oil. They rather buy it from somewhere else.
BTW I definetely know that the BelRay Products sold here in Europe were produced by TOTAL in France, because it would be very uneconomic to ship 1-Litre bottles of motoroil across the atlantic.
I think the same applies to Fork Oil, so those KAYABA fluids sold in Europe are probably from another manufacturer than those sold in Japan or in the US.
On nearly every Fork Oil bottle I find the advertisement for the "very special seal-swelling additives", but as far as I know seal swellers are to find in every hydraulic fluid for telescopic movement.
So I think there is is a lot of marketing-BS involved here.
Can someone enlighten me what those fluids are?
Howdo I determine the correct viscosity, since the SAE viscosity classes don't apply to industrial fluids?
Has anyone a source of information on hydraulic fluids, links etc.?
