Riding in the rain isn't so bad as long as I know it's coming and I've got my rain gear on.  Getting surprised by a freak thunderstorm sucks.  I've ruined numerous expensive electronic devices getting caught in the rain.

Popped my fork seals the day I bought my 1998 brand new. Belt was too tight, popped the front wheel off the ground, hard landing. Leaked from 1998 until it was retired for good in 2014 due to a massive electrical system failure (more to fix the bike than it is worth).

Fork oil is overpriced. Use Dexron/Mercon 3 for a stock ride, Type F (which "can" cause seal damage, but likely won't) for slightly stiffer, SAE 15W40 or 20W50 if you want it noticeably firmer. The next time I do my forks they are getting straight 40W engine oil. Or concrete. I will NOT accept ANY amount of fork dive while braking, which is currently a non-issue because the front brake on my 2003 has quit working, just like the 1998 did. Time for a drum swap (and a springer fork)... FYI, the stock brake on the Savage/S40 specs out as a 1969 Honda caliper. The early 70s Suzuki Titan (500cc 2 stroke street twin) front drum on my 98 Savage has 3-4x the stopping power.

When you go to fill your forks, pull out the springs and let the upper tubes drop into the sliders. Fill the upper tubes to the absolute brim with your chosen oil. Extend the uppers, drop in the springs, insert and tighten down to the triple clamps.

You will have to learn the bike's new handling characteristics, and they will change, perhaps significantly.

sorry WD, but the most common fillup for front forks is 6" from top with forks fully compressed with no springs inside.  Why not just put in the recommended amt the factory recommends?  Do you think they pay those factory engineers for no reason?  Oh yeah I know, most bikers think they are EXPERTS!  Wanna buy a bridge?

dustystranger wrote on 11/27/15 at 15:54:29:


Because the engineers base the amount on a theoretical "average" weight and riding ability/style. That weight generally being 150 pounds, which I exceed by 90-95 pounds. And I tend to ride extremely aggressively. I use oil weights and level to tune the fork for how and where I ride.

An as shipped motorcycle is a half finished motorcycle. Accepting the factory settings means you won't get everything the machine is capable of. Riders routinely swap rear shocks, seats, handlebars and mirrors for a better "feel", tuning your front fork is no different. Especially when that fork is NO better than that on a 1950s bike. The Savage/S40 fork is a scaled down 1949 Hydraglide unit, nearly identical to same era English and American twins.

Increasing oil levels in hydraulic forks to improve handling is as old as hydraulic forks themselves. Increasing fluid weight is as old as hydraulic cylinder technology.