Fork oil amount/type

[dropman]

Hi. I have xl650v4 and have found that on really big bumps front fork is bottoming out. I will change oil soon and check seals but I wanted to be sure I understand basic rules about amount and type of oil.

Does higher level of oil means it will be harder to bottom out?
Does higher viscosity means less bouncing?

I want to go for 10w oil and maybe I need to fill in more oil because I do some offroad too? If so, how much more?
I dont have enough money for progressive springs.

[btbloke]

More oil will probably do more harm than good. Best to stick with the prescribed amount. Higher weight oil is a good/better idea,it has a stiffening effect on the damping side as it is has a hardening effect on the ride of the bike.
I just changed my springs for progressive (wirth) and have standard weight oil which will be changed when time permits. I must say the bikes handling has changed dramatically with the new springs,it has raised it at least 2 inches at the front and they are much stiffer than standard,also all the lanes I used to bottom out on right on to the sump guard are now a breeze to just fly through and no bottoming out at all.The only downside I have noticed is I have had to reduce the pressure in the front tyre on the road and soften the rear shock as it changed the cornering characteristics a bit, that was not to my liking but as soon as I dropped the pressure about 4-5 psi it was back to normal and I can throw it back into the bends even on TKC's.
For the price of a complete set of seals and guides for the forks you could just purchase a set of hagon springs and the oil is free.

[dropman]

2 inches higher? Really? Thats good. I thought about increasing clearance of bike. Rear is easy - swap one piece in suspension. But I didnt knew that springs will lift front for 2inches.
It seems that I should find money for springs and will get two with one shot - clearance and better handling without bottoming.

[btbloke]

Well with a standard seat I am on tippy toes,so I changed to a low seat and got a flatish on the floor. Changed the springs and I'm back to tippy toes so it's definitely risen a couple of inches. Also looking at the ground clearance there is no sag when lardy arse me sits on it now.
When I fitted the springs I had to dip a finger down the fork to pull the old spring out,the new one went in and sat about 1 1/2 inches proud out of the fork so definitely longer and getting the fork top back on was a ******* job pushing and turning.

[dropman]

Is it correct that wirth springs are the same as hagon? Should I take hagon from wemoto or wirth from ebay.de. Or maybe wilbers from ebay.de?

[btbloke]

Hagon have had some good reviews, there in ilford,contact and order direct from them and they send the oild free. Not sure if you get the oil through wemoto. I got mine second hand for less than half what touratech charge on ebay. wirth are the german/us lot and hagon are all uk made.two different manufacturers but at least you get full guarantee with buying from the uk. Let's face it everyone raves about there rear shock spring combo's.

[dropman]

I am not in UK and not in Germany also

[btbloke]

where?

[dropman]

I am from Latvia.
How can I know which will be longer (and make clearance higher)? And which will be better for offroading?

[btbloke]

I'd say go for the nearest,most reasonably priced including the postage etc. posting from germany has gotta be cheaper than from the uk so if you can get wurth at a cheaper than in the uk price go for it.(whats the exchange rate like on your cash for german as opposed to yours to uk,our pound is worth nothing at the moment whereas the germans have the euro, I forget do you have the euro yet/in the EU? Finance is not my strong point)
I know the hagon are £67.50 free postage in the uk, god knows how much it would be to latvia. it's £15 pound to ireland so I'd expect a huge mark up on that price.
You could find out the prices and ask them for there unloaded length in the box so to speak and I could tell you the length of my standard springs out in the shed for comparison if it's any help.