Suspension oil weight chart

There is a lot of confusion about the suspension oil to use in our front forks or shock absorbers. So, to facilitate the searching, we have made a Suspension oil equivalence chart for you.
Now you can compare quickly suspension oils by brand.
SAE range
Despite what many believe, the SAE range does not define the exact viscosity of an oil. It is a reference to a range of viscosities in which it can be contained.
Therefore, the SAE range is more appropriate for use in motor oils rather than for suspensions. Keep in mind that each manufacturer places its oils where they think it should be (it’s not a standard).
In addition, what can cause when changing the oil brand while maintaining the SAE, is that your suspension (being a front fork or shock absorber) behaves in a different way (because the kinematic viscosity is different).
And in a 99% of cases, doesn’t perform better than before.
General recommendations
We recommend using the original oil on your suspensions so that the damping behavior is not changed.
In case you can’t find the original oil, use the one with the closest kinematic viscosity.
You can look up for the original oil specs in the workshop manual or by asking to an official dealer.
You can also look up for it on internet forums, although it may take longer.
Viscosity or density?
The viscosity is measured in centistokes (cSt) or mm2/s at 40ºC as a reference temperature and is a technical characteristic of each oil.
Viscosity index indicates the “quality” of the oil. The greater the number, the more stable the viscosity is against temperature changes.
Therefore, it is important to remember that the viscosity of a fluid (resistance offered by a liquid to flow) has nothing to do with its density (mass per unit volume).
Suspension oil equivalence chart
Below you can find a equivalence suspension oil chart (both for motorcycle and bicycle) where you can easily choose the closest oil to the original one.
Oils are sorted by Viscosity. SAE range is only shown for your reference.
If you can’t find the same viscosity as your original oil has, choose one with a difference of +/- 5cst. Beyond that, the damping behaviour is quite different.
A change on oil’s viscosity could need a new damping adjuster (low speed adjusters COMP/TEN) set-up.
Example
Original oil was a 14,14cst. Couldn’t find nothing else than a 15.3cst oil. This means that all damping (compression and rebound) will be slower, in general.
Turn the external adjusters 1 click/1/8turn anti-clockwise.
This doesn’t means that suspension behaves exactly the same as with 14,14cst oil, but slow speed behaviour is similar.
The bigger the difference in viscosity from the original oil, the more turns/clicks would need the adjuster.
SAE range | Brand/product | Kinematic Viscosity @ 40ºC (cSt) | Viscosity index |
2,5W | Putoline GPR6 | 6,66 | 438 |
2,5W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 6,74 | – |
2,5W | Putoline HPX R | 6,74 | 458 |
Öhlins 1302 | 7,00 | – | |
2,5W | RockShox | 10,75 | 325 |
2,5W | Showa SS25 | 11,27 | – |
Öhlins 1304 | 12,00 | – | |
3,5W | Putoline GPR6 | 12,80 | 378 |
2,5W | Silkolene RSF 2.5 | 14,00 | – |
Öhlins 1306 | 14,00 | – | |
5W | Showa SS19 | 14,14 | – |
Öhlins 1312 | 14,26 | – | |
2,5W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 14,50 | 250 |
Motorex Racing Shock Oil | 14,80 | 272 | |
5W | Shell Advance Fork Oil | 15.00 | 153 |
Öhlins 1311 | 15,00 | – | |
5W | Putoline Light Fork | 15,00 | – |
Motorex Racing SD-1 | 15,00 | 110 | |
2,5W | Motul Fork Oil Factory Line | 15,00 | 112 |
5W | Showa SS-05 | 15,10 | – |
5W | Showa A15 | 15,30 | – |
Liqui Moly Shock Oil | 15,30 | 106 | |
3W | IPONE Fork Fluid 3 Racing | 15,50 | 115 |
5W | Fox Racing Oil | 15,80 | 168,2 |
5W | KYB 01M | 15,85 | – |
5W | KYB KHL15-11 | 15,90 | – |
5W | Valvoline SynFork | 16,00 | 339 |
4W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 16,00 | 250 |
5W | KYB KHL15-10 | 16,05 | – |
5W | RockShox | 16,10 | 285 |
Motul Shock Oil | 16,3 | 400 | |
5W | Showa SS7 (Honda Pro SS07) | 16,6 | – |
4W | Putoline HPX R | 16,90 | 138 |
Liqui Moly Shock Oil RACE | 17,4 | 124 | |
Silkolene 02 SYNTH Fork Oil | 18,00 | – | |
Öhlins 1303 | 18,00 | – | |
2,5W | ELF Fork Oil Syn | 18,00 | 155 |
5W | Motul Fork Oil Factory Line | 18,00 | 121 |
5W | KYB G5 | 18,10 | – |
5W | IPONE Oil Fork 5 | 18,40 | 115 |
5W | Liqui Moly Fork Oil Light | 18,40 | – |
5W | Motul Fork Oil Expert | 18,9 | 108 |
Öhlins 1309 | 19,00 | – | |
7,5W | Öhlins 1330 | 20,00 | – |
Öhlins 1310 | 22,00 | – | |
7W | IPONE Fork Fluid 7 Racing | 22,00 | 126 |
7,5W | Shell Advance Fork Oil | 22,00 | – |
5W | WP #5 | 22,00 | – |
7,5W | Liqui Moly Fork Oil Light/Med | 22,1 | 139 |
5W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 22,50 | – |
5W | Putoline HPX R | 22,50 | 162 |
5W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 22,90 | 250 |
5W | Silkolene RSF 5 | 23,00 | – |
Öhlins 1313 | 23,05 | – | |
5W | ELF Fork Oil Syn | 23,30 | 130 |
7,5W | Motul Fork Oil Factory Line | 24,6 | 131 |
5W | Putoline Formula GP | 25,10 | 147 |
5W | Lucas Oil | 25,34 | – |
10W | Liqui Moly Fork Oil Medium | 28,5 | 146 |
7W | Fox Racing Shox | 31,82 | – |
11,5W | BMW Motorrad Fork Oil Type 2 | 32,00 | – |
10W | Putoline Medium Fork | 32,00 | – |
10W | Shell Advance Fork Oil | 32.00 | 153 |
10W | Valvoline SynFork | 32,00 | 204 |
7,5W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 32,10 | – |
7,5W | Putoline HPX R | 32,10 | 151 |
10W | KYB G10 | 32,20 | – |
10W | RockShox | 33,00 | 240 |
7,5W | WP #7.5 | 33,40 | – |
7,5W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 34,70 | 250 |
10W | Showa SS47 | 34,88 | – |
7,5W | Silkolene RSF 7,5 | 35 | – |
Öhlins 1315 | 35,00 | – | |
10W | Motul Fork Oil Expert | 35,9 | 116 |
10W | Motul Fork Oil Factory Line | 36,3 | 134 |
10W | Showa SS08 | 36,51 | – |
10W | IPONE Fork 10 | 37,70 | 110 |
20W | Öhlins 1314 | 40,00 | – |
15W | H-D Fork Oil tipo “E” | 41,00 | – |
10W | Lucas Oil | 42,00 | – |
15W | RockShox | 42,80 | 250 |
Silkolene 05 SYNTH Fork Oil | 43,00 | – | |
10W | ELF Fork Oil Syn | 45,40 | 135 |
15W | Shell Advance Fork Oil | 46,00 | 154 |
10W | Silkolene RSF 10 | 47,00 | – |
10W | ELF Fork Oil | 47,00 | 153 |
10W | Fox Racing Oil | 47,36 | 302,7 |
15W | KYB G15 | 47,40 | – |
10W | WP #10 | 48,10 | – |
15W | Lucas Oil | 49,2 | – |
10W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 49,50 | 250 |
Öhlins 1320 | 50,00 | – | |
10W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 50,10 | – |
10W | Putoline HPX R | 50,10 | 151 |
15W | Liqui Moly Fork Oil Heavy | 50,4 | – |
10W | Putoline Formula GP | 52,40 | 152 |
15W | Motul Fork Oil Expert | 58,1 | 116 |
15W | IPONE Fork Oil 15 | 60,20 | 115 |
10W30 | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 63,60 | 180 |
15W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 66,80 | – |
15W | Putoline HPX R | 66,80 | 165 |
15W | WP #15 | 67,80 | – |
20W | Silkolene SF 20 | 68,00 | – |
20W | Putoline Heavy Fork | 68,00 | – |
15W | Motorex Racing Fork Oil | 71,90 | 250 |
15W | ELF Fork Oil | 72,60 | 155 |
20W | Lucas Oil | 77,5 | – |
20W | Motul Fork Oil Expert | 81,1 | 103 |
20W | IPONE Fork Oil 20 | 83,10 | 110 |
40W | Öhlins 1316 | 98,00 | – |
20W | Fox Racing Oil | 98,90 | 137,9 |
15W | Silkolene RSF 15 | 99,00 | – |
20W | ELF Fork Oil | 99,00 | 150 |
20W | Wilbers TF Fork Oil | 99,40 | – |
20W | Putoline HPX R | 99,40 | 155 |
Öhlins 1325 | 100,00 | – | |
30W | Silkolene SF 30 | 100,00 | – |
30W | IPONE Fork Oil 30 | 102,90 | 106 |
Your favourite oil is missing?
Can’t find your favourite oil? Send us an e-mail and we will add it to the list!
2 Responses
Hello, could it be possible to add the Liqui Moly fork oil range? Regards
Hi Fernando,
The Liqui Moly suspension oils have been added to the list.
Thanks!