fork seals (rant)

[Justyntym]

well it looks like I get to join the long list of fork seal leakage.
(Did a search on fork seals and got about 6 pages of crap)

My bike is my daily driver ('06) but I don't consider 24,000 miles a lot and I shouldn't be
shelling out money for seals on a 2 year old bike...btw my dealer says $400.

It would be different if this were an isolated incident but as I am not alone...can't
we manufacture a decent 'fn fork that doesn't leak or am I expecting to much.

I really don't think we should consider this "routine maintaince" although since fork seals
are appartently pos we should catagorize it as such.

Not to mention, I'm not really happy about the local yokle at the stealership taking my nose off the bike,
as I've HIDs in there and switchback turnsignals with extra wiring I just know they will screw up.

(Now for the whinning part) Couple this with the impending valve check...for another 3-400 dollars...add rear tire and I'm up to $1000....CRAP. It's not like I got it $ sitting around doing nothing.

Busas are really fairly high maintance, high performance machines...I just don't think additional income should be
wasted on crappie fork seals.

Design them right to begin with...or am I just missing something

[mmawonder]

I think you got pretty good milage for complaning about valve adjustment ( same on every bike) and a rear tire.

[Justyntym]

Not complaining about the valve adjustment (or rear) whatsoever (that's the price of riding a cruise missle)...just not real happy with the timming in regards to the fork seals.

[semi]

i'm right at the same mileage as you and going through the same thing with my forks...i'm shipping mine to GIXERHP in the morning to get the upgraded springs and valves done also since i have to do the seals anyway...if you can stand the downtime, you might want to contact him to see what he can do for you

[proud dad]

24000 is good milage on seal.But your right the seals are made very cheaply compared to what a hydrolic cylinder has.They could do a better job and there's room for it in the tube.

[JusPlaynBob]

Ditto.

Just did mine 25000 Km.s
No wheelieing either.

It's just all that friction over those many miles, coupled with the dirt an crap that sticks to the forks.

The only saviour is, if you have the time and ability to take a half an hour and pull the forks yourself.

It cost me about $160.00 to have mine replaced that way.

Your right about the tires too.
It bites putting an new one on every 2500 miles.

The valve adjustment sucks too.
Again pull the body work at home for that one.
Valve adjustment is about 4 hours that way.
it cost me $225.00

Good luck with the seal issue. It's tough when its your daily ride.

[Busaman5000]

The seals on my 01 Honda VFR started leaking around that same mileage. It took three tries to get them right. Usually it would be about a month and they would start leaking again. This time they seem to be lasting.

[Justyntym]

I've done everything on my bike so far except tires,
HMF exhaust, throttle bodies, chain and cush drive, etc.

I am really really leary about doing the forks, seems easy to screw it up.

I also don't have any kind of front wheel jack, got a kick ass cycle cat rear stand...but no front.

However, if this is going to be a every couple of year deal...might just better muddle thru it.

Oh man...

[mmawonder]

If you are puting 13k per year, I would learn how to do seals. Would be a good invesment for life.

[JusPlaynBob]

I also don't have any kind of front wheel jack, got a kick ass cycle cat rear stand...but no front.
Oh man...

You might want to check the jacking instructions, in the service manual.

As directed, place immediately under the headers.
Once the wheel is off the ground, lock jack in place.
(Personally I tie off the bike using a rope suspended from above)

Remove wheel.
The the forks.
Tah Dah!

[POSR]

I've done everything on my bike so far except tires,
HMF exhaust, throttle bodies, chain and cush drive, etc.

I am really really leary about doing the forks, seems easy to screw it up.

I also don't have any kind of front wheel jack, got a kick ass cycle cat rear stand...but no front.

However, if this is going to be a every couple of year deal...might just better muddle thru it.

Oh man...

C'mon man have a little self confidence. Those things are not that big of a deal. Once you gain the experience then its 50 bux in parts max each time.

BTW 24,000 miles is pretty good for fork seals. It's obvious you take very good care of your bike.

Oh, and get a pit bull front stand that has the pin holds the front of the bike up by the bottom of triple clamp.

[BusaBret]

just had mine done at 13K. Only cost me $147 plus seals. That was taking the entire bike to the shop not just the forks. $3-400 sounds a bit steep to me.

[bigmac0331]

I would have loved to get 24K miles on the set of fork seals I just replaced. I just replaced my wifes fork seals on her Busa....and she only has 7K miles on it...and no wheelies!!!! I took the forks off myself and the dealer only charges me with fork oil $150.

[GIXERHP]

i'm right at the same mileage as you and going through the same thing with my forks...i'm shipping mine to GIXERHP in the morning to get the upgraded springs and valves done also since i have to do the seals anyway...if you can stand the downtime, you might want to contact him to see what he can do for you

Yup!

[coop65sr]

Got a little over 31000 outta my front seals but now my right side is leaking so I am gonna go ahead and do the replacement soon too. It has been leaking for a little bit, but I'm guilty of the ever so often wheelie- so I can't complain...
But, if you are mechanically inclined to try it, there seem to be some really good walk-throughs on the board- that is what I'm gonna do- I'm like you, got the HID's installed and running lights wired on my front signals(extra stuff I've done) that I know a stealership would just mess up, so they ain't touching my beast!!

I do my own work anyway- Just got done replacing cush drive, front and rear sprockets with EK ZZZ chain, and two new Pilot Powers ($500+) and just got two rotors from Josh @ Ryders Connection=== so to keep my wife from killing me, I'll have to put it off a little bit longer

But it's one of those things you have to do eventually..Hope you come out not too expensive on the whole deal--- Peace, Chris

[BusaWhipped]

I'm at 44,000 miles with the stock seals. I was mad at the dealer for not replacing them when I had the new springs installed. You are getting ripped if they are charging you $400 just for replacing seals. I also have not needed a valve adjustment yet. That's coming probably at the end of this year based on the check at 40,000 miles. Also, it should not cost $300-400 for the check, they are probably giving you the estimate for the adjustment in case they need to do it. If not, find a new shop.

[stlbusarider]

just buy a pit-bull center stand. The easiest way to do any front end work, including tire and brake removal. Send the forks to Gixerhp and get em done right!

[Revvv]

I learned over the weekend that fork seals can be changed in about 15 - 30 minutes with the right tools. It's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. In all honesty, it's only a few nuts and bolts.

[Mr Bogus]

hey they could go back to the old school shocks instead of the inverted body... they hardly ever leak

[grabntwist]

Just had mine done on my 05le at 3900 miles.