clean your fork seals to help with leaking

[greatmaul]

Hi! On my (other) bike, I had a very leaky fork seal, such that when I pushed down on the bars, oil would leak out and drip down the fork and blow all over the headers and make a wonderful smell.

Anyway, I was about to take the bike in to have the fork seals redone, even though the previous owner said he had had them done, and someone mentioned I should try a "seal mate." It's a super thin piece of shaped plastic, pretty cheap at 2/$7 or so and you just slide it between the fork and the seal, rotate and remove. http://sealmate.net/

I didn't think it would make any difference, but it worked right away. I pushed up the dust seal, wiped the area clean, then slipped the thing in, rotated it around the fork, and that was it. After that, you push the forks and clean the forks a few times to reseat the seals, and that's it. No more leak.

I guess the thing is that any dirt that gets on the fork tube can get into the fork seal, and that's the cause of many fork seal issues. People with gaiters have much less of a problem with leaks, but exposed fork tubes are in fashion, so we all have to deal with this issue.

I'm also ordering some "dirt skins," which are like gaiters, except you they attach with velcro, so you don't have to take the forks apart to put them on. That will also help against dings, etc on the fork tube, which if you have them can tear up your fork seals as well.

I've seen recommended that you should wipe down your fork tubes with a cloth every time you stop for gas or get to or from where you're going. Even a tiny insect wing or part can cause a fork seal leak.