Fork Seals

[Salty Dog]

Do many here suffer a weeping fork seal?
The VTR did the right seal about 6 months ago, its stopped weeping now as most of the fork oil has gone in that leg.
I've purchased a genuine Honda fork seal, just haven't had the motivation to install it

Is this a common thing with the lightly sprung VTR, or is a 108Kg rider with no gear just asking too much of the poor forks?

[VTRDark]

How bizzare your the second person to have this issue recently. Fork seal are consumables but they should last longer than 6 months. With you being the second person now, I really am beginning to wonder if Honda have made a bad batch. It does seem a bit coincidental, and if they did release a bad batch would that be worldwide.

You mention you weight. Have you bottomed the forks out much. That is a serious question by the way. So are they bob standard forks then.

(:-})

[bigtwinthing]

How bizzare your the second person to have this issue recently. Fork seal are consumables but they should last longer than 6 months. With you being the second person now, I really am beginning to wonder if Honda have made a bad batch. It does seem a bit coincidental, and if they did release a bad batch would that be worldwide.

You mention you weight. Have you bottomed the forks out much. That is a serious question by the way. So are they bob standard forks then.

(:-})

are the fork legs bad? and is the chrome plate rusting that can cause it.

[VTRDark]

are the fork legs bad? and is the chrome plate rusting that can cause it.

Your right but it was the following that got me thinking.
http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... fork+seals

Like I said it seams a bit coincidental. Rusty stanchions would be too obvious.

(:-})

[Salty Dog]

You mention you weight. Have you bottomed the forks out much. That is a serious question by the way. So are they bob standard forks then.

(:-})

Ever since i have had the bike, 2 years, it bottoms out super easy when bumping over a curb, so i go super slow for that.
General riding, not so much, but fast bumps under braking i would not be at all surprised, i'm just a bit to busy to notice, but i think it has, especially now its really only running on one fit leg.
When i took the missus on the back one day, it was terrible... underbelly pan was hitting the ground.

Fork legs, the chrome part, seems good, but there would be very micro sized bumps on them at the end of the stroke.

For what its worth, i blew the fork seals on the YZ250F too.... Too much Beer and Couch ;)

After work, i'll try and provide some high detail pics.

[fabiostar]

make that another one... iv just blew my r/h seal...

[VTRDark]

Time for some decent springs me thinks. Or if that is a little too much expense right now then some heavier fork oil would help. Even changing the oil for fresh stuff makes a huge difference. You will end up changing the oil if doing the seals anyway. But ideally you need to be going the whole hog. It makes a massive improvement and totally transforms the bike. Forks bottoming out is not good, too much of that can blow your seals when you think about the forces involved. Mine used to bottom out a lot and I'm around 70-80kg. You have to be a tiny jap to ride with standard springs.

http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 31&t=29710

(:-})

[VTRDark]

make that another one... iv just blew my r/h seal...

I used the HRC seals which have an extra coiled wire inside to apparently help prevent leaks. They don't wont oil peeing out on tracks. I guess it gives a bit more protection.

(:-})

[fabiostar]

well iv just ripped my forks out and gave them a stern talking to. iv sent them to the northern ireland version of roger to give them a dam good rogering

[Salty Dog]

fabiostar, i like your motivation! I just cleaned the fairing of oil the first 7 times my fork leaked ;)
Yes, new fork springs are really the answer, i did all the reading on fork mods when i got the bike, now i've just got used to riding it and enjoying it, BUT, as you all say, its become the weak point of the bike.... You more or less ride up to what the forks can handle.
Its not the most confident of front ends standard

Thanks for all your help. Now i just have to start the process of getting them out.

[bigtwinthing]

Roger your forks, you will be amazed at the difference.

[Salty Dog]

I wish i lived near Roger! I'd even hold one end while he Rogered them ;)

[mattycoops43]

115kg rider here, standard forks and no issues, never bottomed them out. I did my seals once and they have been fine, but then I don't bounce it up kerbs.

[fabiostar]

I wish i lived near Roger! I'd even hold one end while he Rogered me ;)

that was just waiting to be fixed lol

[Pete.L]

115kg rider here, standard forks and no issues, never bottomed them out.

Obviously, you're not trying hard enough I was 20 Kg less than you and had to watch out for bumpy roads when braking:eek2

Pete.l