k12pfc
Registered user
Can anyone tell me whether it is ok to have a small amount of oil on both forks? Had blown fork seals on a few bikes in the past, surely not on a 2 month old 1200gs!
fork seals?
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SpyInTheCamp
Registered user
Depends on what you mean by a 'small amount'.
Either way, if it is noticeable, I'd get it around to the dealer's pronto. As you say, it is a 2 month old bike!
Kai
Either way, if it is noticeable, I'd get it around to the dealer's pronto. As you say, it is a 2 month old bike!
Kai
PeterF
Guest
Getting the dealer to advise is, of course, the right action. Is it a smear or a dribble? One of the fork legs on my 05 GS has had a smear from new, it has never become a dribble (=blown seal) so I have just kept an eye on it and wipe the smear away when I am in the mood. Maybe it's a bit early in the day for this type of discussion.
gavin@iow
Registered user
My '04 GS12 had the same, just one leg, kept an eye on it and after about 6-8 months it 'healed' itself.
Geordie Steve
Registered user
I had a similar 'problem' a few weeks after picking my bike up. I took it to the dealer, who thought it was most unlikely to be a blown seal. He said that there was often a bit of surplus oil under the dust cap (but on top of the seal) which oozes out past the cap after a bit of use.
Sure enough, he went out to the car park, prised off the dust caps and wiped out the surplus, and it's been fine ever since.
Hopefully yours will be too!
Sure enough, he went out to the car park, prised off the dust caps and wiped out the surplus, and it's been fine ever since.
Hopefully yours will be too!
phc1058
Registered user
be careful that the seal doesn't rip, happened to me over the Easter Holiday 150 miles from home. The leak became so bad that it was bubbling out every time the forks compressed and was spraying up on to my jacket and visor and by the time I got home is was on the brake caliper and tyre. Dealer changed it under warranty (in fact they changed it twice as the first replacement also leaked on the test ride).
THE DOCTOR
Registered user
I've got evidence of a small amount of oil on my forks too. After each ride there is always a 'ring' of dirt at the highest compression point that is attracted by the oil. Nothing major but not something I'm proud of!
Anyway, after reading this thread I went out & removed the dust caps & wiped the tops clean. I can report that it is possible to remove the dust caps without resorting to using a screwdriver. I persisted & managed to pop them off with thumb pressure combined with a slight twisting motion.
Matt splat
Guest
One of my seals blown today on a 4 month old GSA 
Ive been looking at the slightly oily ring on the fork for 2 weeks now, today it became a puddle.
I dont look at it as a mechanical failure, but im also not very happy, hope its not a sign of things to come
Ive been looking at the slightly oily ring on the fork for 2 weeks now, today it became a puddle.I dont look at it as a mechanical failure, but im also not very happy, hope its not a sign of things to come
Well thats intersting, I was not aware that you could blow oil seals in the forks as the only oil in the legs is thin oil for lubrication only.[ No pressure or oil damping in the legs] The seal you are talking about is only a wiper seal. ie it wipes the fork leg clean and stops dirt/grit getting in to fork leg bearing. The oil for compression and damping is in the separte suspension unit behind the fork legs.
Deleted account 211025001
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I was just about to say that - could somebody explain please
Andres
Well it's the same as the gearbox/engine seals, they are not supoosed to fail either! ;-)
I was just about to say that - could somebody explain please
Andres
Quite simple really someone has put too much oil in one or both legs, eventually when the excess oil has seeped past the wiper seal it will find its own level and then stop leaking. Did 100.000 miles on 1100rs never changed or bothered checking oil level in fork legs. Occasionally just wiped the crud off the fork stantions which I assume is were you are getting the excess oil out of your legs.
Of course in the good old days real GSs had fork gaiters!
So thats it then guys, if you want a real GS put fork gaiters on it
.Matt splat
Guest
Interesting indeed, mine went from a oily ring on my fork leg to a puddle of leaking oil around the top of the dust seal. So now im wondering what exactly the dealer is going to do to my fork on Tuesday
Diagram 1
You will see at the top of the fork stantion on your bike under the top yoke(i.e.the plate that your handlebars fasten to) there is a small grub screw, which is a vent plug.
It says in the manual/disk fill fork leg with 065 l hydraulic oil, replace push stantion into fork leg and vent, vent screw (i.e. m4 vent screw.)
If you look at diagram 1 it shows at, 1 vent screw but the thing is when the stantion is fastened to the top yoke you can't get an allen key to go between the top of the fork stantion and under the top yoke to vent screw.
I still think for oil to be seeping around seal there is to much oil in fork leg.
The vent screw is only to vent air, not oil.
If you are still worried and still under warranty, take back to dealers and ask mechanic/technician to look at and explain. Don't ask salesperson.
This dimple depression in the stantion is part of a retainer. Its nothing to do with any vent or tapped hole.
Obviously, these are just seals.
Matt splat
Guest
thanks for the explanation, im going to drop my bike off on tuesday (under warranty) ans see what the explanation is when i collect it back!
Matt splat
Guest
Now that i think about it, i was riding like an idiot that day and had to seriously slam on the anchors (front lever was pulsing!) Im now thinking that it must have pushed out any excess oil when i buried the stations right into the forks.
At the dealers tomorrow morning so i will let you know what they say
Now that i think about it, i was riding like an idiot that day and had to seriously slam on the anchors (front lever was pulsing!) Im now thinking that it must have pushed out any excess oil when i buried the stations right into the forks.
At the dealers tomorrow morning so i will let you know what they say
Still waiting
You muppet, what are you talking about.
.
There's a lot of fork oil in the legs, but not used for damping as in normal forks, if there was no oil the stanchions would wear out with all the movement they do.
here's a how to replace [URL="http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97873"]FORK[/URL] seals. Basically the same procedure for your 1200 forks, but different sized nuts.
The vent screw is easily accessible when you undo the top nut, the top yolk swivels out of the way as the top is fully flexable. You shouldn't give advice if your not 100% sure what your talking about
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