Front forks, possible blown seal

[M0rd3kaI]

Hi there guys, Seems like I just come on here to announce my problems but in all seriousness, past few weeks and moving closer into months I've been teaching myself a bad habit... wheelies... getting the front wheel nice and high, but now something has happened today that I'm worried about, stopped to re-fill the tank and noticed the front right hand shock arm (The grey portion that the axle is connected to) was almost 'stained' with a dark red/maroon almost light purple liquid as well as on the lower part of the 'moving' shock.

I don't know whether or not it is my imagination playing tricks on me, but it did seem that I could depress the front suspension much lower than usual using only my upper-body weight with the bike in a stationary position.

Upon coming home I cleaned it off and saw a hairline split in the rubber 'seal' connecting the part of the shock going to the handlebars and the part doing all the heavy lifting (So to speak) - (I'll attach pics below)

Now to my question, I'm quite convinced it is due to the stresses of the wheelies, but is it wise to ride around with that as it is temporarily, I did do at least 20 Km's before getting home after realising that there is something wrong. (This is not saying that I will ignore this little split, I will get it fixed ASAP, I just won't do any wheelies for the time being)

Just to give slight orientation this is a semi-close-up of the area with the slit in it.

20131112_204717.jpg

This is taken from the 'fairing side' of the right fork, the slit is on the back of the fork itself and isn't leaking anything as it stands, but I don't know how much fluid is already lost, so can't say that there is still anything left to leak.

20131112_204734.jpg

[cargo]

The seal you can see is only a dust cover. However given that fork oil seems to have escaped you defo have damaged the oil seal itself.
Replace it ASAP. Fork oil on your brakes is not clever.
And wheelies knacker head stock bearings too

[M0rd3kaI]

Oh joy... that's nice...

Thanks for the info, will see to getting that sorted as soon as possible, just out of curiosity, Head stock bearings is the bearings between the frame and the handlebars (For lack of better wording)??

[ross46]

The bearings that are on the triple clamp which goes through the frame, underneath the top yoke and above the bottom

http://www.kawasakioriginalparts.com/ka ... 1995&ca=GB

There you go, the bits on the left that go in the frame where is marked A, not trying to be patronising just 100% clear, and cargo is right, oil on brakes is not fun, fix it asap, dont learn the hard way as some others have had to... It hurts!

[M0rd3kaI]

The bearings that are on the triple clamp which goes through the frame, underneath the top yoke and above the bottom

http://www.kawasakioriginalparts.com/ka ... 1995&ca=GB

There you go, the bits on the left that go in the frame where is marked A, not trying to be patronising just 100% clear, and cargo is right, oil on brakes is not fun, fix it asap, dont learn the hard way as some others have had to... It hurts!

Thanks for the pic, appreciate the info, I thought that it is the head stock, but wanted to make sure.

Today sadly is a no-go, won't be able to get the bike to a garage, but as I said, will do it ASAP.

Thanks guys, again, been very helpful.

[ross46]

No problem mate, as a VERY temporary fix, I mean so you can ride to the garage, you can cable tie a shop rag round the bottom of the fork leg so it absorbs any oil before it hits your brakes, or you can always just take the forks off and take them in loose, I did that for my mate, was quite a funny view in the shop windows with 2 fork legs poking out higher than my helmet

[CaNsA]

A better temp fix is to pull the dust cover down, stuff some rags in there, push dust cover back up.

Stealth bodge for the win.

[ross46]

Ninja fix... I like it! Best to get fixed asap though

[CaNsA]

Anyone with bullocks would tear butt round wales, 2-up, with a blown fork seal and dodgy brakes while leaving a gsxr600 and a vfr800 for dust.

/me has bullocks

[ross46]

Haha, guy was in the local bike shop had a fzr1000, paid 500 for rearsets etc and apparently his exhaust system gave him 25bhp 2 up round a bend that does a 180 degrees, both of us lent off, scraping the pegs (woops) guy on the far was trying to get his knee down but had his head level with the opposite wing mirror! All the gear and no idea

[M0rd3kaI]

Ok, honest question, and I know I shouldn't be asking this actually, because it needs to be fixed already, but is it wise to use this thing for transport to work and back still? or is it best to use my other chinese Piece of S*** that I really would rather heave into a dustbin?

As I tell many people, I'm more stupid than scared... going home and to work I still make sure my clock sits on the better half of the RPM threshold, now though I just avoid lifting the front wheel and braking too hard... But still... leaving bikes in the rear-view mirrors is fun... downside is I'm not in Wales sadly... sunny South Africa for meself, so the people here either have liter bikes... few 400's (Mostly Honda VFR's anyway) and then the scooters... so the only thing that is really a decent challenge is exotic cars, sooped up 350Z revved a little too loud for my ego to let go at a robot intersection once... if it weren't for the traffic in his lane he would have taken me on top end ever so slowly, but that was still fun.

Anyway, people that say "I have ridden bikes all my life" still don't phase me, you can go as fast in a straight line as you want, if you can't take corners, you lost... classic story of why big bikes loose to small ones, they're faster... so take the twisties

[ross46]

Is it wise? No, would I do it if I had no other choice... Probably, but if you have another bike just use that, dont risk your own wellbeing, others, and more importantly, the bike, for a little bit of fun. There's the risk of oil on your brakes but also if you've lost a fair bit of oil it might nor handle properly and if something goes wrong and you need to react quickl, the bike might not respond and it's game over

[banner001]

you have no oil, so you have no lubrication or damping on your forks, the front of your bike is effectively a pogo-stick...for that reason alone i would not be riding it.

also, if you have a stubborn bit of grit under the seal that is causing the leak you might be wearing away some of the chrome by using the fork all the time...and that will kill the fork.

take it to a mechanic, or if you have the tools/competence, do it yourself, its not hard, i changed 2 on the race bike last night.

[M0rd3kaI]

Decided today I'm not touching it again until I can get it to a mechanic... Times like this that I regret being an idiot...