Forks...dry or wet?

[luap]

Hey, I'm about to buy a first bike....but i think the fork seals are gone because on the exposed part of the fork there is a film of fluid on it. Just to add..the fork has no corrosion and is smooth. So does this mean the seals are gone?

 

[djltoronto]

Hey, I'm about to buy a first bike....but i think the fork seals are gone because on the exposed part of the fork there is a film of fluid on it. Just to add..the fork has no corrosion and is smooth. So does this mean the seals are gone?

Either that or someone sprayed oil on your forks

 

[Brian P]

What kind of film are we talking about here.

It is entirely normal for forks to have a microscopically thin layer of oil left on them by the fork seals as they slide across the inner fork tubes.

It is not normal for that layer to become visibly uneven and collect into drips, leak down the side of the lower fork tube, and drip onto the ground (and your brake rotors) ...

 

[Triple]

Just reviving an old thread...

I am fairly new to my 2001 Nighthawk 750, so I don't know what is normal. I have noticed slight rings on my lower fork tubes. No dripping or wetness, more like a very slight film. It seems be the same on both sides. Is this normal? Most of my previous motorcycles had fork gators, or the forks were well hidden under tupperware, so I never took notice of whether or not the lower fork tubes had any film on them. BTW, the vertical white lines on the lower photo are the effects of the flash. Both tubes are perfect -- no scratches whatsoever. I am assuming that a very thin film of oil on the forks is normal, because the seals do not remove or 'scrape' off all of the oil from the surface of the fork as the lower tube slides up and down.

 

[invictus43]

That looks fairly typical to me.

 

[Stewart]

pop up the dust seals with a screw driver, if it is dry under them, your alright, wipe off the forks and keep an eye on them for now, it could be from heavey braking or bumpy road surfaces, your pictures look like normal useage.

 

[Triple]

pop up the dust seals with a screw driver, if it is dry under them, your alright, wipe off the forks and keep an eye on them for now, it could be from heavey braking or bumpy road surfaces, your pictures look like normal useage.

Thanks Stewart. I did exactly what you suggested and inspection of the seals reveal no leakage. The seals are bone dry. All is well!

right seal:

left seal: