How many bad wheelies to bust a fork seal?

[S1KGSXR600]

Question in the title. Set wheelies down hard occasionally. How many times can I get away with it before I can expect leaks? Does suspension quality matter?

 

[Burning1]

There's no hard or fast rule. The best bet is to inspect the bike before each ride. Generally, leaking fork seals aren't the end of the world; ride until one goes and then fix both. If you don't ignore the problem, you're unlikely to get into major trouble.

I'd recommend disassembly and inspection when you do the seals. Stunting will also be hard on the bushings; those should probably be replaced as well.

I'd also recommend occasionally throwing the bike on a stem stand. Check the triple clamps for free-play, and rotate the bars back and forth to check if you've notched any of your bearing surfaces. Hard landings tend to do bad things to your stem bearings.

 

[ABC]

Reli, Dub is that you?

 

[S1KGSXR600]

There's no hard or fast rule. The best bet is to inspect the bike before each ride. Generally, leaking fork seals aren't the end of the world; ride until one goes and then fix both. If you don't ignore the problem, you're unlikely to get into major trouble.

I'd recommend disassembly and inspection when you do the seals. Stunting will also be hard on the bushings; those should probably be replaced as well.

I'd also recommend occasionally throwing the bike on a stem stand. Check the triple clamps for free-play, and rotate the bars back and forth to check if you've notched any of your bearing surfaces. Hard landings tend to do bad things to your stem bearings.

Thanks, good advice. Fun is expensive

 

[Burning1]

It can be. If you're mechanically inclined, servicing the forks isn't too difficult. You need some tools and know-how to do upside down forks, but conventional forks aren't too hard. If you do it, make sure to do it right. A bad fork job can make the bike unsafe.

You can also try to setup your bike with fluid and springs to help reduce the impact of a hard landing. Sprockets and a bit of weight on the back might make it easier to get the front end up and set it down gently as well.

 

[Loki1000R]

lots of hard landings over the years and only had leaky seals once...i found it after the last drop...go figure:dunno

immediately went out and had the seals replaced and forks serviced...just like new:ride

edit: what he said^^pro tip...gas it as you begin to let her back down to earth:thumbup

 

[ALANRIDER7]

Oops.

 

[moto-rama]

heh.
It took me all of about 2 months to need fork seals when I first got my VTR...I calmed down later, but couldn't really resist the temptation.

 

[Sticka]

23

 

[FourThreeSix]

4 hobo wheelies.

 

[RightCoastBias]

Depends on you put them down.

If you're smashing it down, they'll blow out quicker than if you ease em down.