after takin the bikes down the entire east coast for bike week, my buddy seems to think that since we compressed the forks all the way (for secure transport on the trailer with the handlebar tiedowns) that is the reason one of his fork seals blew, bikes were on the trailer for about 24 hours total. Do you think this had anything to with the fork seal blowing, we do wheelie alot and i think that was the main cause.

 

definitly does.. I had a fork where the seal completly blew out of the fork when it was in my truck. When you tie them down you don't want to have them compressed all the way. Even though its strapped down the forks still want to move up and down and when its strapped down tight it allows no movement. I leave quite a bit of room now for movement and haven't had a problem

 

+1 i try to leave mine plenty of room to move when in back of my truck, and i never compress em all the way down, if i have to for long hauls i take the front fender off and put a 2x4 between the tire and lower tripple and then you can tighten bike down good witout compressing forks all the way

 

Only time I've had fork seal troubles is when tying them down tight

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thanks for the input, when we were travelin through NY, around the GW bridge, all the potholes caused a lot bouncing action and the hook the was holdin down the R1 came undone and the bike tipped, luckily there was no damage, but i cinched the **** out of it to make sure that it wouldnt happen again.....i asked this same question on the R6 forum. They make something for dirtbikes that you can put in the middle that will prevent any compression at all. Do you guys know of n e thing similar for street bikes

 

just use a 2x4 cut it to down remove front fender and bam.... you got one

 

I hate those hook tie downs.

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have you done this.

 

well call me crazy but i cant see why it would **** with your fork seals. up and down motion has nothing to do with the seals that are wrapping around the fork leg. jolting side to side would but not up and down. dirt is the biggest cause of blown seals. i personally have only blew seals on one bike that was my 03 r6 and after about 30k miles and i never tied that bike down one time. all of my other 8 bikes have seen thousands of miles in the back of my truck with no blown seals. i would make sure the way youre tying it down isnt pulling the bike forward into what the front tire is up against cuz that might make the fork seal blow. but as for just compressing, only thing that could do is wear out your spring a bit faster and im sure it would take a very long period of being compressed for you to feel the effect.

 

Are you serious? Why is it that dropping wheelies down hard blows the seals then... hmmmmm?

Of course keeping the forks bottomed for extended periods will eventually blow the seals.

btw, you shouldn't be blowing seals, or any other animal for that matter. Thats bestiality, and its just wrong.

my

 

both of my stupid *** ******* fork seals are blown right now. I use the Ninja t-shirt band aid zip tied around the forks to save my pads

 

you are 100% correct
I have never blown any seals EVER until I got this Kawi and I ride at some pretty dirty, sandy spots

 

I JUST USE A PEICE OF PVC PIPE FOR A COMPRESSION STOPPER ON MY DIRTBIKE AND DONT GO REAL TIGHT ON THE STREET BIKE. AND I JUST RELEASE THE STRAPS SO THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THEM IF IM GONNA LEAVE IT IN THE TRUCK OVERNIGHT..... JUST REMEMBER TO TIGHTEN THEM UP AGAIN BEFORE YOU LEAVE AGAIN

 

yes, why???

 

i might have to do the 2x4 trick in april for the trip to florida....

 

yep just remove fender cut a 2x4 like a inch short compress forks and bam your good

 

i almost couldnt tell if it was sarcastic, you never know on this forum.....i had mine compressed all the way on the trip to Fl and back and didnt have a problem, my buddies 03 gsxr 1000, did blow a seal, but i think it was from wheeling, not the transport.

 

man i learnd the hard way with my trip to va to kick it with justin woo.. fork seals went out on my f4i now i just use the 2x4

 

how long should it be would ya say..

 

i guess because i didnt think of removing the fender is why i thought it was sarcastic, makes sense now. good input.