Modern Day Set UP

[Chris Canning]

Most of the time my two front runners are a non ESA S1000XR and a KTMGT, the 955 that I've had for over 20 years spends its life under a dust cover in centrally heated/carpeted garage...decide to wheel it out the other day and tax it, the suspension has remained unchanged for years or be it an Ohlins on the back, with modern day perspective re- set the Ohlins, changed oil in the forks with a 5mm spacer in each leg and bingo 

Had to scratch my bad memory on how to strip the bike and fit new plugs, clean the K+N and blimey runs better than the day I bought it, currently with 44,000 miles on the clock.

[Lee337]

First thing I did when I got my 955i, change the fork oil & headstock bearings - completely transformed the ride.

Followed that up with a complete service, new tyres, plugs, filters, oil, rebuilt the brakes & replaced the brake fluid.

64k miles & still going strong.

Admittedly, probably not the bike for those who can't tell one end of a spanner from the other but that's part of the fun.   

[Chris Canning]

With a 17" Dymag in the front and full floating Berlinger brakes and discs, I think theres more of the OE in the loft than on the bike 

[Sin_Tiger]

Admittedly, probably not the bike for those who can't tell one end of a spanner from the other but that's part of the fun.   

Oh get you with the posh double ended spanners 

If you look after them (fancy bits aside), they repay you handsomely 

I can't for the life of me understand the aversion some people have to taking care of basic stuff like brake fluid and fork oil, I've taken some out that wouldn't have shamed Tate & Lyle.

[ghulst]

I've replaced oil on a couple that you could only drain outside, otherwise the garage would smell of it for weeks to come...

[Lee337]

The Tiger fork oil was particularly bad, had to be done outside & the word 'laxative' sprang to mind when I saw what came out of them.

I have a 1989 Honda CB1 in the garage for my next project. I'm dreading what the fork oil in them is going to look like - can fork oil go solid?

[Bixxer Bob]

Possibly!

I did a Superdream forks a few years back, the rancid smell was unbelievable.  I think it's living proof that, once rid of the virus living on it's surface that is the human race, the planet can look after itself.  There are bacteria that can eat literally anything we've produced.

[Sin_Tiger]

I did a Superdream forks a few years back, the rancid smell was unbelievable.

I've heard that 70's Japanese bikes used oil that was in effect refined fish oil, might be folklore but knowing the Japanese it has a ring of truth as they have to import all hydrocarbon products with the cost implications.

[ssevy]

Subaru transmissions used to use sperm whale oil according to a mechanic who specializes in them. Not sure if it's true, but I could see that in forks as well.
Both my Triumphs had fork oil that looked like poorly mixed silver paint, and smelled as bad as differential lube from our old doodlebug. Kind of like a motorcycle's version of a dog fart


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