I have a new bike - or at least it feels like it!

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FJRMGM

FJRMGM
Joined
Jun 14, 2005
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Location
Omaha, Arkansas USA Motorycling Paradise
well, not exactly a NEW, new bike, more like my good old '05 FJR with 95k miles that now rides and handles like new again!

During SFO in Jasper Ark. last month the left fork tube started leaking. Not just a little bit but a lot.

So bad it was dripping at times. And the right one was seeping pretty good to. Dang, I should have changed that fork oil a little more often I suppose.

Woe is me, this probably means a $300 seal replacement, right?

Wrong. I mentioned it on the forum here and some suggested getting a Seal Mate and trying that first.

A Seal Mate is a clever little device that gets under the seal lip and cleans outs the grunge that is causing it to not seal. So I figured, hey I will risk the $10 $5 for it and order a Motion Pro Seal Mate and a few days later it came.

This last Saturday morning I finally had time to work on the bike so I first started by watching the instruction video - and they use an FJR to do it!

https://www.sealmate.net/seal_mate_instructions.html

Armed and ready, I did just what they said and sure enough, a little gunk came out of both of them.

Since it had been too long since I changed the fork oil, I then removed both tubes, cleaned them up since they were covered in oil, drained that gunky, dirty old oil out and replaced it with fresh Bel Ray 10w,

Put everything together and pumped the front end a half dozen times - VOILA!! no leaks or seepage.

Knowing a garage test is not enough, and having miles of northern Arkansas twisties just outside my garage door I then took it for a short test ride - of 200 miles.

And man, once again, with the Wilburs suspension and the new oil, it handles like its on rails. So good I had to take it out for another 200 mile ride on Sunday morning and ride HW 14 and then Hw 341 - Push Mountain.

So, if you have a seeping or leaking seal I would suggest getting a Seal Mate and using it before doing anything else.

I don't remember who suggested trying the Seal Mate but thanks to you I now have about $292 for gas money I didn't spend on fork seal replacement.

 
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Yup, just had one of my forks seeping oil out, not as drastic as yours but enough to cause me some concern. Got the Seal Mate - followed the you tube videos and it was fixed in a few minutes.... great product to have in the toolbox...

Now I need to get those forks off and change the oil in there..... the Wilburs front and rear were a HUGEMONGOUS upgrade for the FJR.

Just can't stress enough how much the FJR is improved with a proper suspension upgrade.... !!!!

 
To FJRMGM the OP.

Maybe I'm missing something here? I've read many comments here on Seal Mate - all good.

But, if the forks are off the bike to change the oil etc, why wouldn't you pop in a new set of seals?

If there was enough 'gunk' inside the seal lips to make it leak, surely they can't be sealing properly?

Thanks.

Al.

 
To FJRMGM the OP.
Maybe I'm missing something here? I've read many comments here on Seal Mate - all good.

But, if the forks are off the bike to change the oil etc, why wouldn't you pop in a new set of seals?

If there was enough 'gunk' inside the seal lips to make it leak, surely they can't be sealing properly?

Thanks.

Al.
I could have put in new seals - but why go to the bother and expense to do that if the old ones really do work just fine and only need cleaning? I really wanted to see if the Seal Mate works - and it does!!

I just went out to the garage and looked at the tubes and seals - after 400+ miles they are sealing properly and look like it did when new...

It is tough to have to endure using Push Mountain Road as a test area - that road is fun alright but its too short.

I much prefer using HW 14 which runs from my house in Omaha Ar all way down south to Harriet Ar. That is a seventy mile stretch of road that has WAAAAAAY more twisties than Push Mountain. Hardly a straight section on it. Just a hoot and giggle the entire way down it.

So I took HW 14 to Harriet and then east to HW 341 which is Push Mountain - what a good day of riding on the SuperSport Touring machine!

And don't call me Shirley!

 
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Sounds good. Thanks.

Carry on hootin' and gigglin'.
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