The manual gives this final instruction for after you've put new oil in the forks:
"Bleed telescopic forks under zero load."
What's zero load? Front of bike lifted off ground, forks fully extended? Or bike sitting on the ground upright with no rider on board? Obviously this makes a difference to the amount of air left in the forks, and therefore to the (admittedly fairly minimal) damping characeristics of the forks themselves. Anyone know what 'zero load' is supposed to mean?
Bleeding forks
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bigblackfalco
- Posts: 1922
- Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:05 am
- Location: Darkest Aberdeenshire
If you've got centerstand fitted, I'd suggest that it just sits on that lightly on the front wheel.
if no centrestand, then (as you say) just with no rider onboard. Try to make sure the bike is as upright as possible so that the fork legs are equal amounts into sliders.
The issue is ensuring that there is not too much air trapped in the fork legs as this will cause a harsh ride and also bring early demise of the fork seals due to the increase in internal pressure.
Bailey.
if no centrestand, then (as you say) just with no rider onboard. Try to make sure the bike is as upright as possible so that the fork legs are equal amounts into sliders.
The issue is ensuring that there is not too much air trapped in the fork legs as this will cause a harsh ride and also bring early demise of the fork seals due to the increase in internal pressure.
Bailey.
Honda VFR750 FV 1997 Red and dirty, 130K miles.
Honda VFR800 Xf Crossrunner 2016 White and dirty, 120K miles.
Honda VFR800 Xf Crossrunner 2016 White and dirty, 120K miles.
No centre stand.bigblackfalco wrote:If you've got centerstand fitted, I'd suggest that it just sits on that lightly on the front wheel.
It's on a paddock stand so that's as level as it needs to be.bigblackfalco wrote:if no centrestand, then (as you say) just with no rider onboard. Try to make sure the bike is as upright as possible so that the fork legs are equal amounts into sliders.
That was my worry. When I first put it all back together the first time I bled the forks with the front of the bike lifted (maximum amount of air inside) which was my interpretation of 'zero load' and on the first ride some oil seeped past the dust seals. That was with only 170ml of oil per fork. The oil may have got there just by being in the wrong place during reassembly, though. Last night I put the missing 320ml of oil into each fork (using a syringe through the bleed valve hole - didn't fancy taking them off the bike again), pumped the front end a few times and put the valves back in with the front wheel on the ground. A brief test ride on a very bumpy road didn't cause any further leakage of oil and the bike feels OK so hopefully it's sorted now.bigblackfalco wrote:The issue is ensuring that there is not too much air trapped in the fork legs as this will cause a harsh ride and also bring early demise of the fork seals due to the increase in internal pressure.
Bailey.
Cheers.
I made a total pigs ear of a fork seal replacement several thousand miles ago - I left the forks on the bike and ended up with some serious guestimation on the amounts of fork oil in the LH leg.
The seal is still good and I havn't really noticed much affect on the handling - which is not to say there isn't one.
Ade.
The seal is still good and I havn't really noticed much affect on the handling - which is not to say there isn't one.
Ade.
2000 R1100S Sport
1980 Vespa P125X
1980 Vespa P125X
