oil leaking on right fork

mctran · July 14th, 2012, 09:01 PM

So i noticed today that there was oil leaking on the right fork, I was wondering if this is a serious problem and that i should get it fixed asap? Don't really have the ends to fix it right now....Please get back at me, thanks.

LoneRonin · July 14th, 2012, 09:57 PM

not too big of a deal...just get new fork seals, how many miles are on them?

cuong-nutz · July 14th, 2012, 11:23 PM

As it gets worse, fluid will leak onto your rotors and brake pads diminishing braking effectiveness so fix it soon. Like said previously, how many miles are on the bike? Knicks on fork surface can and will damage the seals over time.

EthioKnight · July 14th, 2012, 11:30 PM

Apart from issues with your fork seals...I've also heard that if a bike is left standing for some time and the temperature (outside) varies, the forks have a tendency of leaking. If that's the case and you haven't ridden your bike (for whatever reason) don't worry.

Alex · July 15th, 2012, 12:17 AM

/new-gen tech

caspermayne · July 15th, 2012, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mctran

So i noticed today that there was oil leaking on the right fork, I was wondering if this is a serious problem and that i should get it fixed asap? Don't really have the ends to fix it right now....Please get back at me, thanks.

I had this problem and I recommend you to fix this immediately. Not that happened to me something but I had oil leaking from the right fork on my rotor and brake pad and I felt a very poor braking distance. Some told me that I also should change the front pads now because they soaked up with oil. Maybe if I really change them I'll feel the differences. Hope the experts here will also say a few words on that subject.

mctran · July 15th, 2012, 02:20 AM

well i bought the bike used, it currently has 5100 miles on it. A friend of mine said that the shocks might be blown? hopefully that's not the case...

Gorilla25 · July 15th, 2012, 03:33 AM

i'd change them as soon as you can. My bike currently has 4,6xx miles and i changed my fork seals at 3xxx miles because of the right side leaking.

mctran · July 15th, 2012, 10:25 AM

forsure, thanks everyone I appreciate the help. one last question, would it be best to replace both fork seals even if it's only leaking from the right?

Zombiphone · July 15th, 2012, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mctran

forsure, thanks everyone I appreciate the help. one last question, would it be best to replace both fork seals even if it's only leaking from the right?

May as well since you're already taking things apart. It's not too difficult a process: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=23200

cuong-nutz · July 15th, 2012, 10:41 AM

Yes replace them both at the same time so you don't have to worry about the other one leaking after you put the other one in.

mctran · July 15th, 2012, 11:01 AM

ok forsure, thanks.

mctran · July 15th, 2012, 11:13 AM

i was doing some research and i came across this product that supposedly fixes leaking fork seals, its called the "Seal Mate". Here's the youtube link, let me know what you guys think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlzfoVroSY&feature=pyv

caspermayne · July 15th, 2012, 11:41 AM

Quote:

its called the "Seal Mate"

I've seen this before on youtube. However I don't get it, how does it really work? It just cleans the dust, doesn't really can fix the leaking. Or they say that the dust IS the main factor of leaking fork seals?

Gorilla25 · July 15th, 2012, 12:22 PM

nah...dont mess with that kind of stuff. you may end up paying for it in the long run. just do it right and it'll last longer than the temp fix.

gitoy · July 15th, 2012, 06:31 PM

i used the seal mate on my cbr's leaking fork and it worked...just cleaned the dirt out and so far 17,000 miles later, no leak...

utahninja · July 15th, 2012, 09:14 PM

I used Seal Mate about a month ago on my 2007 Ninja. Had a slow leak on the right fork and was thinking about taking the fork off to have new seals put in. Saw the Seal Mate video on youtube and thought it was too easy to be true, but for the cost it was worth the try. Ordered one and only took about 10 minutes to fix the leak once it arrived in the mail. Made a believer out of me.

CThunder-blue · July 16th, 2012, 09:47 AM

Before you go off and buying sealmate, make sure you haven't lost enough fluid to make a change in the way the forks react. I would do the fluid change and seals because if they were already leaking when you bought it, there's no telling how much is left.

mctran · July 16th, 2012, 10:02 AM

yea I was thinking the samething, I think when I bought it I didn't notice any leaks coming from the fork. so how do I go about check if not too much fluid has leaked out? if i can use the cheaper solution to fix this, I wanna do that cus I don't really have the ends right now....

capriccio · July 16th, 2012, 10:25 AM

Anybody knows why all the leaky forks are the right ones ? I got mine right fork leak last year. It wasn't so bad (and I was lazy) so I kept wipe the leak every time I ride. I changed the seals couple months ago. I was broke so I only changed the seal for the right one. Haven't seen any leak ever since.
If you have budget, definitely change both seals (right and left). But reuse the old one can be OK too.

CThunder-blue · July 16th, 2012, 11:12 AM

My right fork is leaking too. I wonder if it has anything to do with the brake system. Maybe it's the brake dust contaminating the seal.

Gorilla25 · July 16th, 2012, 11:50 AM

but thats what the dust cover is for, right? i was thinking its because when you lock the steering and put it on the stand the right fork is exposed to the elements more than the left. something along those lines...

CThunder-blue · July 16th, 2012, 12:34 PM

What dust cover? Brake dust flies all over the place. Look at your wheel. It's most likely covered in brake dust.

capriccio · July 16th, 2012, 12:36 PM

I think what he meant was the dust seal. There are two seals on each fork. The dust seal is the outer one that suppose to keep dust and other stuff from getting inside the fork.

Gorilla25 · July 16th, 2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capriccio

I think what he meant was the dust seal. There are two seals on each fork. The dust seal is the outer one that suppose to keep dust and other stuff from getting inside the fork.

i stand corrected. thats what i ment

gitoy · July 16th, 2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mctran

yea I was thinking the samething, I think when I bought it I didn't notice any leaks coming from the fork. so how do I go about check if not too much fluid has leaked out? if i can use the cheaper solution to fix this, I wanna do that cus I don't really have the ends right now....

if your forks suspension is not working right, then replace the seals...but if you are fine with the fork action then try the seal mate...we are talking about $5 here from cycle gear...

mctran · July 16th, 2012, 11:08 PM

thanks for everyone's input, i might just try the seal mate.

July 14th, 2012, 09:01 PM	#1
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	oil leaking on right fork So i noticed today that there was oil leaking on the right fork, I was wondering if this is a serious problem and that i should get it fixed asap? Don't really have the ends to fix it right now....Please get back at me, thanks.

July 14th, 2012, 09:57 PM	#2
LoneRonin ninjette.org sage Name: Jason Location: Mississauga Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250r Posts: 634	not too big of a deal...just get new fork seals, how many miles are on them? __________________________________________________ ”Any man dies with a clean sword, I’ll rape his f*ing corpse!”- The Hound

July 14th, 2012, 11:23 PM	#3
cuong-nutz RIP Alex Name: Cuong Location: Houston, TX Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): '10 250r, '09 265r Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 2	As it gets worse, fluid will leak onto your rotors and brake pads diminishing braking effectiveness so fix it soon. Like said previously, how many miles are on the bike? Knicks on fork surface can and will damage the seals over time. __________________________________________________ HalfFast Racing Team Serving Greater Houston Area Riders:WFO Riders MotoHouston HPC CMRA Ride Smart Fastline Lone Star Track Days

July 14th, 2012, 11:30 PM	#4
EthioKnight Super Noob Name: Alex Location: Mobile, AL Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): '09 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, '84 Honda Spree 50cc Posts: A lot.	Apart from issues with your fork seals...I've also heard that if a bike is left standing for some time and the temperature (outside) varies, the forks have a tendency of leaking. If that's the case and you haven't ridden your bike (for whatever reason) don't worry. __________________________________________________ My Videos

July 15th, 2012, 12:17 AM	#5
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	/new-gen tech __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

July 15th, 2012, 02:20 AM	#7
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	well i bought the bike used, it currently has 5100 miles on it. A friend of mine said that the shocks might be blown? hopefully that's not the case...

July 15th, 2012, 03:33 AM	#8
Gorilla25 Dakine... Name: AJ Location: DFW Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold) \| 636 (hopefully soon) Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 5	i'd change them as soon as you can. My bike currently has 4,6xx miles and i changed my fork seals at 3xxx miles because of the right side leaking.

July 15th, 2012, 10:25 AM	#9
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	forsure, thanks everyone I appreciate the help. one last question, would it be best to replace both fork seals even if it's only leaking from the right?

July 15th, 2012, 10:41 AM	#11
cuong-nutz RIP Alex Name: Cuong Location: Houston, TX Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): '10 250r, '09 265r Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 2	Yes replace them both at the same time so you don't have to worry about the other one leaking after you put the other one in. __________________________________________________ HalfFast Racing Team Serving Greater Houston Area Riders:WFO Riders MotoHouston HPC CMRA Ride Smart Fastline Lone Star Track Days

July 15th, 2012, 11:01 AM	#12
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	ok forsure, thanks.

July 15th, 2012, 11:13 AM	#13
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	i was doing some research and i came across this product that supposedly fixes leaking fork seals, its called the "Seal Mate". Here's the youtube link, let me know what you guys think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlzfoVroSY&feature=pyv

July 15th, 2012, 12:22 PM	#15
Gorilla25 Dakine... Name: AJ Location: DFW Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold) \| 636 (hopefully soon) Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 5	nah...dont mess with that kind of stuff. you may end up paying for it in the long run. just do it right and it'll last longer than the temp fix.

July 15th, 2012, 06:31 PM	#16
gitoy ninjette.org guru Name: gitoy Location: rpv, ca Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 04 ninja 250, 05 zzr 600 (sold), 07 cbr600rr Posts: 319	i used the seal mate on my cbr's leaking fork and it worked...just cleaned the dirt out and so far 17,000 miles later, no leak...

July 15th, 2012, 09:14 PM	#17
utahninja Ride Smart, Ride Safe Name: Chuck Location: Herriman, UT Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250, 2006 Yamati 150cc Scooter Posts: 71	I used Seal Mate about a month ago on my 2007 Ninja. Had a slow leak on the right fork and was thinking about taking the fork off to have new seals put in. Saw the Seal Mate video on youtube and thought it was too easy to be true, but for the cost it was worth the try. Ordered one and only took about 10 minutes to fix the leak once it arrived in the mail. Made a believer out of me. __________________________________________________ Ride Smart! Ride Safe!

July 16th, 2012, 09:47 AM	#18
CThunder-blue ModMy250.com Name: Tri Location: St, Louis Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R, 2005 R6 Posts: A lot.	Before you go off and buying sealmate, make sure you haven't lost enough fluid to make a change in the way the forks react. I would do the fluid change and seals because if they were already leaking when you bought it, there's no telling how much is left. __________________________________________________ The www.ModMy250.com guy

July 16th, 2012, 10:02 AM	#19
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	yea I was thinking the samething, I think when I bought it I didn't notice any leaks coming from the fork. so how do I go about check if not too much fluid has leaked out? if i can use the cheaper solution to fix this, I wanna do that cus I don't really have the ends right now....

July 16th, 2012, 10:25 AM	#20
capriccio ninjette.org member Name: Alex Location: Providence, RI Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Posts: 76	Anybody knows why all the leaky forks are the right ones ? I got mine right fork leak last year. It wasn't so bad (and I was lazy) so I kept wipe the leak every time I ride. I changed the seals couple months ago. I was broke so I only changed the seal for the right one. Haven't seen any leak ever since. If you have budget, definitely change both seals (right and left). But reuse the old one can be OK too.

July 16th, 2012, 11:12 AM	#21
CThunder-blue ModMy250.com Name: Tri Location: St, Louis Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R, 2005 R6 Posts: A lot.	My right fork is leaking too. I wonder if it has anything to do with the brake system. Maybe it's the brake dust contaminating the seal. __________________________________________________ The www.ModMy250.com guy

July 16th, 2012, 11:50 AM	#22
Gorilla25 Dakine... Name: AJ Location: DFW Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold) \| 636 (hopefully soon) Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 5	but thats what the dust cover is for, right? i was thinking its because when you lock the steering and put it on the stand the right fork is exposed to the elements more than the left. something along those lines...

July 16th, 2012, 12:34 PM	#23
CThunder-blue ModMy250.com Name: Tri Location: St, Louis Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R, 2005 R6 Posts: A lot.	What dust cover? Brake dust flies all over the place. Look at your wheel. It's most likely covered in brake dust. __________________________________________________ The www.ModMy250.com guy

July 16th, 2012, 12:36 PM	#24
capriccio ninjette.org member Name: Alex Location: Providence, RI Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Posts: 76	I think what he meant was the dust seal. There are two seals on each fork. The dust seal is the outer one that suppose to keep dust and other stuff from getting inside the fork.

July 16th, 2012, 11:08 PM	#27
mctran ninjette.org member Name: Minh Location: Los Angeles, CA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: 19	thanks for everyone's input, i might just try the seal mate.

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