From stem to stern. (two specific questions)

[Novafrk]

So, I am going through my 88 K75S from stem to stern before my road trip to NC at the end of this month. I have a noticeable up/down feel at the handle bars around 35-40 mph. I don't notice it at higher speeds but that may just be me. Tonight I drained the fork oil... see attachment. Q1: How hosed am I? I put ATF in it and plan to run it the week before I leave on my trip, drain it and put 10w fork oil in it after that. That is both sides worth of oil with only a little spilled.

After cleaning the throttle tonight, (original looking grease, had been sticking at about 1/4 throttle) it snaps back like I like it, but now the heated grips blow the fuse for the instrument cluster on high, and causes something to get hot and smoke on low. It's late here so I haven't been able to look at it too closely. My guess is I shorted something out when I was moving the throttle around. Yay me! I'll dive into it tomorrow and hopefully can find the problem and isolate it. Q2: Aside from the obvious chaffing of wires / direct shorts is there any other common failures that cause those symptoms? 

 Thanks for all the insight!

PS: I have not done a search yet. Tomorrows coffee break.  :yes

[Scott_]

If that was what came out of the forks, it looks to me like it hasn't be changed in many, many years.
Where it me, I would have simply removed the fork in it's entirety and stripped it down for a real good inspection/cleaning.
HOWEVER, I'd be careful with using ATF for any extended period of time, yes it has cleaning detergents in it, but it may also have ingredients that can cause issues with the top seals.

How many miles on it.
My theory here is this, how much extra wear on the brass bushings has occurred with that extra dirty oil.
Will the bushing wear cause you seal leaks in the near future.

[Novafrk]

The bike has 49k on it.
I don't think it's the original fluid, based on an extra washer on one fill plug but not the other.
I was only planning on running the atf for one tank of fuel. Then replacing it with Bel Ray fork oil. I don't have the time to rebuild the forks before my April trip. I was hoping a fluid change would improve the front end performance, compared to before. I can't see how it could get worse, based on the crap that came out.
I agree with you though, I'm sure the wear on the internals has been accelerated by the crap in the fluid. I'll probably change it out after I get back from NC and evaluate it. Maybe I can get lucky (good luck would be nice just for a change) and it won't be as bad as I'm already anticipating its going to be.  :falldown:

If the fluid change didn't help matters I was going to start looking into different springs/mods to do to the forks. I just may have to do it sooner than I thought.

 

[Novafrk]

So without trying very hard at all I can compress the front fork 3-4 inches. I know the front is supposed to be a little weak but that seems really excessive. Is it time for a fork rebuild?

[Elipten]

Change fluid first and get correct amount in there and check for leaks first, is my vote.

[Novafrk]

There just doesn't seem to be ANY dampening going on. I think all the crap that was in there has wiped out the seals and o-rings in the dampening unit. That's probably what is causing my 40mph bounce / wobble. Parts are on order. Gonna have to make time to rebuild the forks.

[Elipten]

Sounds like your mind is made, time to order parts and jerk it apart.

[Novafrk]

LOL, parts are on order, I'll pull it apart tomorrow night. Progressive springs and all new soft parts. Plus a few hard parts just in case.

[Novafrk]

Well, all the parts for the damper side are on back order. I doubt I'll get them in time to rebuild the forks before my trip. I still can't help but thinks something else is going on.

I took the bike out last night. The forks seem to be doing their job. They absorb bumps well. They don't bottom out under hard braking. The are very soft at slow speeds but from what I've read that is how they are.

I keep getting drawn back to the new front tire.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

How old is the front tire?  While you have things apart you might want to have it balanced.  See if you can get someone to put DynaBeds in it.  I say this because I have  friend with a Yamaha Road Star that had a bad shake in the front end.  He did bearings, fork oil, brake pads, wheel balance, windshield mounts, etc.  When he dumped 4 ounces of Dyna Beads in the front tire the shake went away and the bike feels smooth as silk.

[Novafrk]

I purchased it new last fall. It has less than 500 miles on it. I have been looking at the dyna beads as an option. Maybe I'll just do that and see what happens. Can't hurt it. When you use dyna beads do you remove the existing wheel weights?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

That's what my friend did. 

I'm thinking of doing them in my tires as well.  Have them in the garage right now, just haven't got around to putting them in.  If you get them, see if you can find them in a bag that goes in the tire and breaks open after a bit of riding.  My first try at putting them in through the valve stem resulted in a bunch of them on the garage floor, and I am afraid to put them loose in the tire for fear they will get between the rim and the bead preventing a good seal.

[Scott_]

And if you don't mount your own tires, make sure you share with the tire man that you have installed them at the next tire change, or they can become very unhappy with you.....as it can get messy trying to recover the beads. btdt.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Yes, those suckers can be a real PIA when they are all over the floor.  I only spilled a couple grams worth.  Can't imagine the mess with a couple ounces all over the place. 

[kris]

Check out the dynabeads website...I had a look a fair while ago and I seem to recall a lot of information on it....worth a shot....but why not just go with a good ole tire balancing first? Shouldn't take much to sort out the bounce

[Novafrk]

I was going on the assumption that the tire place I took it to would know how to balance a tire. I was out talking so a bunch of bike guys tonight that have had issues with this place balancing tires. So, that is the first thing I will do.

[orforester]

Yeah I know a bunch of guys love Dyna Beads, myself I don't like them.  I am in with Johnny, good balancing is all you need.  Take your wheel back to the guy who installed it and make him/her re-balance it.  Watch them if you can.  My local guy here who is good messed one up once, just was busy and not paying attention.  I took it off and back to him, re-balanced it no problem. 

I have another bike that the dealer installed Dyna beads in, thing shakes over 85, which is a pain in hind end.  Took it back three times, still shakes.  Going to run the tire out then toss the beads to some hippe!!

[Novafrk]

Update... I removed the 2oz of weights and put in 1oz of beads as per the instructions. The bounce was reduced in intensity by a bunch. I kind of wish I hadn't put any beads in it first to see how it would act. (The instructions say if you put in more beads by weight than what is recommended for your tire size you will get a high speed bounce.) I rode it about 25 miles and I only felt / noticed the bounce at a very narrow speed range (37-39mph) and only if I was specifically trying to notice it. It's so slight now if I'm not thinking about it, I don't notice it.

I finished that tank of gas over last weekend and drained the ATF from the forks. It pulled a bunch more green nasty out but most of the fluid was red in color. No pics sorry. I installed progressive springs and used 10w Bel Ray fork oil. What a huge difference!!! No wobbles in the turns, feels a lot more connected for a lack of a better term. It's almost like the forks are actually suspending the bike and dampening bumps. It's crazy.

So I've started loading the bike for my trip to NC Friday. Everything has been looked at adjusted etc, (except the valve clearance, I'll look into that when I get back)

The little rack on the back is perfect for my tent! I used para cord and a funky little aluminum piece I picked up at some outdoors place for tying gear down. Works great. I'll snap a pic if I think about it. One bag has my air mattress (camping must have imo) plus blankets. Clothes go in the other one plus a tank bag and baby we're locked and loaded!!!