10-30-2023, 08:20 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-31-2023, 06:40 PM by landmissle.)
Hi all,
About a year ago my 2021 R1250RS had a leaky fork seal. The bike only had 3000 miles on it at the time and thankfully was still under factory warranty. The fork seals were replaced by BMW free of charge. However that experience really got me to reflect on how exposed our fork tubes are and the damage that can be inflected on them by impacted bugs, grit, small stones, etc.
Many upside down fork arrangements have some form of seal block/guards, but this still leaves a lot of tube exposure. "Back in the day" many bikes came with fork gaiters. Many dirt and dual purpose bikes still do. However, style and fashion (I guess) have dictated that street and sport backs should not be equipped with such protection. This is a shame as they really do extend the life of your fork seals.
Anyway, I came across a company that makes a form of fork gaiters that fit our bikes and a version that is simply zipped on. This is great (zippered model) as it doesn't require removing the fork tubes to put on. I ended up buying a set and have had them on for a year. While I can't prove there're extending the life of my seals I feel much better with them installed.
https://sealsavers.com/products/zip-on-s...1644386561
The 1 3/4" short size fits our bikes perfectly. BTW, you can rotate them such that the zipper and sticker is not visible for a more subdued look.
If anyone is interested I can take some pictures of my installation.
Cover rotated so that zipper and velcro flap are in view
About a year ago my 2021 R1250RS had a leaky fork seal. The bike only had 3000 miles on it at the time and thankfully was still under factory warranty. The fork seals were replaced by BMW free of charge. However that experience really got me to reflect on how exposed our fork tubes are and the damage that can be inflected on them by impacted bugs, grit, small stones, etc.
Many upside down fork arrangements have some form of seal block/guards, but this still leaves a lot of tube exposure. "Back in the day" many bikes came with fork gaiters. Many dirt and dual purpose bikes still do. However, style and fashion (I guess) have dictated that street and sport backs should not be equipped with such protection. This is a shame as they really do extend the life of your fork seals.
Anyway, I came across a company that makes a form of fork gaiters that fit our bikes and a version that is simply zipped on. This is great (zippered model) as it doesn't require removing the fork tubes to put on. I ended up buying a set and have had them on for a year. While I can't prove there're extending the life of my seals I feel much better with them installed.
https://sealsavers.com/products/zip-on-s...1644386561
The 1 3/4" short size fits our bikes perfectly. BTW, you can rotate them such that the zipper and sticker is not visible for a more subdued look.
If anyone is interested I can take some pictures of my installation.