Hi Folks,

I came to my bike on Friday to discover what looks like fork oil on the garage floor by the right fork. The bike had been stood for a week on an ABBA stand in my garage and so the "leak" is puzzling me a little.

When I thought about it I recalled being surprised by a sudden upwards "push" felt on the bars when I put it on the stand last week. I didn't think anything more of it at the time - I just put it down to the forks extending a little as the bike was lifted.

I cleaned the bike up carefully and took it for a ride out, deliberately going down some bumpy roads and when I came back there was a little "ring" of oil on the right stanchion but nothing compared with the leak had clearly happened in the garage.

Then I took a trip to fill up and at the petrol station I sat on the bike (obviously weighting the rear) and felt a similar "rise" from the front end. I rode the two miles home and found a more significant quantity of fork oil on the slider and mudguard.

I find it difficult to describe this "rising" feel from the front but I've owned a lot of bikes and this just felt "unusual". My other bikes have tended to be modern bikes though so maybe I just "expect" a different feel.

The previous owner told me that the bike had Maxton springs fitted with the seals, oil replaced etc.

I guess my first question is does this "rising feel" that I am trying to describe sound normal?
Secondly why would a leak appear when the bike is static in the garage (I can understand leaking seals manifesting themselves on a ride)? My guess it must be related to the fork extending a little on the ABBA stand.

Any thoughts gratefully received.
Graham

Guys,

If the right fork had been overfilled would you expect the excess oil to find it's way past the fork seal?
(It still doesn't explain why the thing leaked whilst being on a stand in the garage )

Thanks.

It is a random sounding issue this "rising"...

Have you checked the oil levels? Are they too full?

I can imagine they are too full of oil and so it leaks and the small air gap is working like a very tight air spring and pushing the forks up. Should be 90mm or more (IIRC) air gap

Worth getting the top caps off, compressing the forks all the way and if they piss oil over the spot..they are too full....

I had the same problem with the leak, fork oil all over front wheel and caliper. Don't know how it does that either! Turns out both the seals and sliders, and bushes probably have had it on my bike.

I think checking the fork oil level has to be the first thing I will look at if the problem persists. The bike has been stood on the stand all week again with no sign of leak

I've noticed that the dust seal on the right fork looks to be seated badly. I may take this off and see if the oils seal looks to be seated OK. I'm not sure how easy this will be to check with the forks in situ.

Rob - have you actually disassembled your forks and found the problems you mention?