How long can one put off F-fork service B4 its a real sin $$

[Daytona]

98 B12 32k, F-end never been seviced! Used year round so no winter project time. Seems to be a bigger job than it should be with no drain screw like the older bikes had! Any one had a problem caused from old oil? Seal leaks etc? Seems fine now, any thing to watch out for as a warning! Any short cuts to doing the oil change?

One other thing! has anyone heard if they made the Suzuki B-King concept bike for sale this year? Is there any production bike that looks like it, that i could have seen? I was on speedway blvd by the Kawi dealer west of daytona and saw a bike with the wide rear swing arm like some of the race models have, CBR etc but had that stealth tail on it with Gsxr looking pipe x2 stuck kinda semi under the tail! Fat rear tire but about a 200+ size i'd say! It was heading west as i was coming out a side street and was going too fast for me to catch, lots of State Ds going to and from their station on that stretch. Black in color, i can't find anything that looks like it on any sites. Had the rear Swing arm on the r-side so would be a chain drive, not like that Huge triumph that is out now. Hope it's the new bandit and the cost stayed the same, I'm all over it!!

[Red01]

It is only rumored that a production bike will be coming with B-King styling cues. None of the hi-zoot electronics and no supercharger though. It may be that you saw a streetfighter someone built that looks like it, or perhaps a prototype mule... but nothing's out you and I can go buy yet.

[Red01]

I've got >37K miles on my front end with the original juice. Front end still works fine, no leaks.

[tacoman]

What deteriorates fork oil the most is water from condensation.  If your bike sits a lot outdoors this can happen, it also causes the seals to crack and harden.  You will notice poor action, mainly stiffness.  The water will actually cause some of the internals to corrode.  If the forks work well and you have no leaks, ride on!

[Daytona]

What deteriorates fork oil the most is water from condensation.  If your bike sits a lot outdoors this can happen, it also causes the seals to crack and harden.  You will notice poor action, mainly stiffness.  The water will actually cause some of the internals to corrode.  If the forks work well and you have no leaks, ride on!

 Hey great! Man are these bikes skud proof or what!! Sits outside almost never and used almost every time i go to work! which seems to be all the dam time!!!  thanks    

[tacoman]

After several years and miles, you may want to change it.  The aluminum in the forks will contaminate the oil in time.  You'll mainly have a very slow drop in performance which you won't notice until you change the oil.  Then you'll say wow, these forks really work good again.  The oil is cheap but what keeps most people from changing it is the time involved (removing forks, disassembling, draining, filling, reassembly, etc.).  Its a good winter project.

[Daytona]

After several years and miles, you may want to change it.  The aluminum in the forks will contaminate the oil in time.  You'll mainly have a very slow drop in performance which you won't notice until you change the oil.  Then you'll say wow, these forks really work good again.  The oil is cheap but what keeps most people from changing it is the time involved (removing forks, disassembling, draining, filling, reassembly, etc.).  Its a good winter project.

    More info always good to hear! I was wondering why or if some one that has been into these know of maybe a spot where a hole could be drilled and tapped for a drain like the older bikes had?  am i way out on this?

[Red01]

I'm not aware of anyone who has drilled and tapped a drain for the forks. Some have siphoned/sucked out old fluid and replenished it with fresh. You'll still end up with some traces of old stuff in there that way, but it would be better than leaving all the old stuff in.

[gsxr400 racer]

Technicaly you are supposed to do it once ever year! but twice a year is fine!