K11 Owners Group

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Hi guys, not how I wanted my next post to be but I'm currently visiting big bend national Park in far West Texas and just noticed my left hand side of the front fork is leaking at the top. Enough that there is an oil smear down the fork and also a bit on the left hand side fairings, see picture.

I did take a few surprise bumps around here today, the roads are smooth but have these occasional decent jolts in them, possible it was just bottomed out and a one off leak and take it easy?
My concern is now most of the damping is being done by the right hand side and if that fails Shocked

Does anyone have a spare front suitable for a 1997 K1100LT I could buy off them, bike is still ridable but am planning to keep going to California and ideally want to fix asap.
If not does anyone know someone in the route between here and south California that can rebuild one in a few days?

Any help massively appreciated, I don't think my motel has internet so will have to check back tomorrow morning...

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Also how can I attach a picture from my phone (not in a URL)[/img]

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 11:56 pm Post subject:

I rode over some nasty potholes near Mt. St. Helens on one of my LTs in Sept of 17 and the right fork blew fork oil all over the fairing. It worried me when I first noticed it. I kept an eye on it and it didn't seem to be leaking anymore after that. I never bothered to do anything about it since the bike still seemed to handle fine. That happened over 13,000 miles ago.

Unless it keeps leaking and gets fork oil down onto your brake pads you'll probably be OK.

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:15 am Post subject:

You can use http://imgur.com/upload to upload a picture from your phone.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:22 am Post subject:

If you want to get it checked out in SoCal then here's who I'd trust:

http://liorsmotoride.com/

He has K1100 knowledge (ex dealer wrench) and is reasonable.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Jim · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:29 am Post subject:

"My concern is now most of the damping is being done by the right hand side and if that fails"

If I remember... left side is compression, right side is rebound.

Fork seals are readily available - best bet is to find a shop that can change them for you.

If the seals are old, they're probably shot. It doesn't take much to get them to leak - dried bug guts on the forks will do it. That's why a lot of us install gaiters. Possible there's a bit of crud in there - if that's the case, you can run something very thin between the fork and seal - maybe clean it and stop the leak.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000
1992 R100R 24,000 - FOR SALE

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:35 am Post subject:

If it's leaking and you want to try to clean it out in case it's a bug or something then a thin feeler gauge will work.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Ok great words of advice thanks all!

Are there any special tools required to rebuild, I.E could any general motorcycle shop rebuild them if I turned up with the seals in hand as I can get them off eBay pretty quick smart it seems while I'm in the USA.
There's a pair of rebuilt ones on eBay already but at $600 + quick shipping it's a big chunk out of the traveling budget....

Was planning on wiping them clean tomorrow, taking it easy over the bumps and seeing what I get as to be stuck in a motel here in big bend and not being able to get to the walking tracks would be kinda pointless...

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Flying duck;
Yea that's about as bad as mine looks now but on the other side
If its like Jim said, then left side being compression that could explain it.
Also the worry I've got is realistically the nearest decent shop is likely to be El Paso which is almost 300 miles away.

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:00 am Post subject:

Unless your fork tubes are scored then there's no need to replace the forks. If anything, you just need new fork seals.

I know somebody outside of Taos who is a K75 owner and works on bikes. I'll PM you my phone number - call me if you want to know more.

(And 300 miles is nothing.)
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Thanks flying duck. I'll see how tomorrow looks and get In touch if need be. My cell will be a +1 561 number.
_________________
1997 K1100LT
97k miles and planning to ride her across the USA!
Update; just past 100k miles in mid Texas Very Happy

Update 2; 4676 miles west palm beach SoFlo to Oxnard SoCal, Made it!

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:11 am Post subject:

Also, taking K1100 forks apart is a bit a tricky. Ted's page on replacing fork springs will give you some insight:

http://www.k11og.org/tech/k11tech_springs_install.shtml

And sometimes there are issues with the forks not coming apart. I wouldn't take my bike to just any shop.

But really, don't kill yourself worrying about it. It's not the end of the world if your forks puked a little oil. Or even if they have a slight leak. You won't be stranded.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:47 am Post subject:

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:47 am Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:39 pm Post subject:

Ditto on only using BMW OEM fork seals.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Thanks heaps Scott!

After about 100 miles or so today they're definitely still leaking, will monitor and see how the handling goes over the next few days. Not the best time to be trying to order parts and getting work done.

Isaac
_________________
1997 K1100LT
97k miles and planning to ride her across the USA!
Update; just past 100k miles in mid Texas Very Happy

Update 2; 4676 miles west palm beach SoFlo to Oxnard SoCal, Made it!

illicit.nz · Brick Rider Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Posts: 25

Also guessing now is a good time to do the boot seal also, they have it labeled as "cup"?

Any recommendations for a full gaiter option also?
_________________
1997 K1100LT
97k miles and planning to ride her across the USA!
Update; just past 100k miles in mid Texas Very Happy

Update 2; 4676 miles west palm beach SoFlo to Oxnard SoCal, Made it!

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 9:58 pm Post subject:

I've never replaced the cups. I wouldn't bother unless there's something wrong with them.

Rancho 1952 shock boots. You need to put holes in them at the bottom rear so that they can "breathe" as the forks compress.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Grunter · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 4:55 am Post subject: Fork dismanltling

Just a word of caution. To get the sliders off the fork legs you have to undo the socket head bolts underneth the base of the forks. The sockets on these are quite shallow, so they must be cleaned out completely.

These screws are made of a metal slightly softer than cheese and if the Allen key or socket head is not properly fitted it will just chew up the metal and you will be forced to drill them and use an extractor.

I cannot understand why the socket was not made deeper because there is more than enough metal to do so (Or use a harder metal in the 1st place.)
_________________
1997 K1100LT
1994 R1100RS

Al. · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 6:44 am Post subject:

And be careful tightening bolts at bottom of the forks.
I wrung one, luckily stub left in was loose so I could poke it out.
It took ages to wash out they swarf in the bottom of the tubes.

Careful taking out the little springs at the top of seal, it's easy to damage edge which will rip the seal going in. Heating the tube would help.
I managed without heating.
_________________
1994 K1100 LTSE + Blackbird