fork seals

Joined
Nov 16, 2013
Messages
57
Location
Wigan, Lancashire
Bike
ST1100Y and ST1300-2
I have just done a load of research on this and hope I can help.
First off, just because your bike was once owned by the Police, or was painted in Police livery doesn't mean it was a Honda Police Spec bike.
Some forces bought civilian versions and had them converted by a company called ?Sonic?. I found a 2001 police converted bike in a scrapyard and learned by error. The converted bike didn't get the upgraded forks.
The Honda Police Spec bike had the same front fork legs throughout its development, with longer and slightly narrower springs, and the internal diameter of the chrome pipes also slightly narrower.
I have a Honda Spec st1100, and the fork springs from the scrap bike wouldn't fit down the fork pipes.

Anyway I've just changed my police spec fork seals with the same year civilian version, as supplied by M+P off ebay ? and they look fine.
Have a look at a great video on Youtube just search ?ST1100 Forks? and it shows you how to change the seals using plastic waste pipe from a sink.

There are other differences as highlighted by member ST1100Y who is a regularcontributor on this forum.
From "ST1100Y"




"You could enter your ST's VIN at CMSNL to see if its a genuine P-spec, or indeed retrofitted.

There also other items to ID a P-spec by:
- enforced VRR with aluminum heatsink
- headlight adjuster knob sits above RHS valve cover (I'd really like to see a pic of that bracket once...)
- genuine voltmeter in LHS panel (oposite of clock)
- calibrated speedo (possible some kind of calibration gear on the cable, right below the instrument)
- both crash bars have a plate welded on top, featuring mounting points for siren speaker and others
- coil of rear shock in black paint
- RHS switchgear as well as those in the LHS inner fairing
- a striking additional wiring harness and a bunch of relays"​
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
1,258
Location
Donegal, Ireland.
Bike
Vstrom 650
;1712632]measure the chrome tubes do not remember the sizes but abs are larger chrome uppers[/quote]

Yes they are either 41mm or 43mm.I fitted non oem seals from wemoto,working 100%, the dust caps were fine.10 wt synthetic fork oil made a big difference as well as hyperpro springs.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Wagin West Australia
Bike
ST1100
STOC #
6677
Hi Worm22002, if your bike is a true Police spec model as mine is the front forks are the same as earlier ABS models.

I did download a list of fork oil replacement specs but can't seem to locate at the minute,as I just done my seals and fluid change,and there is a difference between, early ABS, Standard and later ABS.

FYI
 
OP
OP
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
30
Location
Cambridgeshire UK
Ok I bought a standard seal kit and went ahead with the mission of changing. Would like to say that if you weigh the back of the bike down, you can remove the forks. So front wheel off and forks ready to strip down in about a hour. I took one fork to the bench, top off springs removed, dust cap removed. Tried and tried to tug the oil seal out with no joy. 1 hour later had a break and looked at the bottom of the fork to see a lovely bolt that holds a piston (1 hour of my life i'll never get back lol) so removed the bolt and piston but still it would not move. About 1 1/2 hours later, bang the seal was removed, cleaned the tube and springs and put back together. Cause I ran out of time Ive only done 1 side, going to do the other hopefully tomorrow.

I would say for a timing aspect

20-60 mins to get bike forks removed
60-90 mins to remove and clean forks and inners
20-60 mins to put back together

If like me you not done any of this before have someone how knows a little close or at the end of a phone and leave yourself a day!!!!
 

ST1100Y

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637
Would like to say that if you weigh the back of the bike down, you can remove the forks.
Placing a jack underneath the oil pan serves well.
I further suggest having an ST1100 workshop manual at hand; spares a lot of time and headache :wink:
And especially the given torque numbers are of tremendous value...
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Totton Hampshire
Bike
ST1100-L
Need to do the left side of.my 1990 1100. Is this the easy side? Was planing. On using front paddock stand on one side to keep up, then just remove the left fork?

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
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soCal
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'97 ST1100
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687
use centerstand and a jack under engine to raise front wheel off ground. I put a piece of wood between the jack and the oil pan to avoid high pressure points on the pan itself.

you need to remove the calipers, wheel, fender, and handlebar cover before you can pull either fork, so as long as you're that far along it usually makes sense to do them both at the same time. If one seal has gone, the other one probably isn't far behind, so why do the job twice?

the answer to your question about the easy side is yes, the right fork has the damping rod that's a bit of a pain to work with, but its really not that bad.
 

ST1100Y

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...as long as you're that far along it usually makes sense to do them both at the same time...
Also essential to check the chromed surface of the fork tubes for any damage, pitting, nicks, contamination, etc... anything that probably caused damage to the seal/s in the first place...
And, depending on mileage/last overhaul wear on the bronze bushings inside...
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
5,047
Location
soCal
Bike
'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
Also essential to check the chromed surface of the fork tubes for any damage, pitting, nicks, contamination, etc... anything that probably caused damage to the seal/s in the first place...
And, depending on mileage/last overhaul wear on the bronze bushings inside...
good advice, but a leaking seal is not necessarily an indication of fork tube damage, sometimes the seals just wear out. Its a good idea to check it because if there is tube damage it will quickly trash the new seal.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Totton Hampshire
Bike
ST1100-L
Also essential to check the chromed surface of the fork tubes for any damage, pitting, nicks, contamination, etc... anything that probably caused damage to the seal/s in the first place...
And, depending on mileage/last overhaul wear on the bronze bushings inside...
Forks themselves are clean, Its the great british pot holes that have cause it to burst the seal. Also need to do the rear shock next month. The bike was in for a service yesterday but unfortunately they didn't have time to replace.
 

ST1100Y

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ST1100Y, ST1100R
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Its a good idea to check it because if there is tube damage it will quickly trash the new seal.
The fork tubes of my '00 ST suffered damage due to assembly error/wrong orientation of the upper bushings... with the gap placed rearward, every braking action raised havoc on the chrome layer... after a little over two years a dark, annealed looking wear line appeared on both tubes and one seal had started to seep...
I bit the bullet on two new tubes, all bushings and a full seal kit (incl. dust covers), but no issues since then...
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
2,211
Location
West Michigan
Bike
'98 ST1100
STOC #
8470
use centerstand and a jack under engine to raise front wheel off ground. I put a piece of wood between the jack and the oil pan to avoid high pressure points on the pan itself. :plus1:

you need to remove the calipers, wheel, fender, and handlebar cover before you can pull either fork, so as long as you're that far along it usually makes sense to do them both at the same time. If one seal has gone, the other one probably isn't far behind, so why do the job twice?

the answer to your question about the easy side is yes, the right fork has the damping rod that's a bit of a pain to work with, but its really not that bad.
Make sure you install the seals in the right direction. I have found several seals that were installed backwards. Apparently it's easy to do. The "lips" should point down.
 
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