So, went out for a ride on Saturday, noticed during my preflight walk around that my fork seal is blown...again.

It's not too bad so I'm waiting for spring to fix it. Now, when I get the seals changed I also want to have the cartidges changed. Can anyone recommend cartridge brands that work really well on our bikes?
Mine is an 06 ZX14. I plan on getting the rear shock revalved at the same time.

Mad

Mad, I'm also interested to hear what cartridge brands are recommended.

As for fork seals, I don't know if you used factory seals, but I had bad luck with aftermarket fork seals on my last bike (a 2004 Aprilia Tuono with 43mm Showa USD forks).

The shop I use has a great reputation for suspension work, and I believe they use OEM seals. It's possible that the ride I took last week, 300 miles, some on some pretty beat up pavement at a fast pace, could have hammered the seals into surrendering.

Mad

I'm happy with my Ohlins so you might consider those internals. It really is only a small amount better than OEM for my riding. I don't know about the longterm durability but no problems for me yet after 10k miles and they had about 20k on them when I bought them. My OEMs were fine after 30k miles.

Had front seals go out on my 2013 twice.PITA.

Before you replace the seals again you might as well give this a try
http://sealmate.net/

It was about $5 from the motorcycle store near my house, I tried it after my seals started leaking not long after they were replaced, worked for a while, started leaking again, cleaned the seals with the "tool" again (nothing to lose at that point) and its been good for a while now.

Replaced mine last weekend (OEM) first set of seals to go at 22k.

Why mess with something like a "seal mate", at any sign of seals leaking
they should be replaced ASAP. They are cheap (even OEM) around $35
and only take a couple hours to change. (stay away from anything All Balls)

Just because you pay someone to install new set doesn't mean they used
OEM parts or that they didn't damage them while installing.

* Last updated by: piken on 12/13/2017 @ 9:15 AM *

I hear you piken, but they did last 3 years. I do have the Sealmate tool, may try that when I have a free minute.

Mad

Do you think wheelies might have something to do with seals blowing out when the front end slams back to the ground?

Hahaha... I wish. I'm way too big of a sissy to wheelie this bike much. I used to wheelie my XL600 all over the place but now that I'm in adult diapers I've lost the knack.

Mad

Why mess with something like a "seal mate", at any sign of seals leaking

Mainly because if the seals are brand new and there's no reason they should be damaged (ie, damage to the tubes) its $5 and a few minutes of time to try and clear any dirt out that's holding the seals open. Worst case scenario, you're back at square one and need to replace the seals anyways.

The last time I did it to my seals there was clearly some dirt that the "tool" pulled out and since its holding up so far I'm happy enough with the results. I got a reputable shop to replace the seals and install some stiffer springs since it cost as much for them to do it as it did for the bloody tool to seat the seal. I figured 8 years between new fork seals its not worth the time and effort to buy the tool and do it myself.

Do you think wheelies might have something to do with seals blowing out when the front end slams back to the ground?

Absolutely.

Stoppies too! I was doing some stoppies on the 14 a few weekends ago and I think that's what
pushed my seals over the edge.

I think I won't be doing stoppies anymore on the 14, bikes pretty big/heavy for stoppies, but wheelies
are still a go!

Worst case scenario, you're back at square one and need to replace the seals anyways.

Exactly the point. Last place I want to be is a couple hundred miles away from home up in the canyons
and have the seals start leaking on me. You'll be towing the bike home.

If your seals start leaking you'll lose your brakes. Then you will have to replace seals and brake pads too.

I got a reputable shop to replace the seals

Doesn't mean they didn't have some lackey fresh out of MMI do the seals and damage
them while installing.

since it cost as much for them to do it as it did for the bloody tool to seat the seal

Seals can be seated using old seals and a piece of PVC pipe. The savings from doing yourself one
time can buy additional tools. I guess since I have multiple bikes I seem to be regularly replacing seals and
change fork oil every 12-18 months, fork maintenance is as common as changing oil.

Sorry, being to cheap to do fix correctly or to lazy to do them yourself is a poor excuse and
can be "very" dangerous.

Uhhh... unless you do your fork seals way different than I do mine, you can't seat the seals with the old ones or PVC pipe, unless you're splitting them. Upside down forks....
I guess you could be installing the seals before you assemble the forks. Never done it that way.

Mad

hmmm....

I have no idea how you do fork seals or even what you are trying to say,
but inverted or not doesn't make a difference,
There's really only one way and it's pretty much been the same way
of doing them for many years.

Maybe you mis-understood what I was saying?

Of coarse I don't use PVC pipe anymore, but I used to. I use a Motion Pro Seal Driver now, but
it's really just the same thing as using PVC pipe.

PVC = You set the new seals in place, side on the old seals, so you are not beating
on the new seals, take a piece of PVC pipe 4"-5" section and slice in half so closes
around fork tube and use to drive in the seals. slide off old seals, done and free tool
for driving in seals.

* Last updated by: piken on 12/14/2017 @ 12:50 PM *

Mad,

I apologize, "I" misunderstood you. Since I don't use the old seals to set
the new ones anymore I was not thinking correctly. The motion pro seal driver
driver does split in half when using so no problem.