Suspension Service Intervals - Dave Moss Recommendations

[bigjohnsd]

How many are this religious about Suspension Service?

Moss' recommendations:

The Friday question answered:

The question was posed for street, track and race.

Street:

Fork service every 6-8,000 miles

Shock service every 10-12,000 miles

Fork seals greased as needed (check for stiction every 2 weeks)

Polish chrome tubes at least twice a month (daily in the rain)

Clean TiNitride, DLC etc twice a month (daily in the rain)

Blow out dust seals as needed based on environment

Replace seals as needed (never only one).

Track:

Fork service every 6-8 days miles

Shock service annually/8 track days

Fork seals greased as needed (check for stiction every 2 days)

Polish chrome tubes prior to each event (daily in the rain)

Clean TiNitride, DLC etc prior to each event (daily in the rain)

Blow out dust seals as needed based on environment

Replace seals as needed (never only one).

Race:

Fork service every 4 days

Shock service based on hours (TTX = 30 hours)

Fork seals greased as needed (check for stiction every day)

Polish chrome tubes prior to each event (daily in the rain)

Clean TiNitride, DLC etc prior to each event (daily in the rain)

Blow out dust seals as needed based on environment

Replace seals as needed (never only one).

**If you are trying to win a class championship, this would be the minimum standard along with a host of other service list items. If you are trying to win a #1 plate at the club level, service intervals are even smaller down to each day for some line items such as brake fluid, chain lube, cleaning brake calipers etc.

It is your motorcycle and you care for it based on your own standards and timelines. Those who ride the dirt do this (and much more maintenance) in hours, so why can't road bikes be cared for with the same timeline?

 

[RossKean]

Wow! I don't know anyone who maintains shocks this regularly on a street bike!

 

[El Toro Joe]

I'd say that's a little overkill, for an FJR.

 

[RaYzerman19]

The street recommendations are overkill IMHO........ of all the FJR forks I've rebuilt, bushings noticeably wear at 25-30k so perhaps use that as a 'rebuild' interval. Other than that, seals if they're leaking, replace if cleaning with a SealMate type tool won't fix it. Seals may last a lifetime if you regularly (daily/every couple of riding days/every week??) clean the bug guts, etc. off the tubes so it doesn't go down in the seals. But I'd replace every rebuild..... there aren't any real intervals for fork oil change..... the purists like annually, some like longer.... personal preference applies.

I only recently discovered info about greasing seals when you install them (is that better than a bit of fork oil?). Don't know how you'd properly grease them with the forks assembled.

 

[escapefjrtist]

For the last ten years or so, I've been changing oil in FJR forks annually...normally 10k miles. Bushing and seals are changed every second or third oil change unless I get a leaker.

Penske shock service has generally followed the major fork service (every 25-30k). Now that I'm set up to rebuild Penske's myself an annual freshening is certainly within reason. For an hour-ish of labor plus $5 in parts, new oil and shaft seals won't break the bank.

--G

 

[Panman]

Doing flush ever year for the forks I think is a good Idea!

I went 45,000 mile on the stock front forks and when I did send them of for goodies I was accused of being to easy on my FJR as the bushing had more life than a lot of bike they saw at 25,000 miles. It make sense to me as the fork oil cycles it breaks down the more it breaks down the more crude goes across the bushings and faster wear.

I think about selling my Ohlins and going Penske just so I can flush them every year at the G man's. I'd really like to figure out how to rebuild the Ohlins as I like the easy pre load adjustment. It appears that the equipment is a bit more spendy for the Ohlins to do the rebuild.

 

[FJRay]

I changed fork oil every year on my 03. Flushed them with kerosene, cleaned with a seal mate and hung them up to drain. It had well over a 100k on it when I sold and still had the original seals and bushings. The Gen 1 is a superior unit.

 

[art miller]

I guess I have been lucky. I've had three FJR's, #1 had 38K miles and never touched the seals or changed the oil in the forks. The #2 had 46K and no service to the forks. Bike #3 current bike, has 24K and nothing leaking or getting soft. I clean the forks evry time following a ride. I polish the tubes regularly. I hind sight, I would change the fork oil on regular intervals.

 

[JAB]

What do you recommend for polishing the forks?

 

[art miller]

I have been using the same wax I use on the rest of the bike. Usually McGuire's Gold Class. DO NOT use anything abrasive!!!

 

[JAB]

Thanks Art