[englishted]

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A van reversed into my parked GL1500 yesterday and bent one of the forks. It's only a slight bend and I'm wondering whether to get it straightened or buy a new fork. The price of a new one is 2.5 times more than getting the old one straightened. I have a niggling doubt about repair, bearing in mind the Wing is no lightweight.

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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I would lean more towards replacing the fork tube becauseof the potential for leaks after straightening.Is it possible that you could locate a good used fork tube?

Vic

 

[exavid]

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The determining factor is how much bend and where? A large radius curve can be straightened, a sharper bend really can't be straightened perfectly and still guarantee the cross section is still round. It if were me, and the bend was more than an inch over the length of the fork I'd go for a new one. The main thing is that you don't want to be always thinking of the fork when cruising at high speed!

:shock::shock::shock::shock:

 

[Guest]

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englishted wrote:

A van reversed into my parked GL1500 yesterday and bent one of the forks. It's only a slight bend.I have a niggling doubt about repair, bearing in mind the Wing is no lightweight.

Hey englishted, :gunhead: It's nice to get the chance to give sound advice to a "Guru" REPLACE IT. :whip: End of storey. :crying: P.S. If your life is justthe price of a fork dont replace it. :whip:

:baffled: :18red: :baffled:

 

[axelwik]

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Don't even fool around with it - REPLACE the fork.

 

[Jason]

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Replace it Ted. Once it's bent it's weak and will never have the same strength again. The Wing is a heavy bike and the forks are under particular stress when braking a sall that weight gets pushed forward. Just spend the extra money and you won't have to worry about it.
Anyway, if you managed to catch the van driver, he will be paying.

 

[Dave Campbell]

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Can the fork tube be replaced or did it damage the housing? Yes, a bent tube could be straightened by a machinist, but thats not enough. There will be warp that cant be removed without heat treating and itll ruin the fork seals eventually if the seals run over the bent area.

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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englishted, any chance you could post a pic of the damage before you repair it?

Vic

 

[Jack Joyce]

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Man, I just can't imagine even considering repair unless you were stuck in in a Third World nation where the tubes were just unavailable. You can usually buy used tubes on ebay or at junkyards. For me, all the time wasted in experimentation is taken directly from riding and could easily lead to more money spent in the long run.

Personally, in this case,I'd bite the bullet an buy NEW components that I could reasonably expect to be round and true and just reassemble it once.

Jack

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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Jack Joyce, I agree with you about those forks completely, but, would you believe me if I told you that some people enjoy wrenching their Wings as much as they like riding them. There's a lot of pleasure in taking something that's not working right and transforming it into something that may be better than it was before.

Vic

 

[Jack Joyce]

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I must admit guilt from old age and a little more money than I used to have, Vic. Mea culpa, mea culpa. I have to realize too, that many don't rely on their bike for the daily commute to work as I do. That need to have an reliably operating machine every day really affects my perspective.

Now that I think about it - in my earlier life I replaced and balanced the permanently mounted u-joints in a Datsun B-210 driveshaft rather than buy a new shaft. But that was 20 years ago . . .

I hear ya Vic.

Jack

 

[BRowan]

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I'd get a new fork. It's not really major money for one and I'd feel more confident.

 

[englishted]

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I decided to order a new one. The guy in the repair shop persuaded me, as he told me he wouldn't offer a guarantee that the repaired fork would last or that the chrome wouldn't flake off etc. With that amount of confidence in his work I decided a new fork would be a better option!

 

[weewillywing]

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Probably the best thing to do Ted. Hauling a Wing around country roads under brisk riding conditions is hard enough without having to worry if your forks are up to it.

 

[Guest]

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englishted wrote:

I decided to order a new one. The guy in the repair shop persuaded me.

Hey englishted, :gunhead: I told you to do that on the 29th Jan.'05 as also did Goldwinger1984 and he is a "Guru" but it takes a guy in a repair shop to convince you :whip: and you are a "Guru" Ahem. ! ! ! !

:leprechaun: :18red: :leprechaun:

 

[Dave Campbell]

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chrome plated fork? Ive missed something...

 

[07Silver]

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Dave Campbell wrote:

chrome plated fork? Ive missed something...

Aren't all forks (the shiny part) chromed Dave?

 

[Dave Campbell]

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I thought they were stainless steel or high carbon steel or the like...:stumped:

 

[exavid]

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If they werecarbon steel, they'd rust. They are magnetic so that eliminates most of the common stainless steel alloys. They do pit from corrosion. I'd guess a chrome finish. Anyone know for sure?

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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They are made of a special tough steel alloy that alows them to be flexible without breaking and they have a hard machine chrome finish that is ground to final size. The chrome finishprotects the steel underneath and makes for a hard surface for the rubber seal to ride on. Suprisingly, rubber will wear steel down unless it's one of the harder steel alloys.

Vic