The fork links the bike’s frame to the front wheel and the axle. It will also help your bike come to a stop when braking, as well as determine the handling and smoothness of the ride. Within the fork are two tubes and each one needs a seal to keep the oil intact. If you have defective or worn out fork seals, the oil may leak down to your brake pads. You will seriously be at risk if the oil in your motorcycle fork runs out.

However, there are instances when the fork itself is the problem. You can easily upgrade by installing new showa motorcycle forks on your bike. You can be off the throttle and not worry about the bike’s stability as the fork compresses.

There are multiple factors that come into play on how often you should change your seals.

1. The type of bike you have — As you might expect, high-end and luxury bikes are designed using premium components. You can pretty much trust the recommended intervals stated on the manual. It is not the same with beginner bikes, for example, which use generic components to keep the costs down.

The way you ride your bike — Another factor that may affect your motorcycle seals is the type of riding you do. If you are an aggressive driver who thinks of every pothole or hump as an obstacle course that can add to your skill points, then it can rattle the forks and dislodge the seal and form a leak. Maybe it is also high time to look for showa motorcycle forks that are designed to handle the extra abuse.

The regularity that you use your bike — If you are using your bike as your daily driver, then you will change your motorcycle fork seals much more frequently compared to someone who rides only on weekends. Again, if you are going off-road often for sport or by sheer necessity, you need to have your motorcycle suspension inspected and maintained regularly.

How Frequently Should You Change the Fork Seals?

But back to the question at hand. The manufacturer’s manual that comes with your bike would have a clear instruction on when you should change the seals.

Without even reading the manual, you can change the seals every 15,000 or 20,000 kilometres if you use your motorcycle for your daily commute. With that said, some motorcycle owners have breached the 40,000 or 50,000-kilometre mark without any issues on their fork seals.

You change the motorcycle seals regardless of whether you notice an oil leak or not. The oil plays a crucial role because it lubricates the parts and keeps the metal from wearing thin. It needs to be replaced religiously, however, because the quality and damping action wear out over time.

Generally, when you change your fork seals, it is a good idea to change your fork oil, as well. The garage shop does not ask for extra labour cost to put new oil in.

If you are buying a second-hand motorcycle, it is recommended that you change the fork seals before you take it out for a long ride. It does not cost much to replace one and should cost you between $250 and $500. But the peace of mind you get is priceless.