Fork Gaiters

[vontresc]

Well I pulled my R-65 out of hibernation last week, and the Gaiters have completely disintegrated. Since I'm looking at pulling the front end to replace these, what else should I be doing since I'll be spending quality wrench time with the front end? Should I be replacing the fork seals etc?

Thanks

Pete

'82 R-65
'63 Ka-6 Sailplane

[Bob_Roller]

Doesn't sound like you have any leakage issues with the forks, don't know the maintenance history of your bike, but with the forks already off of the bike, seal replacement and the upper bump stop rubber washer replacement would be the only things I might consider .

Possibly spring replacement, depending on how many miles the bike had accumulated .

[vontresc]

I don't know the maintenance history either, and it only had 68k miles on it. I did some more looking at my Clymers, and the parts fiche, and it appears that the R65 only used the dust caps, and no gaiters are listed. Does anyone know the parts number for the gaiters?

Also are there any benefits to the dust caps over the gaiters?

Thanks

[Yikes]

The gaiters are not a standard R65 part, so you won't find them on the parts fiche for our model.  Try Capital Cycle or Bob's BMW for replacements.  
I'm no guru, but I surmise that the gaiters do give more protection to the shock assembly, simply from the fact that they keep the travel length of the stancion covered up, keeping grit, moisture and whatever else off the metal away from the seals.  I like the look of them, but they probably a good bit more than the little standard dust caps.  

[Bob_Roller]

The correct gaitors for the R65, are the 11 rib gaitors .

I got mine from Bob's BMW, it should be on their parts site .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

When one installs gaiters on a R65, one removes the dust caps.

One's seals will last much longer.  Possibly preventing a scratch on one's fork leg, as well!  (it happened to me, under warranty!)

One should also pull the bottom down as far as possible, and the top upward; stretching the boot and allowing for maximum compression, before the gaiter prevents the fork from compressing further.

And get the neat BMW hose clamps.  They have roundels stamped into them!

[Yikes]

One should also pull the bottom down as far as possible, and the top upward; stretching the boot and allowing for maximum compression, before the gaiter prevents the fork from compressing further.

Will gaiters fit with a Tarozzi or Telefix fork brace? :-/

[vontresc]

I've got a Telefix Brace (I Think), and the disintegrating gaiters are attached to it...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

They seem, to fit, but the gaiters are not allowed to be pulled down as far as possible, so you are not getting as much fork travel as those without the fork brace.

Have you ever removed the fork brace to see if you can tell the difference?

[Yikes]

I don't have a fork brace, but it's an add-on I've been considering.  I do have some gaiters that I have not installed yet, so I was wondering if the forks would accommodate both.

I can see that the brace would subtract the inch or so of the depth of the brace from the travel distance, plus it would prevent you from pulling the bottom of the gaiter down to go over the top of the fork tube, losing about another inch.

I can't say that I've ever come close to bottoming the front forks out though, even bumping up over the curb to bring my bike into the yard.

[Bob_Roller]

The R65, was one of the BMW bikes of it's era, that didn't benefit from a fork brace, the triple clamps were upgraded on it, before the larger bikes got them .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

plus it would prevent you from pulling the bottom of the gaiter down to go over the top of the fork tube

THIS is the critical point.

If the gaiter is not covering the fork seal, it is not doing it's job.

I believe, from a pragmatic point of view, the two are mutually exclusive.

But, if you are just going for bling, I suppose it won't hurt anything.