Fork Gaiters, anyone else have this problem?

swooshdave · Mar 20, 2013

1up3down said:
I am with snorton74 on the gaiter issue, I don't use em or like em, along with no iso rubbers

BUT, during the years when I did use gaiters, I sliced them clean in half top to bottom, and then slipped them on and used black thread and a needle and sewed them up in the back, easy, can't tell, and best of all you don't have to take the damn fork legs off.

Please tell me you're joking.

kommando · Mar 20, 2013

I took my old ones off last year, still looked good so have kept them as spares, I first used them back in 84 and they were genuine Norton. The Andover Norton ones I fitted last year look as if they are made exactly the same.

Hobot · Mar 20, 2013

My SV650 did not come with gaiters and what happens is greasy bug guts and outer hard cuticles collect to stick on dusty grit that rubs the seals raw, so I put beer can shields up on SuVee for some fun compliments at stops. Shoot some civilized riders have raw springs on outside and get away with it - just not out here. I tended to match SuVee's original color scheme with PBS or Bush. Wind blast and bouncing and brush or animals tear em off time to time. If I run my hand on the tubes it puts incentive to replace soon as practical as easier than seals.

ashman · Mar 21, 2013

They all should have a air vent in them, if they don't you only need a small hole, I don't know about cutting then in half and sewing them up, are you for real, its not so hard taking your front wheel off and dropping your fork legs down to put them on, I put mine on when I needed to replace the fork seals, not a big job at all.

Ashley

BrianK · Mar 21, 2013

Sign me on as another happy gaiter user. Old Britts, been on there several years, look like new (almost - and entirely, with a little Armor-All), and I don't expect to replace my fork seals for a long, long time.

1up3down · Mar 21, 2013

yes, for real and not joking

it took me all of 20 minutes to do and no screwing around taking the wheel off, etc

why the disbelief, it solved a problem quickly, perfectly, and with no visual negatives, wtf?

ashman · Mar 21, 2013

To put new Gaiters on should only take 1/2 hour anyway at the most, it only takes a few minets to take the front wheel off, only took me a hour to slide mine down and put new seals in plus cleaning and the new gaiters, its not a big job at all, maybe 2 hours if you throw a few beers down when doing the job :lol:

Ashley

xbacksideslider · Mar 22, 2013

This is a problem with many of the rubber goods - footpeg, gear shift and kick start rubbers - they all split open or wear too quickly.

As for the gaiters, mine have lasted for many years, they are not OEM but made of that shiny, more plastic kind of rubber, don't know what it is called. I use a hole punch for leather work to clean up and enlarge the breather holes.

For all of these rubber products, OEM, it seems is worth the price. Problem is convenience; I see the Emgo, or whatever Taiwan stuff, for sale at a bike meet and impulse buy it and then I'm burned again. My shift rubber right now is a chunk of 3/8" ID black fuel line.

swooshdave · Mar 22, 2013

1up3down said:
yes, for real and not joking

it took me all of 20 minutes to do and no screwing around taking the wheel off, etc

why the disbelief, it solved a problem quickly, perfectly, and with no visual negatives, wtf?

Because it would take longer to sew them up than to drop the forks? Top nuts off, loosen pinch bolts, 4 screws on Master cylinder, drop forks.

I can't comprehend that the sewing was easy unless you're a seamstress during the day. :mrgreen:

Picture of sewing job.

Hobot · Mar 22, 2013

Gosh, I never thot about sewing em on, cool I'm in iup3dn camp, that the other ways seem so mechanical brute force laborious. Hm, maybe just tie a yarn around each valley then gaiters could help resist bottoming. I like the look of gaiters over naked stanchions looking so spindlely. I don't want black on Peel but don't know what to pick

Fork Gaiters, anyone else have this problem?

Hobot · Mar 22, 2013

http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2010/06/14/bat ... you-think/

BrianK · Mar 23, 2013

hobot said:
Gosh, I never thot about sewing em on, cool I'm in iup3dn camp, that the other ways seem so mechanical brute force laborious. Hm, maybe just tie a yarn around each valley then gaiters could help resist bottoming. I like the look of gaiters over naked stanchions looking so spindlely. I don't want black on Peel but don't know what to pick

For a grand lady like Mrs. Peel, perhaps pink Hobot? It'd be a look for sure!

1up3down · Mar 23, 2013

deleted

Hobot · Mar 24, 2013

Oh yes Ms Peel in hot pink definitely the first color that popped into my mind too and may yet do so, but more looking out for Leopard or paisley. I already have doily lacy frilly raindow hued bracelet like things little girls put on their wrists or bicycle grips for double takes and dares into dog fights as if I was guy called Susie. Besides THE Grit that's air borne there's also the dirt shoveled up on crashes. The beer can sheilds worked pretty good on my SuVee but only lasted a few seasons. A sexual characteristic in women are long legs as emphasized in Barbie dolls, same with Ms Peel, her forks extend 2" further than normal so normal gaiters get stretched apart leaving her ankles uncovered.

johnm · Mar 24, 2013

I beleive Hobit's and my views and tastes in everything are opposed 180 Deg.

Except in the matter of Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg.

A woman I have loved from afar for nearly fifty years

Hobot · Mar 24, 2013

Oh shoot I like Peel 180' either way too.

johnm · Mar 24, 2013

OK - You win that point! :wink:

dero · Mar 25, 2013

My gaiters have lasted over 10 years and still look the same , I think they came from norvil .

Fork Gaiters, anyone else have this problem?

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