Forum

[klutz]

My 2004 500 Bullet Sixty5 has some play in one of the front forks, the chrome stanchion can be rocked very slightly in the cast aluminium fork end. Is this a case of replacing worn bushes within the fork ? - it isn't clear from the manual.
Many thanks.

[stinkwheel]

There aren't any bushes. There are two sets of fork seals seperated by a plastic spacer. Easy to replace but DO buy a protective collar for you to lever the old ones out against. There are also some metal guides on the damper rod but no conventional bushes. I'd imagine a little play would be par for the course though because that isn't a lot to hold them straight by. If they're not leaking, I wouldn't worry too much. Here's what you've got in there.

[klutz]

Many thanks Stinkwheel. There is no leakage so I suppose it would be pointless changing the seals. The play can be felt through the handlebars though so I guess the only cure is a new aluminium fork end.

[Adrian]

The pre-1988 Indian Bullet forks do have bushes, though you're unlikely to encounter a set of those on a Sixty-5, which should match what's in Stinkwheel's picture, hopefully with a bit less rust! A strip-down should give a better indication of what is actually worn, though I'm assuming the forks are properly tight in the fork yoke and the casquette.



A.

[klutz]

I did at first think the headstock was loose but eventually tracked the play down to the left hand fork leg. Removing the bushes post 1988 sounds like a backward step.

[scotty]

Silly question is there oil in the fork leg. Alloy fork btms are fairly cheap out of india.

[PeteF]

If you can feel it in the 'bars I would be looking to change the sliders. It's not going to get better.

[klutz]

That's what I thought. Two sliders ordered.