Motorcycle Repair: Bought 1982 Honda Nighthawk, some issues, valve cover gasket, fork seals

Question
First, the fork seals are done, one fork releases air and apparently all the oil leaked out, find other forks and try to change the seals?? Second there is an oil leak coming from the  front most valve cover and/or hose going into it. There is clunking noise when it idles but when i pull in the clutch cable it subsides, does the leak and noise have anything in common???

Answer
You can replace the fork seals but the procedure involves removing the brake caliper, the wheel and the forks. You should get a service manual which will walk you through the steps.

Valve covers leak alot and the noise you are hearing has nothing to do with the leak. The hose in the front is likely the tach cable. This is a prime location for a little oil leak as there are rubber o-rings and seals which shrink after 25 years. These can all be replaced, along with the valve cover gasket if you want to clean it up.

The bottom end noise you are hearing may be a problem depending on how loud it is and if it gets louder as you rev the motor. Most bikes this old have a soft tapping noise coming from the bottom end as they idle.