Motorcycle Repair: honda vt1100c, automatic transmission fluid, honda vt1100c

Question
i have a 1987 Honda shadow vt1100c i would like to know how to change the fork oil and if there is a rebuild kit for the petcock

Answer
Looking on line, it looks like you have to buy the parts individually if they are still available.  Honda list the complete petcock in the price list but it may or may not be available.  

To change the fork oil, you have to pull the drain plugs on the bottom of the forks.  Be warned the oil will shoot out about 3-4 feet so do it somewhere you can clean it up easily or where you don't care if you make a mess.  If you pump the front forks up and down a couple of times, you'll get most of the oil out.  Then take the caps off the front forks and measure out the correct amount of oil and pour it in the top of the fork tube. I'd recommend you use automatic transmission fluid unless you want to change the front fork damping characteristics and then you can go to higher viscosity oils.  ATF has a viscosity of around 5 or 10 weight.   I'd recommend you only take one cap out at a time.  If you take both fork caps out there won't be anything to hold the front of the bike up and it will collapse.  You'll want to put a floor jack or something under the front of the engine so you can lift it back up and take as much pressure off the fork springs when you go to put the caps back on.  It can be difficult to compress the spring and get the cap to thread in straight.   

Good Luck
Rich