Motorcycle Repair: Honda CB250, pvc piping, allen bolt

Question
Hi Mike,

I have a leaking (very minor) left front suspension on my CB250 (1999 model). Bought second hand from a dealership, no previous problems, mechanically works great...just need to repair this 'leaking' seal (barely a few drops on fork can be seen) in order to get a roadworthy certificate to re-register the bike...registration lapsed while in sweden..haha)

I have removed the wheel and the dust protector on the suspension fork and i was wondering whether you had to damage the seal in order to remove it from the fork, is there another way?

Also, i have begun to realise that in order to put the new seal into the supension tube correctly (ie straight and deep) i may need some special tool. Is this the case or could i possibly use some PVC piping to do the job?

oh...haha..and yet another question..what type of oil do these suspension tubes use? is it specific to the type of bike? what type of oil would you reccommend?

Thanks in advance
ariel

Answer
i usually only answer questions on Harleys, because that is the only type of bike I work on, but I think I can help.
Most forks are the same so I hope this helps. Remove the top cap of the fork. Look on the side of the fork and there should be a screw to remove to drain it. Remove it and drain. Now look at the inside bottom of the fork. There should be a allen bolt. This holds the fork together. Remove it. Where you removed the dust cover, under it should be a clip. This clip holds the seal in. Remove it. Now the bottom section of the fork should slide off. Now you can remove the seal and install the new one. Put it back together and install the fork oil.
As to the oil. Check with your dealer on what type they recommend and how much. That I am not going ot be able to help you with.
Hope this helps
Mike