If you've ridden motorcycles, especially dirt bikes, for a while, you've likely come across leaking fork seals. In our years of amateur racing, my son and I destroyed many sets of fork seals. It happened often enough that changing them became part of the routine when getting our dirt bikes ready for a motocross race. However, just because it wasn't difficult, doesn't mean the job didn't require some insight and specialty tools in addition to your standard motorcycle tool kit.

Motorcycle forks comprise the suspension at the front of the bike. They consist of a pair of aluminum tubes held at the upper end by a triple clamp that also holds the handlebars. At the other end of the fork tubes, caps clamp onto each end of the front axle with the front wheel centered between them.

Depending on your specific model of motorcycle, inside the fork tubes you'll find various combinations of springs, fluid, washers, clips, bushings, valves, and, of course, seals. The springs hold the motorcycle up, compressing and rebounding as bumps in the road are encountered. The bushings ensure the inner and outer fork tubes slide past each other smoothly while the washers and clips hold it all together. The valves (often adjustable) regulate the speed of the fluid transfer to control damping and rebound forces for the smoothest or most effective ride. The fork seals are there to contain the fluid and keep dirt and moisture out of the fork tubes.