I have a 2001 KX 500 as well as a 99 RM 250 both with blow fork seals.
How often do you guys find yourselves replacing fork seals? once a season?
Is there a trick to extending the life on these seals? cleaning the fork tube regularly?

My 05 CRF450 blew a right fork seal the first year I had it. Had the seals replaced and the suspension, front and rear, revalved and resprung. Haven't done anything since. Probably about time I do. I was told forks should be serviced annually. I also put "seal savers" on the forks. They are spandex type material that fits over the forks were the seals are.

I have had the seals last 4 years of heavy use, actually outlasting the motor and I have had a seal go out after 2 years. Those seal savers charred is talking about are supposed to help alot. Also after you wash your bike (Never use a pressure washer), wipe down the water drops off the fork tubes. The calcium deposits are supposed to be hard on the seals. I haven't found that to be a definite seal killer but it only takes a few seconds.

Good info.

ah thats funny fireball i wipe my tubes down after washing too....always thought that was overkill but now i feel vindicated.

Maurice to increase the life of fork seals you can clean and grease the dust seal frequently. the rubber piece you see on the fork is the dust seal....the oil seal in behind it inside the outer fork tube. slide off that little spring, then use a small flat tip screwdriver to pull the dust seal down the inner fork tube. fold small pieces of paper towels and clean out the dust seal, i slide in the tip of the paper towel from the top so that it sticks out the bottom of the dust seal. then i slowly pull the paper towel through as i rotate the dust seal. you will be surprised how much junk is stuck in there. then grease the inner fork tube before you slide the dust seal back up.

with the dust seal pulled down you have access to the oil seal. you can carefully clean out the oil seal with a very thin piece of plastic or a feeler gauge. slide it inside the oil seal and try to remove any grit stuck in there. just use a cleaning motion that will pull the dirt down and out....not jamming it back inside the fork.

changing fork oil will prolly increase the life. that stuff smells horrible after awhile.

ive always heard the fork guards trap alot dirt....not sure if thats true or not.

Yo Wop, it was a yamaha mechanic at a yamaha shop that told me to wipe down the fork tubes. Like I said, I can't say it's a fact but it makes sense.

the way you install the forks on your bike is critical to their survival as well. most people don't know how to properly install their forks, so they end up in a bind destroying seals.

Mud = fork seal killer

I have to have my seals done. I figure it's a good time todo the front suspension also. I'm going to run seal savers and also start wiping off the water droplets. We have some hard (_|_) water here.

Great info thanks all.