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I've heard a few on this forum lamenting the lack of drain plugs on the forks of modern bikes and I'm one of them.
Yesterday while cleaning my garage work area I decided to drain the fork oil from the GS Suzuki project bike. The right fork seal is leaking badly so with everything made neat and put away, it was a good time to get started replacing the seals. And, this being a vintage bike it is blessed to have drain plugs easily removed with a phillips head screw driver. Right side plug came out first and the oil was neatly dispensed into a pan. Over to the left side and as the plug came out I was sprayed from head to toe with fork oil. The garage wall, floor, adjustable stool all drenched. Some even managed to get on Pam's Honda parked on the opposite side. I had to simply laugh at myself and remember next time to release my tie downs and take the pressure off the forks. Experience keeps a dear school but a fool will learn in no other. A large bucket of soapy water and two hours later, everything OK.
FYI, Dawn dish washing liquid is awesome.
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Now where was Ferret's tale of forgetting the oil cap on the ST ...? 
Bad luck, redbirds. I suppose it could have been worse.
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Lol...hate to laugh birds, but the mental image of that forces a giggle to come out.... Along with a knowing head shake.
I hate oil....even fork oil. If there is oil in the name I hate it. I even hate Popeye's girl friend.
The other day I was changing the oil in the CB for the 11 th time. As easy a bike as you will find for changing oil and filter. I put out a fresh piece of cardboad. Parked the bike over it on the center stand. Slid my oil pan underneath. Pulled the drain plug, and the oil came out with enough force to splash out of the drain pan and onto my brand new cardboard. Big puddle on the cardboard I had to mop up with paper towels. At least it wasn't on the floor. Oil finds new and entertaining ways to aggravate me, every time I have to deal with it.
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I laughed also, I find it a better alternative than anger.
A tip, always wear safety glasses when working on your bike or most anything else. I was wearing my wrap-around safety glasses at the time and they were covered with oil afterwards.
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(06-23-2018, 04:59 AM)redbirds_imp Wrote: I've heard a few on this forum lamenting the lack of drain plugs on the forks of modern bikes and I'm one of them.
Yesterday while cleaning my garage work area I decided to drain the fork oil from the GS Suzuki project bike. The right fork seal is leaking badly so with everything made neat and put away, it was a good time to get started replacing the seals. And, this being a vintage bike it is blessed to have drain plugs easily removed with a phillips head screw driver. Right side plug came out first and the oil was neatly dispensed into a pan. Over to the left side and as the plug came out I was sprayed from head to toe with fork oil. The garage wall, floor, adjustable stool all drenched. Some even managed to get on Pam's Honda parked on the opposite side. I had to simply laugh at myself and remember next time to release my tie downs and take the pressure off the forks. Experience keeps a dear school but a fool will learn in no other. A large bucket of soapy water and two hours later, everything OK.
FYI, Dawn dish washing liquid is awesome.
video footage next time please.
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(06-25-2018, 10:30 PM)Aussieflyer_imp Wrote: (06-23-2018, 04:59 AM)redbirds_imp Wrote: I've heard a few on this forum lamenting the lack of drain plugs on the forks of modern bikes and I'm one of them.
Yesterday while cleaning my garage work area I decided to drain the fork oil from the GS Suzuki project bike. The right fork seal is leaking badly so with everything made neat and put away, it was a good time to get started replacing the seals. And, this being a vintage bike it is blessed to have drain plugs easily removed with a phillips head screw driver. Right side plug came out first and the oil was neatly dispensed into a pan. Over to the left side and as the plug came out I was sprayed from head to toe with fork oil. The garage wall, floor, adjustable stool all drenched. Some even managed to get on Pam's Honda parked on the opposite side. I had to simply laugh at myself and remember next time to release my tie downs and take the pressure off the forks. Experience keeps a dear school but a fool will learn in no other. A large bucket of soapy water and two hours later, everything OK.
FYI, Dawn dish washing liquid is awesome.
video footage next time please.
video footage next time please.
They'll be no next times.
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I usually drain my oil warm and let it sit and drain for a while, to get every drop out that I can. I got home from work (20 miles) on my CB750 a while ago and put it right up on the center stand to drain the oil. I stuck a tub under it, pulled the plug and went inside. When I came back to the garage a while later I had four quarts of oil spread across the garage floor.... I was using a plastic cat litter box to catch the oil, which I had used it several times before, but not when the oil was that hot. The oil melted right through the side of the box. What a mess. 
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(06-29-2018, 02:05 PM)Perry_imp Wrote: I usually drain my oil warm and let it sit and drain for a while, to get every drop out that I can. I got home from work (20 miles) on my CB750 a while ago and put it right up on the center stand to drain the oil. I stuck a tub under it, pulled the plug and went inside. When I came back to the garage a while later I had four quarts of oil spread across the garage floor.... I was using a plastic cat litter box to catch the oil, which I had used it several times before, but not when the oil was that hot. The oil melted right through the side of the box. What a mess.
What a mess that must have been. Think I would need a whole case of Dawn liquid.
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(06-29-2018, 02:05 PM)Perry_imp Wrote: I usually drain my oil warm and let it sit and drain for a while, to get every drop out that I can. I got home from work (20 miles) on my CB750 a while ago and put it right up on the center stand to drain the oil. I stuck a tub under it, pulled the plug and went inside. When I came back to the garage a while later I had four quarts of oil spread across the garage floor.... I was using a plastic cat litter box to catch the oil, which I had used it several times before, but not when the oil was that hot. The oil melted right through the side of the box. What a mess.
I usually make a mess whenever I change oil, but I believe that tops anything I have ever done...by a bunch lol. Holy cow what a mess that must have been.
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