forks locked up

[schoenyrider]

I just bought a beautiful 83 venture. Brought it home on a trailer over terrible roads and banged the bike up terribly. Now the front forks don't wanna move. Help!

Jim

[Flyinfool]

Congratulations on picking up a nice bike.

 

We have rules on this site, we all love to see pictures. If there are no pics it didn't happen.

 

Between the bikes suspension and the trailers suspension I am not sure how you could have damaged the forks.

How did you have it strapped down on the trailer?

 

If you had it secured in some weird way I suppose it might be possible to have bent a fork tube, but that would take an awful lot of force.

[rbig1]

are you talking side to side or up and down. has a piece of faring gotten lodged by the neck because bike fell over or did you compress the forks all the way and there stuck.

[Flyinfool]

After rereading your original post. I had "assumed" that you meant that the forks ere locked and would not move up and down.

Just on the odd chance if you meant that the forks will not turn, is it possible that you engaged the fork lock, and just need to unlock it with the key?

[Yammer Dan]

After rereading your original post. I had "assumed" that you meant that the forks ere locked and would not move up and down.

Just on the odd chance if you meant that the forks will not turn, is it possible that you engaged the fork lock, and just need to unlock it with the key?

 

 

:sign yeah that:That's what I was thinking......

[schoenyrider]

Thanks for your replies, I didn't expect that so quickly. The forks are extended and won't compress. I see that the brake lines go to the shocks. Don't think the air pressure could do it.

 

I had it lashed down good, but didn't have the shocks completely compressed so they were working the 2 hours it took to get her home. Roads were bad, but I probably should have rode it.

 

Also did something to the carbs because now she runs badly. Ran beautifully before the trip. What a disaster! Awesome bike. please help.

 

I will gladly post pics when she is healthy.

 

Jim

[Marcarl]

Did you happen to pump them full of air somehow?

[Marcarl]

If it ran good yesterday, it will run better tomorrow,,, just stick with us, and we'll help out,,, and we won't make fun of you,,, with you maybe,, well for sure,,,, but not of you.

[Pegasus1300]

of course we'll make fun of him but smile while we're doing it and a good time will be had by all.

On the running part did it have old gas in it when you started it and now the carbs are all gunked up, Or did something shake loose on the rough trip home? Need some more details on the bad running.

[rbig1]

don't know if you know. to operate the class compressor ign switch has to be in acc. put class in manual and dump all air out of front forks. and by the way class is slower than a snail have to hold buttons and wait. I run the front forks a 7psi and the rear at 70 psi. but the back is high as 2up all the time. since you just got your toy get seafoam in fuel quick. also there are drain hoses on each carb takes a Phillips driver to open.

[rbig1]

you might as well join. these guys helped me bring mine back from the dead. there are some really good tec articles and upgrades also and parts manuals repair manuals etc.

[schoenyrider]

Thanks all for your help. Found the air was out of the front shocks. Don't have a compressor, so my friend helped with a hand pump thingy. FIXED!

 

Running her is helping work things out. It idles now, and is smoother running. Seems some gunk musta got shook around like was suggested. Put in some sea foam (can I say that on here?). Gonna git out and ride!

 

I am hopeful things will work out of the system. Will drain the carbs, before the ride, as was suggested.

 

Thanks to all for your hand holding. I will definitely join the forum. Snooping around is informational and very entertaining.

 

Jim

[bongobobny]

NEVER use a compressor on shocks, too much volume of air, you will blow out seals! Only use a hand pump!

 

Yes seafoam is endorsed here and is the cure all for EVERYTHING! Welcome aboard!

[Neil86]

Even with no air in front forks there should be some compression travel.

You might be in need of fork springs.

[frankd]

Bobby,

I used to use my compressor to fill the forks on my 83 before I changed to Progressive springs. I used to set the regulator to adjust the pressure to where I wanted the front forks (14#). Then I just pushed the air hose onto the Schraeder valve and hold it there about 15 seconds, and my forks had the correct pressure in them. Of course I agree with your suggestion not to use full pressure to fill it though. It's been a long time since I manually filled the forks though.....I changed to Progressive springs and now use zero air pressure in the '83. On the 89, I use the built in system.

 

 

Frank