Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Fork Gaitors

I have searched yes i have, put in boots, gaitors, covers, but noting ever came up. So i am on the fence about going chrome on my bottom fork shrouds or replacing them with gaitors, this is my bike, picture it with a corbin, what do you think? Gaitors?

Yes.

Gaitor-up I say WHY ? they look cool !

Definitely gaitors.

Yes you need gators!

Gaitors, definitely

I highly recommend them...

OOOOOO AHHHHHH PRETTY

ok seems like my feelings are shared but i have some questions if that's ok?

1. how do the fork gaitors wear?
2. Should a person have a spare set of them kicking around?
3

I wouldn't worry. Mine are about 3 years old and granted, they didn't see any wear this year, but they look fine.

EDIT: Actually, that picture was taken this Summer, and the thing didn't even run.

I remember reading on another forum that the factory ones were the best and some after market ones tear and don't last...I went the the factory ones....no problem after 2+ yrs.

well apparently the ones from newspeedmaster are the oem ones so thats what i ordered.

Thats where mine came from. They are about three years old and have held up just fine.

I got the newspeedmaster ones and love em. Nice product.

How tricky are they to install?

I could have swore I had an e mail containing written gaitor installation instructions. I'll keep looking

jh

Hey John,

Here are the directions for the Bonnie. I haven't done it on an America/Speedmaster but I'm sure it's pretty much the same.

Brent Smith
newbonneville.com, LLC
2201 Long Prairie
#107-143
Flower Mound, TX 75022


Fork Gaiter Installation Instructions

1) Remove the fork legs per the Service Manual instructions. You will have to safely raise the front of the bike, remove the wheel, brake caliper, speedo cable and front fender. Tip; it helps a lot to remove them if you remove the headlight bolt on the leg you're removing. DO NOT remove the top cap! Also only remove one at a time and replace it before taking the other one out. Take your time, do not use pliers or other devices, it will break free but will be very hard at first. A strap wrench is useful if you have one...

2) Remove the plastic rock guard. You will probably have to pry a little - a heat gun or blow dryer will help in softening this up. You can also use a soft wood block to "drift" them off from their retaining grove.

3) Spray the fork tube with WD-40, LPS or other light lubricant. Slide the gaiter (boot) over the tube and seat the large end over the lower fork legs & seals. The boots are a tight fit, you may have to either dip one end into hot water, use a heat gun or WD-40, to soften the vinyl so it will slip over the grooves that the plastic "protector" clipped into. The other end sits snug in place;

4) Replace the fork leg back into the triple tree and headlight bracket and torque the clamp bolts to 27 Nm. After replacing the headlight bolt, repeat on the other side. Then reattach the fender, wheel, brake caliper and speedometer cable.

5) Last use zip ties at the top of each tube just under the lower triple tree. You should also use the included zip ties for the bottom as well. Make sure you get the vent holes in the boots facing rearward.

Thanks freedom,
I e-mailed Brent last night and he replied, pronto, with the procedure. I'm a little leery of taking apart the forks.

But it might be an interesting challenge for this winter (I still need to install the speed bleeders I bought 3+ years ago!!).
Now, I'm trying to decide if I like the look.

Thanks again !!

Soooo... what are you doing with the old fork shrouds???

Dropping the fork tubes is real easy if you are methodical. Just ensure that you have the bike on the lift so that when you remove the front wheel and fork tubes the balance of the bike remains such that the bike stays parallel to the ground. You can remove the fork tubes in 15 minutes or less.

i remember the first time i took carbs and stuff all apart to rejet them etc, i was very intimidated by the whole process, then one day after a couple beer i figured whats the worst that could happen, at the end of the day i was good and it all worked out, this one stikes me like that as well, maybe having to take the wheel and stuff off not sure, but the bike guy i use would do it for 1.5 hours so 150 bucks, might be a good time to consider putting the progressive front springs in as well, not sure about those yet though.

Do the Progressives,eliminates the front end dive and corners better. You got all winter to collect parts especially if it's a long cold one like last winter.

Mike, if you can pull the carbs then you easily have what it takes to pull the forks. And, Jeff is right... progressive springs are easily the best thing you can do to improve handling. Replacing the springs is also an easy task, so get at 'er my friend and make it happen!!

darn keith i wish you were still here, i could have used you for a couple days! LOL

If anyone is interested in a chrome set of lower fork shrouds i have a set now that i have decided to go with the gaitors.

Keith, have you rode a bike with Ricor valves installed, before and after?

i assume that the ricor valves are a stand alone with oem springs or not? one or the other?

installing these today will post pics when i am done, here goes nothing LOL

updated pics of bike with the gaitors

http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...ge=0#Post533327