Raptor Chapter

Help!!!
Steve Piper motorcycles were going to do my fork seals for me. However the credit crunch has turned them into a one man band who now only does Harley's and cant get Cagiva parts/doesn't want the job. I contacted Cagiva dealer who only had a kit which was listed at £94! which I then would have to get fitted I am really not up to doing the job myself as i dont have a front bike lift, the knowledge or confidence to carry this out.
First thing I need is someone who sells the seals for a 2001 Vraptor. Secondly is someone to do the job for me. Next local one away won't touch a Cagiva for some reason. Next furthest wanted £48 an hour for 3 hours, plus parts, plus oil, plus vat. So I am looking at over £200 just to get the fork seals done. Anyone help at all. Really hacked off. Now that the light of not being at work all the time is just in view and the weather is getting better all goes pear shaped on the repair front. Any suggestions?

Zeb

I'll check my invoices zeb - and let you know who did mine

http://www.thefastone.co.uk/search.asp
these chaps seem to have them

I can pm you the phone number or email for ancientd (who did mine)

thats a bit steep for a couple of oilseals that should only cost about £10
have a go yourself its very easy i can tell you how to support the bike if you want.

Hi Snaps/Kev

Not keen to do it myself but how easy is it? Ancientd email would be good if they can do it. Where are they? How do I support the front of the bike, how do I actually do the seals. In theory I guess its just pull the forks apart, put new ones in, put them back together but I have never touched suspension before. Also how do I get the right amount of oil back in the forks? If it really is that easy I might put progressive springs in while I have the things apart but how hard is that? I am pretty practical with a hammer and large tools. I am sure, if I could support the bike, I could get the fork cartridge out but then what?

Any help/advice would be really appreciated

Z

I pm'd you ancient's contact details Zeb, not proper local to you but I know he's had customers from Southampton previously so maybe there's just no-one in your area.
Cost of seals seems to be a general 6.99 and 12 for dust seals, seems a tad excessive to be charging 94£ I reckon I bought my last set from Baines at silverstone (not for that much) but can't find the invoice.

1 on the offside of bike remove the bottom screw from the footrest hanger and replace with a bolt about 100mm long now put some wood under sidestsnd about 75mm then go to offside and lift bike upright and put a car axle stand under bolt you will find this lifts rear wheal now lift front wheal and suport under the engine with wood now your ready to do forks
download the manual take out the wheal drop the forklegs the hardest bit is undoing the alenbolt up inside the forkbottom what you can try is get a mate to turn the leg upside down compress as much as poss while you tap the alenkey with a mallet this should undo it then pull forks apart remove circlip flip out the old seal wallah
i now need a stella my brain hurts let me know if you get stuck.

After having a quick look around indeed fork seals are not listed, however after looking on wemoto's site the stanchions are 43mm in Diameter, it may be possible to find alternative fitments from other makes of bike. Also the seals will have a code on them which if taken, replacements could be found. A bit of hassle but cheaper than £94!

yes i agree whip a seal out and take it to a bearing supplier they will match it no problem i seem to remember they may have been the same as 02/03 R1 but cant be 100% the dust seal is the one to be very careful with as that is marzochi and would be a right pain in bum to get

Ok, I give up. You guys have talked me into it. I ordered a front headstock paddock stand today to lift the front up with. It was 50 odd quid off Fleabay I am sure it will come in useful at other times or can be leant. Now i have the front and rear so I can lift it clear if I need to (why I don;t know but I can now). Seals I got by hunting a bit more on here. Snaps had a similar problem ages ago so I tracked down the thread and Forza wrote
"Try gear 4 bikes, excellent delivery nearly always next day.
Size is, or at least for my v-rap is, 43 x 54 x 11.
Hope that helps. "

So that's what I have ordered from MPS thefastone. Also the 10w oil instead of the 7.5 standard. So watch this space and I will update you on how easy it really isn't and how long it takes me to get really fed up. I did note that I need to be careful with the dust seals as they are difficult to get hold of. Thank you all for nagging me into it, if its as easy as you say I will be wondering why I resisted if it isn't I shall come round your houses and cack in your slippers
Zeb

nice one just remember never force anything if you get a bit stressed walk away and come back to it use a nice wide fat screw driver with a little rag raped around the end an GENTLY bit by bit lift out the dust seals if in doubt ask.

Hope your front stand fits zeb - ancient had one specially milled for my Rap as all the supplied stud sizes were too big for th'ole.

Stand arrived yesterday (ghost bikes on ebay). Its all super duper and fits lovely. No problems at all. I shall start on Thursday.

Zeb

Evening all

In preparation for the arrival of the fork seals I have been a busy bunny today. Here goes step by step.
1. Download manual, read manual, print pages and laminate at work.Check
2. Read again and have next to me in shed. Check
3. Realise that all manuals ought to be listed in the fiction section of the library when it talks about, for the Vrap, remove the nose fairing. (Utter arse gravy). Check
4. Then does not mention removing the mudgaurd (that couldhave been expensive). Mudgaurd removed. check
5. Then its says to disconnect the brake lines for the fornt calipers. Oh great then I will have to bleed them after so You will be please to note that I just unbolted them (following a trip to halfords for a new allen socket as my old Kawasaki one was torx drive) and then zip lock tagged them to the bike. Check
6. To remove the front wheel it says to undo the four allen bolts at the bottom and then undo the spindle. If you undo all four it just spins round. I started on the right (from front of bike) and one of them promptly rounded off. Easy out too sharp wouldn't work. So back to halfords for a T45 torx socket and judicious use of large ball pein hammer. Hey presto its undone. Onto probolt tomorow for some new bolts. Check
7. Do the ones on the left back up again so the spindle can be undone. Check
8. Jack up back on paddock stand, same for front. Check
9. Remove wheel. Check
10. Undo top allen key bolts on headstock. More stuck ones here but managed to get them out this time. Check
11. Slide forks out. Check
12. Then, having made soft jaws out of ally for my vice, go for the allen bolt on the bottom. Guess what? It too deep and I can't reach it with allen socket so off to Machine mart tomorow for something longer. Good job too as I have jsut realised I needed to drain the fork oil first.

I shall keep you updated but the bike currently looks like a jet ski, i have the forks out and am none the worse for wear after my traumatic spannery experience. I am hoping that I will be suitably refreshed and chilled to be very gentle with the seals and dust seals when they get here. It should be OK and I will feel better for doingit and having some more bits of metal in the toolbox.

Zeb

LOL nice one Zeb... best of luck for the morrow!