My brothers 2005 yz250f has been leaking oil out of one of the front fork seals. It has been ridden several times while doing this and each time after the bike sits there is a good amount of oil on the rim and tire below the fork.

I know the seals need to be done, but my question is if it is likely that any damage has been done and will there be damage if he continues to ride it? Can the fork completely lose all of the oil? Thanks.

It could loose enough to wear out the bushings. However, I've had numerous seals that were leaking what appeared to be vast amounts of oil only to find there wasn't much gone.

IF you do them long enough. it can ruin things.

a bad seal is usually from a bad bushing... if your bushings get bad enough, it can ruin the insides of your outer fork tubes. I just had it happen to a friend... he weighs 280 lbs and rode it like that for a year though!

yz144builderlol said:

yea, that'll do it usually.:smirk:

I would say park it because you may scar your front forks and that is alot of sanding to do I know on my 1998 Cr250r I had to sand for 2 hrs on one fork. Also I am sure that all the oil will half to come out sooner or later if it is pouring it would only make since also if you jump your bike alot it could cause you to bend your front forks wear it is low on oil.

onefasthonda, just dont chime in if you dont have your facts straight. LOW FORK OIL WILL NEVER CAUSE YOUR FORKS TO BEND. However it will make the them softer as more oil leaks out. Its fine to ride untill you get all the stuff together to do the fork job... and do both of them because im sure the other one is on its way out too.