I just did the seals and all the brake lines and pads in my K100. Everything went well and she's all back together ready for a test ride. Later this week I plan on taking the bike on it's first long distance ride since I brought her back to life last year. Anyway,when I was doing this work I saw that the rubber bellows under the upper faring were all torn and falling apart so I left them off until I can get replacements. What I am wondering is can this cause a problem in rain  or am I just thinking too much. Ed

They're worthless. BMW didn't bother to include them on later bikes. Forget about them and don't bother trying to replace them.

+1

I got new ones for my 8v RS and the did not last very long before they were ripped.

Anything that helps to prolong the life of the fork seals is a bonus in my opinion but any gaiters of sufficient diameter should do the trick

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I replaced my seals about twenty years ago. The replacement seals are still going. What I did was pack heavy silicone grease (Herschells) under the dust covers and change the grease every couple of years. If you ride in dusty conditions change the grease more frequently. I also pack silicone grease under the rear master cylinder boot to keep out the water and crap.

There is a tool called a Seal Mate or Seal Buddy (Ebay) that has been used by others to fix seal leaks and clean out any crap. They can be bought or made out of an old soft drink bottle. I have made a few to supply a couple of mates bikes suffering from leaky seals. Depending on damage it sometimes works sometimes not. The application of  an ATF soaked rag on the seals  and allowed to soak for a while will also soften up hard seals. However by using the silicone grease that's all I have ever needed to do.

Regards Martin.

Thanks for the input.I had a feeling those bellows things were useless but thought I had better ask.I like the silicone grease idea packed under the dust seals. I think I'll try that and do it before I leave on my trip this coming Thursday It sure can't hurt. Do you pack the whole dust cover or just put a bead over the seal? The bike is all back together and all that is left to do is get the rear brakes to bleed. For some reason I can't get all the air out after replacing the rubber hose with a steel braided one.They worked fine before. Oh well I'll get it done later on.I'm psyched to get out on an actual road trip on this bike.

I pretty well fill it up. I used to use the $50.00 AU per tube Dow Corning high vacuum grease that was required on the K75 fluid damper. I have since located a pretty good substitute, Hershells Silicone Paste $8.00 AU per tube at Supercheap. It is not as thick as the high vacuum grease but it also does the job at a reduced price.

Regards Martin.

To get the air out I use a home made vacuum bleeder. However if you move your bars to the far left so that the reservoir is at the highest point. Then pump the lever while gently tapping the hose and master cylinder with the reservoir cap off you should observe air coming up. If that doesn't work then pump and secure the lever with a bungy cord so that the lever is being pulled and leave over night. The bars need to be turned to the left, and occasionally tapping the hose and master cylinder does help.

Regards Martin.

MartinW wrote:To get the air out I use a home made vacuum bleeder. However if you move your bars to the far left so that the reservoir is at the highest point. Then pump the lever while gently tapping the hose and master cylinder with the reservoir cap off you should observe air coming up. If that doesn't work then pump and secure the lever with a bungy cord so that the lever is being pulled and leave over night. The bars need to be turned to the left, and occasionally tapping the hose and master cylinder does help.

Regards Martin.

It turned out to not be air in the fluid.What happened was that when the hose was disconnected the piston moved and got stuck on that set screw that keeps it from shooting out the end of the master when there is no pedal in front of it. As soon as I turned that screw slightly the piston shot forward and I had line pressure . Now both front and rear brakes are solid as a rock.Tomorrow I test ride it ,change the oil and she's ready to travel !

Go forth and enjoy the fruits of your labours.
Regards Martin.

MartinW wrote:Go forth and enjoy the fruits of your labours.
Regards Martin.

Thanks Martin I will !

A tube of handy silicone grease can be had at any Napa parts store for a reasonable amount of money.  Grease under those caps won't do a thing to prevent stone nicks on the forks tubes, which kill the seals.  BMW gaiters may or may not be the best quality; you decide.  However, many riders opt for Rancho Suspension gaiters, which are economical and available in many sizes as well as colors.