Preparing to install Intiminators today and noticed what look like drain bolts on the underside of the forks. Everyone seems to mention there aren't drain plugs on the 650, so what am I seeing? I have visions of changing fork oil without removing my forks...
I have an 800GS and have not taken a close look at the male slider forks on the 650GS. I suspect that they are similar to most male slider forks. If the bolts are more like a small screw on the side of the lower fork tube with a gasket under it, that is a drain screw. If you can't see the bolt unless remove the axle, it is the bolt that holds the damping rod to the fork slider. Generally you only remove this bolt if you want to take the fork apart. To drain these forks you need to remove the forks from the triple clamps and turn them upside down and dump out the oil. Be sure to remove the spring and mark the fork tube position in the triple clamp before removing the fork. Even if there is a oil drain screw, I usually still remove the fork tubes as above. Using the drain screws, there is usually a bit of oil and crud left in the fork. DaleB Minneapolis MN
Good luck with that! See the parts fiche here . Bolt 12 holds absorber 5 in position. Sure the oil will drain if you remove that bolt but you'll likely have the absorber go sideways then you'll have to remove the fork anyway to get it back together.
The consensus is penny saved(Not even.)/pound foolish. Was hoping by spending a few hours doing online research so that I could shave 30 minutes off my maintenance. Off with the forks!
