Fork gaiters

[florence]

Hello all.  Perfect weather for riding but my bike is off the road because I decided to replace the front mudguard.

Foolishly, I tried to replace the mudgaurd with the wheel on and managed to stick the brake hose clip through the new fork gaiter causing it to tear.  I ordered some more after-market gaiters from David Silver and when they arrived yesterday decided to take off the forks and do the job properly and replace mudguard at same time.

However, I was shocked to discover that the gaiters I bought in May this year have started to perish and split already, which to be honest is pretty poor.  I know they are not the original Honda part but they should still be serviceable, so I am going to send these new gaiters back, I don't want the same thing to happen again.

I'm going to speak to Silver tomorrow, I'll let you know what happens.  In the meantime it's a lovely sunny day again and no bike to ride.

[AshimotoK0]

Rubber technology is a science in itself but a lot of the aftermarket manufacturers don't grasp that (Cruzin etc). You will probably get the answer 'we have sold xxxxx and no complaints' and they won't reveal the manufacturer, so you can't complain directly to them either.  Their returns policy is good though so best try elsewhere. Trigger (Graham) buys them aftermarket so he may be the best person to advise you. I bought a pair of 500 fork legs at an autojumble last year and even though they were from the USA (where rubber perishes more ) the gaiters had not degraded at all and they are 45 years old.

[Johnwebley]

Rubber technology is a science in itself but a lot of the aftermarket manufacturers don't grasp that (Cruzin etc). You will probably get the answer 'we have sold xxxxx and no complaints' and they won't reveal the manufacturer, so you can't complain directly to them either.  Their returns policy is good though so best try elsewhere. Trigger (Graham) buys them aftermarket so he may be the best person to advise you. I bought a pair of 500 fork legs at an autojumble last year and even though they were from the USA (where rubber perishes more ) the gaiters had not degraded at all and they are 45 years old.

I personally think DSS returns policy is rubbish. 6 months max

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[florence]

Well the new gaiters are not fit for purpose and I will return them for a refund, I don't care what the say at Silvers.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

[AshimotoK0]

Well the new gaiters are not fit for purpose and I will return them for a refund, I don't care what the say at Silvers.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

Pretty sure you will get a refund  but that's not the point. They should  QC check them 1st by getting a spec. on the rubber compound used from the manufacturers. I did once  offer to have his inlet rubbers he sells analysed to make sure they are made of extended properties nitrile (because that's what they should be made from)  but he said that that was up to the manufacturer's and wouldn't reveal who they were, and said he had sold lots and no complaints. So I voted with my feet and found NOS genuine in Japan. Taking carbs on and off can be a real pain.

[florence]

Very good point Ash, they should be more durable than this and should be expected to last for a few years at least.  Taking front forks apart is a real pain and has meant my bike is off the road.

[Green1]

I haven't found any pattern gaiters worth using for any bike they always perish.
Genuine seem to be a lot thicker and less prone to getting squashed out of shape
I bought some from Taiwan once and they arrived in an air tight foil bag they only lasted a month if that.

[Bryanj]

I bought some NOS American rubber gaiters for the 500 and after one ride was left with lots of loose rubber rings on the forks

[flatfour]

I've replaced all of the gaiters on the forks of both my CB500 and CB750 with those from DS for appearances sake. Those on the 750 are now four years old and still sound, the ones fitted to the 500 even older and still look good.

Perhaps they were made by a different manufacturer at that time?

[florence]

Contacted DS today and I have to say, they dealt with it very well.

He said the aftermarket ones are crap, I said, well why do you sell them....

Genuine ones in the post..

[Nurse Julie]

That's one way for Sliver to get rid of his old genuine stock I suppose 
I really do wish he wouldn't send out items he knows are sub standard or not fit for purpose..... I think it lets his company down in my opinion.