Front seal leaking? or last washing?

[mirage814]

Finally got on my 07 Bulldog, seems it always is raining in PA. Washed and then went for a spirited ride n the hills. This morning from around the front axel seem to be steams of dried oil going fro the seal up the forks a few inched. Dies this mean the front axel seal is probably leaking and needs replaced? Or water from the wash got around and just ran when I rode the bile. Does feel oily.

 

[pknowles]

I would think you would have sealed bearings. Jack the front end up and roll the wheel. If it isn't real smooth, you probably need to check and change the wheel bearings

 

[Sven]

seems it always is raining in PA. Washed and then went for a ride...

My assumption would be, it rained and I let the bike spot up and now I am washing it. Backup to when it was in the rain. Rust begins when rain meets a pore in a chrome leg. So there is possibly a variable of a pitted fork finish. Now add, how many times you washed the bike and/or was caught in the rain and never dried the water down the fork's beauty cover... with a flat paper towel down the gap? Soak up a rust potential?

Dies this mean the front axel seal is probably leaking and needs replaced? Or water from the wash got around and just ran when I rode the bile. Does feel oily.

That does sound like the seal may have held its last breath of that oil being retained. Water is a lube and it thins out to run past a cut seal, clings into the pores and the oil displaces the water in pores. What color is the oil? Milky tan brown is water mixed with oil.

Look for a leak at the highest point so you do not conflict a leaking fork seal to a leaking axle seal.