front it really bumpy?

[irishluck]

Also I don't know if anyone knows the answer to this but I took my 87 fj1200tc out for a test run last week down my street, I gave it some decent speed, when I let off the gas it felt as the front of my bike started to bounce up and down. anyone know what this could be?

After tearing into the bike a little bit I noticed the one of the front callipers on the wheel is suppose to have 2 bolts holding it together, and one of the bolts is missing, could this be the problem?

[andyb]

Forks are devoid of oil, odds are.  Pull em off and fix that.  Odds are the seals are trashed, explaining why they're empty.

If it was instead accompanied by a horrible grinding noise from the front, that was the caliper getting cockeyed and alternately grabbing and releasing on the brake.  BTDT, scary stuff.  A little safety wire will mean you never worry about it again.

[irishluck]

wow that's good to know, and not very safe to run on ha. um by any means how do i check the forks for fluid and fill them back up? do you have to completely dissemble them?

[jykkeh]

take off, open, wash, new bushes and seals, put all parts back, oil,and REMEMBER take ANTIDIVE AWAY.

Thats is, easy job to do.

[irishluck]

anyone want to explain to me what anti dive is?

and also, what is the easiest way to take those forks off?
any special tools needed?

[carsick]

Anti-dive was a system the factory installed on the forks from 84-87 to increase hydraulic damping when the front brakes were applied to prevent that rocking horse pitch forward. Most reports indicate it never worked properly, the little units on the bottom of the forks with black dials on top can be removed and replaced with a plate to bypass, the plate can be purchased or fabricated. This simplifies brake hose routing as well. Stiffer fork springs and appropriate weight fork oil will banish most of the dive.