Stripped lower hex bolt on bottom of forks

[Baatfam]

it is absolutely the right advice to go minimal first.

Agreed...........

[Cipher]

I still can't see how drilling can possibly be thought easier and quicker than using a torx bit ?
it took me 10 seconds to rig safely fork in vice. Then put in 45 torx bit into bolt head. smack with hammer , add socket and turn. done in 20 seconds. torx bit not damaged. it unscrewed easily in one piece.
drilling you say would take 3 mins. I have made tea whilst you are still drilling.

to drill would take a hell of a lot longer. especially using my cheapo hand drill and bits. and could I be sure to drill the perfect depth with damage. even if I had a rig at the ready it would take longer.

drilling is the absolute last resort surely. it is for me. then you start to use easy out or as you say drill the head off.

it is absolutely the right advice to go minimal first.

Hand drilling disks and i've got the puncture wounds to prove it.

[Nessism]

The torx bit is a no-brainer. You can always drill out the screw if this fails. And when it comes to drilling, There are countless examples here of guys drilling out things like header bolts and hitting the head and wrecking it. Too risky for guys that don't have medium high skills.

[Suzukian]

You can't drill out a hardened extractor piece if it breaks off. Besides, your drilling the size of the shank. The head will pop off.. You will see it pop off. Usually the leg loosens right up.
Nessism I do agree with you however, maybe some people aren't cut out, or don't have the experience, but you can drill too far if something is in jib. The only thing that stops you is how far you decide to drill, crappy tools, and you never use an oversized drill, you use one the diameter of the shank of the bolt. I'm happy when anybody has success in what your doing. I can't stand when the inside of the leg spins while trying too loosen the bolt, and you have to pull out the air gun to spin it at high speed to get the screw out. Honda's are famous for this.

[Baatfam]

You can't drill out a hardened extractor piece if it breaks off. Besides, your drilling the size of the shank. The head will pop off.. You will see it pop off. Usually the leg loosens right up.
Nessism I do agree with you however, maybe some people aren't cut out, or don't have the experience, but you can drill too far if something is in jib. The only thing that stops you is how far you decide to drill, crappy tools, and you never use an oversized drill, you use one the diameter of the shank of the bolt. I'm happy when anybody has success in what your doing. I can't stand when the inside of the leg spins while trying too loosen the bolt, and you have to pull out the air gun to spin it at high speed to get the screw out. Honda's are famous for this.

Nah....
I have the the correct tools, and have drilled out many screw heads. And yet, I would still try a torx bit first. Fast and easy.
How much force is necessary to snap a quality torx bit, anyway?

[ukjules]

hrmmmm an impressive array of gear. fair shout.
All I can say is I like the frugal in the field fixes. This site helped me with such when on a tour of Europe when my bike broke down and I was sat in a field in a tent , near Amsterdam broken broke down. Good times and forever thankful.

I need you and your machine shop here to make my English scythe handles.

advice taken in.

cheers to G for info.

[Suzukian]

Nah....
I have the the correct tools, and have drilled out many screw heads. And yet, I would still try a torx bit first. Fast and easy.
How much force is necessary to snap a quality torx bit, anyway?

It depends on the quality. I've had name brand ones, one the smaller sizes break off fairly easily, then you have to smash them with a punch to get them out.

[Suzukian]

hrmmmm an impressive array of gear. fair shout.
All I can say is I like the frugal in the field fixes. This site helped me with such when on a tour of Europe when my bike broke down and I was sat in a field in a tent , near Amsterdam broken broke down. Good times and forever thankful.

I need you and your machine shop here to make my English scythe handles.

advice taken in.

cheers to G for info.

You wouldn't believe the tools I carry with me in my tank bag, and in the seat storage tray. It has to be a really bad problem for me not to be able to fix it on the road. I've actually helped other bikers who stuck more than myself. When I had my sidecar, I carried a crazy amount of tools in it's trunk. The weight helped keep the sidecar down when empty.

I also belong to the Vintage Suzuki site that's located in the U.K., but you had better have thick skin to join that site, and your bike can't be an "L" model. They will rip you apart, and you can use whatever kind of language you want, and insult people there ad infinitum, but you had better be able to take it. It's a blast, but not for everyone. It is the most knowledgeable group of people on Suzuki motorcycles I've ever met. These guys do wild things to their bikes. I have purchased whole GS1150 front ends for $75 bucks from members located in the "Colonies', as you would say.

[rphillips]

Ripping someone because they like an "L" seem about as absurd you can get....It'd be about the same to rip somebody with a 4 valve eng., just cause you like a 2 valve better. Just plain ignorant... Think I'll just hang around here and hope those folks stay over there.

[Suzukian]

Ripping someone because they like an "L" seem about as absurd you can get....It'd be about the same to rip somebody with a 4 valve eng., just cause you like a 2 valve better. Just plain ignorant... Think I'll just hang around here and hope those folks stay over there.

If you want to learn how to modify you "L" engine to it's fullest potential, that forum is the place to learn. Want to learn how to make a once side swing arm for your bike, that's the forum you go to. The engines are the same. I don't think the number of valves comparison holds, but what ever floats your boat.

When I ran a Yamaha dealership, I used to customize a lot of GS850L and XS650's motorcycles with products from "Drag Specialties. Many 3" inch risers, with flat bars, and other chrome doodads that I made much profit off of. I was an official distributor for Drag Specialties and adapted many of their products to fit the "L" models, to help those riders get the look they wanted. I wasn't into it, but it wasn't about me, it was about helping them fulfill their wishes. I will take good modding advice from wherever I can get it from.

[rphillips]

Why I like it around here, I'm not a fan of the "L" type bikes but would offer any help I could "L" or not, just as I think anybody around here would... Never remember any ripping, other than in a joking like way. I'd hope the "L" owners would get as big of kick out of "L's"' being called "disco cruisers" or "cruising for burger bikes" as the ones that jokingly called them that. If not, I offer them an apology.

[Suzukian]

I knew guys who rode Harley's only because they picked up more chicks. They did too, they were chicks who just liked the look of Harleys and didn't want to go fast, but just wanted to cruise. I will help anyone I can, if I see them stuck on the road. I do the same with people in cars, though most of the time, the people around here have AAA, or the police are right on top of it. Tiny roads that can't sustain any kind of traffic jam.

[rphillips]

"They were chicks that liked the looks of Harleys and didn't want to go fast just cruise"??? Are you serious??? Didn't you ever talk to a "chick" that didn't mind being truthful about what they liked the Harleys? From what I've heard, the looks and slow cruising had very little to do with it.

[Suzukian]

Well, not sure what you're alluding too, but the forum's rules, and the general results of vibrations are well known.

[ukjules]

I find in uk no Harley rider ever nods there head at a rider with a more normal bike like a superb old GS . Damned rude I find I thus never do the same now and have contempt for those odious people .when I rode round Europe however I found all bike riders of any type of bike nodded etc . I wouldn't swap my GS for 100 Harleys.
hey ho.

anyway with new bolt ordered for forks I'll be putting forks back on the weekend. I just worry about the boot head and if it's big enough .