GK rear end all grimey. Problem???

[Redman]

Should I be concerned about this? Just got bike a few days ago.
Or should just clean up and see how quickley it reaccumulates next year?
Have check level and is down about 1/2 inch, and seemed clean, not dark and/or thick. Didnt seem to be any thicker grime on botton side just more dirt, so doesnt seem like a bad leak.

Less then 30k miles. PO says he had 3 years but didnt use much this year (got new Goldwing). He said he got it from original owner and it had sat for 2 years.

Lets not have a chain vs shaft exchange here. My mind is made up so dont confuse me with the facts.

[Joe Nardy]

I'd clean it and see how it goes. It doesn't take much fluid to cover a good sized area and look like a lot. Just a careless fill-up spill could be enough to look like what you have. Obviously, keep an eye on the fluid level.

Thanks,
Joe

[mcconnell]

Watch also for a leaky shock absorber. Mine are leaking slightly by spring if I don't ride during the winter. Doesn't seem to be as big a problem during warmer weather or if I ride more.

[focus frenzy]

Watch also for a leaky shock absorber. Mine are leaking slightly by spring if I don't ride during the winter. Doesn't seem to be as big a problem during warmer weather or if I ride more.

bingo, that grunge is most likely from the shock.

when eather the BIG o-ring or the output seal go, it coats the wheel, not the final drive housing.

[JayH]

If it was a seal in the final drive I would think that the rear wheel would look more like the top of your final drive. Looks like a blown shock.

[rgierer]

I have a GK and I find the final drive to just hard to keep clean. after a particularly dirt ride my drive looks like that. I don't have seals in the drive leaking. I may have a shock leaking, but I always assumed it was from those bags being so low and dirt just pocketing there...but what do I know?

[Redman]

DOAH!!!

Doah!
Yah Uh-huh Yep, looks like comming from the schock. Crude is thickest right near schock and some fresher looking oil under the schock boot. So that could be accumulation from long long time, being behind the bag and not too directly noticable. Even if it had been cleaned up say a year ago or two and even if all what is seen is all that has leaked, doesnt seem like there would be much remaining in the shock, would there? Like the schock aborber isnt a schock absorber any more. (and now I am in for a shock.)

Thanks, Leon, Joe, McC, GregWazz, Jay, & rg.

So whats the resolution to this? Or maybe I dont want to know. Here is what I intend to do:
Clean it up, and keep an eye on it. See how much it continues to leak in the spring, and see how the schocks perform. Also keep an eye out on ebay for replacement schocks.

Let me quess. These schoks only used on GKs and as such are gonna be hard to find a used set on ebay.

[JayH]

I don't know if those are rebuildable or not. I have been looking for info on those air shocks (ie. amount of oil, wt. of oil, etc) and havne't been able to find anything.

Let me know if you find out anything when you perform surgery. Oh yea, forgot to mention, take pictures also.