fork springs and oil level

CLW,
First thing you can do is totally overfill, or you could empty the volume by exstending the fork and adding 10-15mm. Its your call. As for the oil this is a by product of the natural chemical degridation of fork oil. Mineral based fluids (most fork oils) in particular will become very acidic as they aged.

Secondly your from florida, If I recll, and I would imagine you guys have alot of mositure in your air and that does not help either.

Stock KYB forks used to rust horibaly some peopleI know think its the oil, I don't really cafre to venutre to far as top what the cause is with the stock situation, but keeping your stuff serviced will definelty help.

Regards,
Jer

I have not seen too may rusted springs but I have seen some nasty rust on the steel cartridge rods of the KYB's.

Shocknut,
Dude what do think caused all that rust? We've both seen it in Brandnew bikes?

Regards,
Jer

CLW,
I don't know the Yamaha method..


Regards,
Jer

Honestly I don't know what causes it, but Ive seen it plenty bad. I got to wondering if it wasn't condensation, like from riding on cold days. I know one that I had from SD was BAD, and they ride in some colder temps out there. I've seen it bad enough to rip the rod bushings to pieces, and I remember one YZ 125 you pulled apart on my first visit to your place like this. Remember that one, gawd it was bad??

Oil plays a part in this somehow. One thing though...there are some refining processes going on that are creating extremely high quality mineral/petroleum based fluids that are highly resistant to oxidation now days. Hydrocracking is something new in that, and I guess there are some European companies that have taken it to further levels...termed Molecular cracking or MC. These processes appear to produce basestocks that will perform on a level with PAO synthetics.(which are noted to be the bomb in synthetics) Good idea to stay away from the cheap low grade fork oils, they won't last long.