Suspension Play

Just curious to see if others have noticed this or if my front suspension is worn out at almost 8,000 miles.

I noticed a while back when my bike is on a work stand(or any stand that gets the wheels off the ground) and I grab the front tire and push it fore and aft there is a weird feeling play, I feel the front suspension shift a noticeable amount. I have already checked the steering stem and has no play at all. I also checked the wheel bearings and they are also fine with no play. I also can feel the shifting/play feeling when I am sitting on the bike with front brakes applied and push the bike fore and aft; To me this confirmed that the play I am feeling is accruing where the lower part of the front fork slides in to the upper part of the fork. The suspension still seems to operate smoothly and doesn't leak. lol I kind of want to blame some of the head shake I get when going above 65mph on it, but that is probably because I'm using a non DOT knobbie front tire; Idk.

I've kind of ignored the problem for a while, but it's always on my mind. I'm also guessing that learning to do stoppies on this bike contributed to this? I figured it would be able to handle such little abuse.

Any advice on this is much appreciated.

Myself, I doubt you've got some major wear going on.
If you really are concerned and you're feeling uncertain, have somebody who handles forks for a living inspect them.

There needs to be some clearance between the inner and outer fork tubes, or else they'd bind during normal riding from flexing when loads are put on them.

Also, holding the front brake lever and rocking the bike back-and-forth will often reveal a bit of normal play with the "floating" buttons that secure the front brake rotor.

Thanks for your wise advice YZEtc! I took my WRR to the dealer to have them look at it, but all the techs were busy, so I just told them never mind. I just went inside where they have a new WRX on the floor and I just felt it's suspension play and it's near identical to mine, so I'm sure my WRR is fine. I just never payed attention to the play in the forks of my previous bikes, because I was even more young and naive. lol.

Aaron: The way you ride I'm surprised the entire bike isn't in a heap ! J/K

BTW: Everything is relative. You're STILL young and naive !

Hahaha, thanks X-Racer. Seriously, I'm not that easy on this bike. I'm sure I've laid it over more than fifty times, most of the spills where under 10mph though lol. It is surprising how much abuse this bike takes and keeps begging for more!

Haha, I'm not denying that I'm young and naive, but I like to think I have a little more care and wisdom nowadays :P

it is the free floating rotor you are feeling. mine does the same and i was worried when i first got it. watch the rotor move when doing this .

turboedmsp wrote:

it is the free floating rotor you are feeling. mine does the same and i was worried when i first got it. watch the rotor move when doing this .

I still get the play while the bike is on the work stand an physically grabbing the lower part of the forks and moving them fore and aft. But, yeah, I know what you are talking about. And really, I feel the play in the actually forks is more noticeable than the play in the floating caliper.