So I've been trying to figure out this out, and have a few weird questions. Hopefully someone might have an idea. I'll try to keep it short, but thorough, so stick with me.

I bought my bike (2000 F4) a couple months ago and brought it home on a trailer (about 50 miles of mostly highway, with the bike tied down with ratchet straps and the forks compressed). A couple days later when I was spending some time getting to know my new baby, I noticed the left lower fork leg and caliper had a light coating of fluid on them. I'm not sure if it was already there or not, as I didn't run my hands on them or look closely enough when I was originally checking out/buying the bike (I guess I should've been a little more thorough, though, when checking it out). The first thing that came to mind when I discovered it was fork oil. I felt around the upper fork tube and it seemed like there was a very slight feel of oil on the tube near where it enters the lower leg. So I figured "damn, must have a bad fork seal".

Fast-forward now, I just put the bike on the road and started riding it a week ago, and I was fully expecting that fork seal to be leaking. Well its not leaking at all. I've been closely inspecting everything after every ride, and nothing is leaking.

So I'm wondering, is it possible the fork seal could've been leaking when it was strapped down in the trailer, but is fine now? Or, is it possible that there's just no more oil left to leak out (it doesn't feel weird when I'm riding it, though I am a new rider)? If it didn't come from the forks, what else could it have been? The brake reservoir is just as full as the day I got it, and again, I've found nothing else leaking out since I started riding. Of course there's the possibility that it was already on the leg/caliper before I bought it, but then it still had to come from somewhere at some point.

I'm just not sure what to make of it. Anything you guys might be able to offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

Either scenario is possible. However, since the bike is 17 years old, and new to you, they could use some attention anyway.

If it were mine, I would be putting new seals, clean fluid, and new springs for my weight in them.

 

+1