Air nipple on air adjustable fork

I have a 1981 LTD 1000 and i need to replace one of the air fill nipple on one of my forks. Does anyone know where i can find one of these? My Kaw dealer tells me i have to buy the whole fork top for 274 bucks.

if its just a fitting that screws into top of cap id try a hardware store or industrial supply house to see if they have a fitting.

The Kawi dealer that you checked with is either:

A ) Smoking crack
B ) Trying to make "employee of the month" in overall sales
C ) Looking at the diagram for the wrong bike altogether
D ) Secretly hates Kawis, or all motorcycles in general
E ) All of the above

The short of it is, that the shraeder(air) valve (ref# 16126 = part# 16126-1052) IS listed as a seperate part from the entire fork top (see pic below).


Whether Kawi still offers that part# might be another story altogether.
Regardless, if the Kawi dealer near you can't/won't get that valve for you, check with either an industrial fastener supplier, Harbor Freight or similar company, or a company that sells hydraulic hoses and fittings.
Any one of them should either have one, or be able to direct you to someone who does.
Be sure to take one from your bike with you to make sure the dimensions and threads match up with the replacement.

Post edited by: RetroRiceRocketRider, at: 2006/08/13 11:26

Wow than kyouy for the drawing and suggestions. I will continue my search else where. The dealer near me doesn't seem interested in talking about parts for anything older than a 1991 model.

Erie Addict wrote:

Wow than kyouy for the drawing and suggestions. I will continue my search else where. The dealer near me doesn't seem interested in talking about parts for anything older than a 1991 model.

well thats pretty good then,most of them around here dont believe they even made motorcycles before 2003!:whistle:

I needed the little o-ring on the cap (mine was a little squished) and my dealer said i had to buy the whole cap assembly too. RI-DICK- ULOUS. I just reused the old one.

I keep reading/hearing about dealership parts department problems. In my case, I've found Cycle World East here in Toronto to be very helpful, taking whatever time it takes to track down part#s/parts for me.
I thought I had run into every asshole out there, guess I missed a few!

I stole my replacement fitting off a friend's abandoned dirtbike forks, but I buy those fittings all the time at local HVAC supply houses. I believe it was an 1/8" male by schrader valve fitting, but if you can take your old one with you to match it up.

Sorry Nick but these schrader fittings are way more specialized than 1/8" male pipe by anything.

I ended up calling Doug at Doug's Cycles in Missouri. He sent a pair right out. Doug can be reached at dcycle@cvalley.net.

He's a good guy.
KZCSI

is it the shrader valve/valve core itself thats leaking or is it the whole valve thats leaking?if it is just the core thats leaking get you a tire valve core cap with the little tool built into it and remove the old one and screw new one back in .the shrader valve/valve core from tire should be same,the refrigiration ones are the same as car tire parts except the little rubber seal is made from differant material thats compatable with freon.

Shrader valve or the part inside the fitting is fine. While taking off the caps to rebuid the forks, my wrench slipped and i bend the brass threads pretty bad. still holds air, but is almost impossible to check the preasure with a guage

put the part number in at www.ronayers.com/main.cfm or houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/PartsBandit/ and you will get prices. much better than any dealer.

from ron ayers
Part Number: 16126-1052
Description: VALVE AIR
Source: KAWASAKI
Price: $13.27

Post edited by: lifeliberty, at: 2006/08/14 09:47