I just noticed reduced front brake power and fork oil has crapped up my brake again. This happened around 7000 miles and I replaced the seals. Bike now has about 22000 miles.
Both times only the left leg leaked and crapped up the brake. My question is along the lines of is that normal, for leaking at low miles? Also, I am looking at a fork rebuild kit and wanted to doublecheck that S and SF forks are identical. Pivot Works PW-Fork Rebuild Kit PWFFK-K10-021

 

Are the forks damaged along the shaft? Are you running the fork shields? I would try cleaning them out while on the bike before replacement, they make a little plastic piece for this, or you can just cut your own out of some discarded plastic packaging.

 

The shields are in place and always have been there. I will look into the plastic trick. What is the desired thickness if I make my own? I saw where a guy uses old camera film so I guess less than 1mm or so but stiff enough for the job.

 

Get a white (ultrafine) machinist's deburring stone - extra extremely fine. We used them at a cutting tool company to deburr the edge of the drill blade inserts we made. Carefully look and feel the surface of your fork stanchion tube, there is a fine nick there somewhere, you might also be able to see it in the oil pattern. When you figure it out stone it off smooth. I had that happen on my Nighthawk S. Tiniest nick will eventually ruin a seal. Did the job, put on fork gaitors and no more leaks.

All it takes is a tiny scuff from a rock when you tip over to put that nick in there. You may be able to wipe the leg with cheese cloth to see if the nick will catch the cloth.

 

I just used some plastic off of any packaging at walley's, looked at the units on line and copied their shape. It is more about technique, but the plastic should be reasonably thin, but has to be stiff enough to be able to force it's way under the seal.

 

OP, maybe I missed it, but how much time since the last seal change. If your bike is ridden on pavement only, they should last a long time. About the best I can count on is 2 years, and that's only about 8000 miles for me. Mine isn't a daily driver, and pretty much only gets used on trips out west for mainly all dirt. I spend as little time as I can on pavement. It's the dirt that kills mine.

On replacement seals, the KYB seals are probably as good as anything else out there.

 

A paper business card works well as a seal cleaner, just slip a corner up under the seal lip and slide it around the tube

 

My 09 has the original seals and is used for mainly off road riding through lots of dust, mud and everything else. Never had a leak. Have only changed the fork oil and occasionally washed the bike.

 

You should buy a lottery ticket...LOL!

 

I put a layer of silicon grease when ever I do fork or engine oil seals. super clean assembly and tight wipers with no nicks on sliders, you should last a while. but saying that, I just picked up a 2012 with 5700 miles. they were leaking when I picked it up.