Identify the fork seal location before ordering parts for your 1981 CB900C Custom. The oil seals, dust seals and cap O-rings are separate products, each serving a different point. Check the fitted fork and its surfaces before treating new seals as the whole repair.
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1981 Honda CB900C Custom · Fork Sealing Parts Buying guide
Check all three fork sealing locations separately
The 1981 CB900C’s original forks are air-assisted. Oil seals, outer dust seals and cap O-rings serve separate positions. The oil-seal specification is 37 × 50 × 11 mm; inspect the tubes and identify any fork swap before choosing seals.
Damaged tube surfaces or an altered fork assembly can change the repair needed. Compare dimensions and use the correct inspection procedure before ordering. The model-specific seal application does not establish that every component of an old or modified fork is sound.
Prepare for air pressure and the correct year’s fork data
Honda warns to release fork air pressure before cap removal and notes that the caps remain spring-loaded. Use the CB900C procedure and suitable protection. The 1981 addendum revises fork service data, so keep the correct year’s instructions with the repair rather than treating a shared seal size as a universal refill specification.
Buying questions
Will new oil seals cure a leak caused by a damaged fork tube?
Inspect the tube’s working surface and the rest of the fork before ordering a seal-only repair. Pitting or damage can compromise a fresh seal. The separate dust-seal pair protects the outer area but does not repair the tube or replace the internal oil seals.
Can the fork caps be removed as soon as the front wheel is unloaded?
The original forks still contain air pressure and spring load. Honda’s procedure releases the air first and warns about the spring-loaded caps. Plan the correct disassembly equipment and procedure before opening them to replace cap O-rings.
Do all 1980–82 forks use identical service quantities because the seals match?
No. Honda revised fork specifications in the 1981 CB900C addendum. Follow the base manual with the applicable year addenda for the fitted fork, and identify a swapped assembly separately. The common seal dimensions do not establish its spring or fluid specification.
Not sure which part you need?
Send your model and year, plus photos of your existing part and any changes to the original setup.