How do I combat fork lacquer 'worming'?

Kellyt: My Triumph Speedmaster suffers with lacquer ‘worming’ problems on the lower forks, top yoke and risers.

They have been changed five times under warranty but the worming keeps coming back, the warranty is almost out and I don’t want to be left with this worming.

Is there anything I can do, like remove the lacquer and just polish the aluminium, or maybe get them chromed?

Jaffa90: I thought Trumpets were the bogs dollacks? My Suzuki GSX is showing signs as well.

I’ve seen older ones with the lacquer removed and just polished, chromed too, but it’s expensive.

Your replacements should be warranteed anyway and you should have received compensation for the pissing about.

I suggest you ask them to get them chromed and pay the difference between new ones and getting some chromed.

Kellyt: Triumph will not supply chromed nor stripped and polished ones, all they will do is replace like for like, although they did say that they will be sympathetic about claims outside the warranty period.

Paul49: Dumbo here, what is worming?

Jaffa90: ‘Worming’ is a pattern occurring underneath the lacquer, it looks like varicose veins, wriggly worms or blotchy lines.

Paul49: Ok thanks jaffa. Never seen that before.

Kellyt: Does anyone know the best way to remove the lacquer from the fork tubes?

MikeRotherham: An easy cure is to remove the parts, bead blast and powder coat them.

Powder coating lasts a hell of a lot longer than lacquer and is easier to keep clean than chrome or polished alloy.

It’s also cheaper than chroming, metallic silver powdercoat ain’t bad looking, just pop into a bicycle shop and check out the silver bike frames in there for an example of the finish.